Jennifer Lopez has starred in over thirty feature films in a career that spans four decades as actor Lopez rose to become the highest paid actor of Latin descent in Hollywood, and one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood during the late-nineties and into the current millennium, making in the region of US$20 million per film role.^[1][2] She is also the richest actress in Hollywood, with an estimated net worth of $400 million (as of 2013).^[3]

Lopez received her first high-profile job in 1992 as a Fly Girl dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Following her departure from the show in 1993, Lopez made two guest appearances on the television series South Central, she then appeared in the made-for-television movie Lost in the Wild (1993) and starred as Melinda Lopez in the short-lived television series Second Chances (1993) and its spin-off Hotel Malibu (1994). Neither of which were well received.^[4]

Lopez's first significant acting role was in Gregory Nava's multi-generational saga, My Family, which secured her an Independent Spirit Awards nomination for Best Supporting Female in 1996. Whilst a higher profile role came in 1995's crime thriller, Money Train, alongside Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. Which received mixed reviews and wasn't a financial success.^[5] Her next two film roles were in Francis Ford Coppola's Jack, which starred Robin Williams. And with Jack Nicholson and Michael Caine in Bob Rafelson's postmodern film noir, Blood and Wine (1997). With the former receiving mixed reviews and the latter being praised by the likes of Roger Ebert.^[6][7]

Lopez won her first leading role playing Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 biopic Selena. The film was a commercial and critical success^[8] and is often cited by critics as her breakout role.^[9][10] Later that year, Lopez starred as Terri Chavez in the film Anaconda, which garnered negative reviews from critics despite being a box office success.^[11] In 1998, Lopez starred alongside George Clooney in the crime film Out of Sight (1998). The film met with positive reviews and was a box office success.^[12] In the same year, she also lent her voice to the animated film Antz.

Following the launch of her music career in 1999, Lopez continued acting in films, including the psychological thriller The Cell, which film critic, Roger Ebert, ranked among his top-ten films of the year 2000.^[13] In 2001, Lopez starred in the films The Wedding Planner and Angel Eyes, with both receiving mixed reviews, although Roger Ebert gave high praise to Angel Eyes, as did Johnathan Ross in the BBC's Film 2001.^[14]

The simultaneous release of The Wedding Planner and her second album J.Lo made Lopez the first artist in history to have a number one album and film at the same time.^[1] Lopez starred alongside Ralph Fiennes in the romantic comedy Maid in Manhattan in 2002. The film received mixed reviews, but was a significant box office success.^[15] In 2003 and 2004 she starred alongside then-boyfriend Ben Affleck in the films Gigli and Jersey Girl. Critics wrote negatively of both films,^[16] and Gigli is considered one of the worst films of all time.^[17]

Lopez, however, maintained her box office success co-starring in the 2004 film Shall We Dance? alongside Richard Gere. She then co-starred opposite Jane Fonda in the romantic comedy Monster-in-Law (2005), which went to No. 1 at the domestic box office and earned over $155 million worldwide.^[18] Following the wide commercial success of this project, Lopez starred alongside Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman in An Unfinished Life (2005), whist a move into producing her own projects began in earnest with El Cantante (2006) and Bordertown. The latter in conjunction with Selena director, Gregory Nava.

In 2006 and 2007 Lopez also embarked upon executive producer roles on the television series South Beach and DanceLife, the film Feel the Noise and the mini-series Jennifer Lopez Presents: Como Ama una Mujer.

Following the birth of her twins in 2008, Lopez took a break from her career. She made her return to the small screen and the big screen in 2010, making a guest appearance in an episode of How I Met Your Mother and starring in the film The Back-Up Plan, which went to No. 2 at the domestic weekend box office.^[19]

In 2011 and 2012, during its tenth and eleventh seasons, Lopez was a judge on the reality television singing competition American Idol. She earned a reported $12 million for her first and $20 million for her second season on the show.^[20] In 2012, she launched ¡Q'Viva! The Chosen, a talent show created by Simon Fuller, that followed Lopez, Marc Anthony and director-choreographer Jamie King as they travelled across 21 Latin American countries to find talent for a Las Vegas show.

Lopez co-starred alongside an ensemble cast consisting of Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Matthew Morrison and Dennis Quaid in the film What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012).^[21] The film, which is based on the book of the same name, was a moderate commercial success and received generally negative reviews from film critics.^[22] Later that same year, she lent her voice to the animated film, Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth in the Ice Age franchise. The film gave Lopez her highest opening weekend figure, reaching No. 1 at the domestic box office and earning $879 million worldwide.^[23][24]

In 2013 Lopez co-starred with Jason Statham in Parker, an adaptation of Donald Westlake's novel, Flashfire. Lopez's role was expanded upon her involvement in the project, which debuted at No. 5 at the domestic box office on its opening weekend, grossing over $7 million and ultimately earning over $48.5 million world-wide.^[25]

Lopez next starred in The Boy Next Door, a low budget thriller made by Blumhouse for only $4 million, which Lopez co-executive produced. The film was a runaway success, debuting at No. 2 on the domestic box office behind American Sniper, with a gross of $14,910,105 and ultimately earning over $53 million worldwide.^[26][27]

The same year, in 2015, Lopez co-starred with Viola Davis in the thriller Lila & Eve and voiced the character Lucy Tucci in the DreamWorks Animation, Home, which debuted at No. 1 domestic and grossed over $386 million worldwide. Lopez also recorded the song "Feel the Light" for the film's soundtrack, which she performed on American Idol.

Subsequently, after lending her voice to 2016's Ice Age: Collision Course, which grossed $408.5 million worldwide, Lopez continued to produce and starred in three seasons of the NBC crime series, Shades of Blue. The series, which was co-developed by Barry Levinson and featured Ray Liotta, debuted with a 1.8 share and 8.55 million viewers ^[28] Lopez won a People's Choice Award for her role as detective Harlee Santos in the series, which lasted three seasons.

Lopez also starred in the 2018 film Second Act which was adapted from a treatment by Lopez's long-time producing partner, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, and was directed by Peter Segal. Second Act peaked at No. 6 on the weekly domestic box office chart, spending three weeks inside the top-ten and ultimately grossing over $72 million worldwide. Lopez also recorded "Limitless", the theme song from Second Act, and directed its music video.

In 2019, Lopez produced and starred in Hustlers, which brought critical acclaim along with Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations. Lopez was also awarded the Palm Springs International Film Festival Spotlight Award. Hustlers grossed over $157 million worldwide.

In 2022, Marry Me was simultaneously released in cinemas and on Peacock, and was highlighted by Comcast CEO and chairman Brian L. Roberts as a significant success.^[29][30][31] In April 2022, Deadline Hollywood reported that over six million Peacock accounts had streamed the film.^[32] In June 2022, it also became a hit on Amazon Prime, staying at number one for about 2 weeks.^[33]

Also in 2022, Lopez starred in Shotgun Wedding, which, according to Nielsen Media Research, contributed towards Amazon Prime Video's largest monthly usage increase, recording a 9.3% uptick in viewing (+0.2 share pts.) that was driven by both Shotgun Wedding and Prime Video original series, Jack Ryan.^[34]

Lopez was also the subject of Amanda Micheli's 2022 Netflix documentary, Halftime, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Whilst a first look deal with Netflix resulted in The Mother becoming the most-watched film on Netflix in 2023, and being highlighted by Variety as the third most-seen film of the year, behind Barbie and the Super Mario Bros. Movie.^[35]

On February 16, 2024, Lopez released the album and musical project, This Is Me... Now, which included a film inspired by own life that screened exclusively on Amazon Prime, along with a concert special that was subsequently released on Apple TV +. Lopez co-wrote the screenplay with Matt Walton and funded the film herself.

A documentary on the making of This Is Me Now, entitled The Greatest Love Story Never Told was also released on Amazon Prime. The documentary was made in conjunction with Artists Equity and also features Ben Affleck.

Lopez has a slate of projects scheduled for 2024, including Atlas, a science fiction film directed by Brad Peyton and made in conjunction with Netflix. William Goldenberg's directorial debut, Unstoppable, which is based on the life of amateur wrestler, Anthony Robles. And an adaptation of the 1993 stage play, Kiss of the Spider Woman, which will be directed by Bill Condon.

Also announced and in development during 2024 is a new animated Bob the Builder movie, which Lopez will produce, with Anthony Ramos voicing the title character. ^[36]

Lopez remains the only actor to have a number one film at the US box office and a number one album on the Billboard 200 at the same time. Lopez produces via her own production company, Nuyorican Productions.