Jennifer Lynn Affleck, known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American actress, singer, dancer, and businesswoman. Lopez is widely recognized as one of the most influential entertainers of her era, celebrated for breaking barriers for Latino Americans in Hollywood and catalyzing the Latin pop movement. Her impact extends to popular culture, where she has reshaped fashion trends, built a formidable brand, and influenced mainstream beauty standards.

Jennifer Lopez was raised in a household steeped in Puerto Rican culture, where music was integral. Encouraged by her family, she and her sisters regularly performed at gatherings. After high school, Lopez pursued dance, studying flamenco, jazz, and ballet at Manhattan's Phil Black Dance Studio. She also taught dance at the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, where one of her students was future actress Kerry Washington.

In 1989, Lopez embarked on her professional career touring Europe with Golden Musicals of Broadway. She gained recognition as a Fly Girl on the TV show In Living Color in the early 1990s, showcasing her dance skills. Lopez transitioned into acting with roles in films like Mi Familia (1995), Money Train (1995), and Jack (1996), establishing herself as a versatile performer in both music and film industries.

Jennifer Lopez portrayed Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in the 1997 biopic "Selena," becoming the first Latina actress to earn $1 million. She highlighted the significance of her salary but criticized the industry's limited opportunities for Latina actors. Lopez's performance in "Selena" was well-received, contributing to the film's box office success.

In the same year, she appeared in "Anaconda" alongside Ice Cube, which achieved commercial success despite negative reviews. Lopez also starred in "U Turn," directed by Oliver Stone, where she controversially appeared topless in a scene added during filming, later expressing discomfort about it.

In 1998, Jennifer Lopez starred in "Out of Sight" alongside George Clooney, earning acclaim for her role as a federal marshal involved romantically with a criminal. She voiced a character in the animated film "Antz" and launched her music career with the album "On the 6" (1999), featuring hits like "If You Had My Love" and "Waiting for Tonight". Lopez's music gained traction, bolstered by performances such as at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup closing ceremony, reaching a global audience of over one billion viewers.

At the February 2000 Grammy Awards, Lopez made headlines with then-boyfriend Sean Combs, wearing a striking green Versace silk chiffon dress that spurred worldwide interest and led to the creation of Google Images due to popular search demand. That year, she starred in the psychological thriller "The Cell," playing a psychologist using innovative therapy to access a killer's mind, achieving mixed reviews but solid box office success.
In early 2001, Lopez made history by simultaneously topping the charts with her album J.Lo and starring in the romantic comedy The Wedding Planner alongside Matthew McConaughey, despite the film receiving negative critical reception. Her album J.Lo, named after her nickname, became her most successful yet, featuring hit singles like "Love Don't Cost a Thing" and "I'm Real". Lopez's career continued to soar with high-profile performances and ventures such as launching her clothing line, J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez, and founding her production company, Nuyorican Productions.

Despite her growing success, Lopez faced personal challenges and revealed having a nervous breakdown during the filming of Enough (2002), where she starred as an abused wife learning Krav Maga for the role. This period also saw her starring in Maid in Manhattan (2002), her highest-grossing film, and expanding into business with the opening of Madre's restaurant and the successful launch of her fragrance, Glow by JLo.

Lopez attracted media scrutiny for her relationship with Ben Affleck and starred in the widely criticized film "Gigli" (2003). Despite setbacks like "Jersey Girl" (2004), she found success with "Monster-in-Law" (2005) and her music album "Rebirth". Her subsequent films included "An Unfinished Life" (2005), "Bordertown" (2006), and "El Cantante" (2007), receiving mixed reception. Lopez released the albums "Como Ama una Mujer" (2007) and "Brave" (2007), and explored television with "DanceLife".

After a career break following the birth of her twins in 2008, Lopez faced commercial setbacks with her music releases in 2009, leading to her departure from Sony Music and Epic Records.

In 2010, Jennifer Lopez returned to the big screen with the romantic comedy "The Back-up Plan," though the film received mixed reviews. However, her career took a significant turn when she joined the judging panel of American Idol for its tenth season in 2011. This move revitalized her public image and popularity, leading to what Billboard described as a remarkable comeback. She signed a new recording contract with Island Records and released her seventh studio album, "Love?", which featured the hit single "On the Floor". The album's success, coupled with her role on American Idol, marked a resurgence in Lopez's music career.

In subsequent years, Lopez expanded her brand as a brand ambassador and launched successful business ventures. She returned as an American Idol judge for its eleventh and thirteenth seasons, reportedly earning substantial fees. Her music career continued with albums like "Dance Again... the Hits" (2012) and "A.K.A." (2014), though the latter had disappointing sales. Lopez also ventured into film with roles in "What to Expect When You're Expecting" (2012), voicing Shira in "Ice Age: Continental Drift" (2012), and starring in "Parker" (2013), receiving positive reviews for her performance.

Throughout this period, Lopez balanced her entertainment career with entrepreneurial ventures, including launching her own clothing and homeware line, collaborating on a luxury T-shirt brand, and founding a mobile phone retail brand. She also became involved in television production, serving as an executive producer for the series "The Fosters" (2013–2018), which reflected her personal commitment to inclusive storytelling.

In 2015, Jennifer Lopez starred in the erotic thriller "The Boy Next Door," which despite negative reviews, performed well at the box office. She also voiced a character in the animated film "Home" and contributed to its soundtrack with the single "Feel the Light". Additionally, Lopez appeared in the independent drama "Lila & Eve."

In 2016, she launched her successful concert residency, "All I Have," at Planet Hollywood's Zappos Theater in Las Vegas, grossing over $100 million from 120 shows over three years. During this time, Lopez signed a significant multi-album deal with Epic Records and released successful singles like "Ain't Your Mama".

On television, Lopez starred in NBC's crime drama series "Shades of Blue" from 2016 to 2018, earning praise for her portrayal of Harlee Santos and serving as an executive producer. In the business realm, she collaborated on luxury shoe and jewelry collections, notably with Giuseppe Zanotti, and launched a limited-edition makeup line with Inglot Cosmetics.

In film, Lopez starred in and executive produced "Second Act" (2018), receiving positive reviews for her performance and contributing the empowering single "Limitless" to the film's soundtrack. Her standout role during this period was in "Hustlers" (2019), earning critical acclaim and award nominations for her portrayal of a veteran stripper.

Lopez's cultural impact peaked with her co-headlining performance at the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in 2020 alongside Shakira, the most-watched halftime performance in Super Bowl history. Beyond entertainment, she expanded her entrepreneurial ventures, launching JLo Beauty skincare and partnering with Netflix through her production company, Nuyorican Productions.

In early 2022, Jennifer Lopez starred in and co-produced the romantic comedy "Marry Me," grossing over $50 million at the box office and becoming a top-streamed film on Peacock. She also became chief "entertainment and lifestyle" officer at Virgin Voyages. Later in 2022, Lopez debuted the Netflix documentary "Jennifer Lopez: Halftime" and co-authored the best-selling children's book "Con Pollo: A Bilingual Playtime Adventure" with Jimmy Fallon.

In 2023, Lopez starred in the action-comedy "Shotgun Wedding" on Amazon Prime Video and the action thriller "The Mother" on Netflix. She partnered with BMG Rights Management and launched her spritz brand, Delola, and a footwear line, JLO Jennifer Lopez, with Revolve.

In early 2024, Lopez released her ninth studio album, "This Is Me... Now," alongside a musical film and documentary. She co-hosted the Met Gala and starred in the sci-fi thriller "Atlas."

Personal life: Lopez married singer Marc Anthony in 2004, with whom she had collaborated musically and welcomed twins in 2008. Their marriage ended in 2014. She then dated baseball player Alex Rodriguez from 2017 to 2021, becoming engaged in 2019 before announcing their split in 2021.

In a surprising turn, Lopez and Affleck rekindled their relationship in 2021, leading to their second engagement in 2022 and marriage in Las Vegas later that year, followed by a celebration for family and friends.