She may have come from humble beginnings in the Bronx area of New York City, but today, pop superstar Jennifer Lopez has sold over 50 million records worldwide and acted in a number of chart-topping blockbuster movies. Though her private life is often in the tabloids, here are a few facts that you might not know about the Latin beauty:

1. Jennifer Lopez got her start as a backup dancer right out of high school. She danced in a number of hip hop videos, acted as a backup dancer for New Kids on the Block and Janet Jackson, and was even a member of the Fly Girls, the dance troupe on Fox’s hit show In Living Color.
2. Her first big success came when she portrayed the late Latin-pop singer Selena in the biopic about the late pop star's life. She was nominated for a Golden Globe award for the performance. The movie also made her the highest-paid actress in history at the time, earning her $1 million.
3. J. Lo’s acting career often intersected with her music career, leaving her with chart-topping success in both worlds. In 2001, her album J.Lo debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, while her movie The Wedding Planner was also number one at the box office.
4. Though she always made her Latin heritage a big part of her image, Lopez didn’t release her first Spanish-language album until 2007. The album, Como Ama una Mujer, was a success on both the Latin and the pop charts.

Jennifer Lopez Biography [Rolling Stone]
Jennifer Lopez [Biography]
Jennifer Lopez Fast Facts [CNN]

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