Jennifer Lopez turns 50: A look at the superstar through the years
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Here’s to 50!
Jennifer Lopez celebrated a huge milestone in her illustrious life on Wednesday by reaching the half-century mark. However, despite turning 50, the triple threat continues to dominate Hollywood and entertainment, and more importantly, defy the laws of aging.
In celebration of Lopez’s momentous occasion, we took a look back at her life in the spotlight so far.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}J. Lo establishes herself in “Selena”
In 1997, Jennifer Lopez had her breakout role, playing the late "Selena." She was even nominated for a Golden Globe. (Warner Bros.)
Lopez landed the “role of a lifetime” and earned her first-ever Golden Globe nomination for her 1997 breakout performance as the late Tejano icon Selena and blazed a trail as the first Latin actress to earn over $1 million for a film.
In the same year, she would also appear in “Anaconda” with Ice Cube and Jon Voight, alongside Sean Penn and Billy Bob Thornton in the crime flick “U Turn,” as well as star opposite George Clooney in “Out of Sight.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The green see-through dress
Jennifer Lopez in Versace at the 42nd Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, on Feb. 23, 2000. (Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect)
A budding superstar at the time, Jenny from the Block made huge headlines on February 23, 2000, when she graced the red carpet of the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards with then-boyfriend Sean “P. Diddy” Combs in a plunging green Versace silk dress that exposed serious cleavage and her navel.
A-ROD SAID JENNIFER LOPEZ WAS HIS DREAM DATE IN 1998 INTERVIEW
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The first woman to secure a No. 1 album and film in the same week
Lopez surged on with her momentum and in 2001 dropped the music video for her smash hit “Love Don’t Cost a Thing.”
The sexy showcase was released in conjunction with her romantic comedy film “The Wedding Planner” with Matthew McConaughey and catapulted her into superstardom where she reigns today.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}J. LO AND A-ROD'S 'TENSION' MAY PREVENT THE COUPLE 'FROM EVER MAKING IT DOWN THE AISLE': SOURCE
J. Lo says “I do”
Actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, 31, holds hands with choreographer Cris Judd, 32, during their wedding ceremony, in Calabasas, Calif. (The Grosby Group)
On Sept. 29, 2001, Lopez exchanged wedding vows with dancer and choreographer Cris Judd, less than eight months after announcing her split from boyfriend of two years, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lopez met Judd on the set of her music video for “Love Don’t Cost a Thing,” however the romance was short-lived and the couple would divorce on Jan. 26, 2003.
“Bennifer”
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez attend the 75th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theater on March 23, 2003 in Hollywood, Calif. (2003 Getty Images)
One of the biggest rumored and discussed relationships of the modern era of entertainment brought together Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez in 2002 and ushered in the moniker: Bennifer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}At the time, E! reported Affleck proposed with a 6.1-carat Harry Winston pink diamond, which appraised at around $1.2 million.
The couple’s wedding was initially scheduled for September 2003, but was postponed just one week prior due to the “excessive media attention,” People magazine reported at the time. In January 2004, it was announced that the A-list couple would split after Lopez “ended her engagement to Ben Affleck.”
J. Lo says “I do,” again
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez during The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards held at Staples Center on Feb. 13, 2011, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Getty Images)
Just months after calling it quits with Ben Affleck, Lopez married fellow performer Marc Anthony in a private ceremony.
The surprise nuptials came before the couple had even gone public with their romance.
Nearly four years later, the pair welcomed twins Emme and Maximilian. They would announce their breakup three years later in 2011 and their divorce was finalized in June of 2014.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JENNIFER LOPEZ TOOK ALEX RODRIGUEZ TO A STRIP CLUB TO PREPARE FOR 'HUSTLERS' ROLE
“American Idol”
Jennifer Lopez attends the "American Idol" Red Carpet Event at CBS Television City on Dec. 9, 2014 in Los Angeles, Calif. (2014 Getty Images)
In September 2010, it was announced that Lopez would join “American Idol” as a judge for Season 10, despite also receiving an offer from “The X-Factor.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She returned to “Idol” for Season 11, but skipped Season 12 before joining judge Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. for Seasons 13-15.
JENNIFER LOPEZ DUETS WITH DAUGHTER, 11, AT CONCERT TOUR OPENER
Dating again
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jennifer Lopez and Casper Smart perform onstage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sept. 24, 2011. (Getty Images)
After parting ways with Anthony in 2011, Lopez began dating Casper Smart, one of her backup dancers.
The on-again, off-again pair remained that way until August 2016 when they appeared to split for good.
A source told People magazine at the time that Lopez “kicked him out because he cheated on her and he got caught,” adding that “It happened two years ago, and he promised he would never do it again and once he did, she was done.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JENNIFER LOPEZ FLAUNTS TONED ABS, ATHLETIC PHYSIQUE IN INSTAGRAM PHOTO
Las Vegas Residency
Jennifer Lopez performs with dancers during the launch of her residency "JENNIFER LOPEZ: ALL I HAVE" at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on January 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (2016 Getty Images)
Adding another notch to her belt, Lopez kicked off a huge residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino to much fanfare.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The "All I Have" show premiered on Jan. 20, 2016, and closed on Sept. 29, 2018, and sold over 475,000 tickets generating more than $100 million, Billboard estimated at the time of the show’s closing.
The music publication also estimated Lopez to have made over a thousand wardrobe changes, shaken her groove thing at least 1,200 times and used at least 1 ton of confetti during the two and a half years and 120 performances.
A new love
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez arrive at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
In March 2017, People reported Lopez and former New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez were an item, adding that the pair had been dating “for a few weeks” and that Lopez was being cautious of Rodriguez’s reputation as a ladies man.
The pair officially celebrated their two-year anniversary in February and announced they were engaged in March. In Lopez’s current relationship with Rodriguez, the “Waiting for Tonight” singer still remains very close friends and co-parents with Anthony.
JENNIFER LOPEZ, ALEX RODRIGUEZ'S RELATIONSHIP TIMELINE, FROM SECRET ROMANCE TO 'POWER COUPLE'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In Lopez’s prolific career, the “Maid in Manhattan” actress has performed during the opening ceremony of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, acted in 33 films and has been in or produced more than 15 television series to date, according to IMDb.
The longtime powerhouse is also in the running to perform at the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show, according to Entertainment Tonight.
“Yeah, we have thought about the Super Bowl,” Lopez told the outlet last week. "It’s a big deal but we’ll see. They make their own decisions over there.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lopez is currently on her fourth concert tour, "It's My Party," which draws to a close on Aug. 11, 2019.