Jennifer Lopez

'I Was the First Latin Actress to Ever Make $1 Million From a Role and You Feel, "Oh God, I Have to Do Something Great All the Time"'

- Michelle Davies

The actress and singer has been hitting the headlines for over 20 years, as much for her love life as her career. Now, as she turns 50, ‘Jenny from the block’ is still top of her game

It was 1986 and 17-year-old Jennifer Lopez had just announced she was quitting college to become a professional dancer.

Her mother, Guadalupe, was livid and a blistering row erupted at their home in New York’s Bronx district. ‘I did not want that lifestyle for her,’ said Guadalupe years later. ‘We had a huge fight. I said, “If you don’t want to live by my rules, there’s the door.”’

Lopez left, and ended up living in the dance studio where she took classes. Within five years she was a resident dancer on an LA-based show, In Living Colour, and appeared in a Janet Jackson video. Today, 26 years on, the multi-talented performer is globally recognised as J-Lo, the first female artist to have an album and film top the charts in the same week. She’s also credited as being the first celebrity to become a brand, with her own fashion collection and perfume. Named by Time magazine as one of its most influential figures of 2018, Lopez, 49, is a television producer and reality-show judge, lead actress in a TV drama and head of her own charity foundation. And next month sees her new film, Second Act, hit cinemas. Jane Fonda, her co-star in 2005’s Monster-In-Law, had a point when, in a speech to celebrate Lopez’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she declared that ‘most of the stars they put down are for one talent – she should have an entire block’.