Once better known for her string of famous boyfriends than her music or acting career, Jennifer Lopez has finally put her turbulent love life behind her. After ill-fated romances with rapper P. Diddy, dancer Chris Judd and actor Ben Affleck, Jennifer found happiness in 2004 when she married heartthrob Latino singer Marc Anthony, who she briefly dated in 1990. In February, the happy couple welcomed twins Max and Emme into the world, finally giving Jennifer the family she always desired.
Born in New York’s South Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Jennifer dreamed of fame from an early age. The 39 year-old star’s big break came when she appeared opposite Wesley Snipes in Money Train (1995). As the film offers continued to role in, Jennifer decided to show the world she was more than just an actress. She launched her debut album On the 6 – featuring the number one smash ‘If You Had My Love’ – in 1999, cementing herself as a best-selling recording artist as well as an impressive actress. Although Jennifer’s career was going from strength to strength, the same could not be said for her personal life. Her first marriage, to waiter Ojani Noa, lasted just 11 months and ended in 1998.
In 1999, Jennifer began dating hip-hop music mogul P. Diddy. In December of that year, the couple were enjoying a night out in Manhattan when gunfire erupted between the rapper’s entourage and another group. They fled the scene and were chased by police, who found a stolen gun in the vehicle. Jennifer was initially charged with felony gun possession, although the charges were later dropped. The couple eventually split in 2001, and Jennifer soon began dating her former back-up dancer Chris Judd. Amid feverish media attention they married in September of the same year, but once again a happy-ever-after was not to be.
In April 2002, Jennifer opened a Cuban restaurant in California. During a media shoot for the establishment, Jennifer received a lavish bouquet of flowers from Hollywood actor Ben Affleck, prompting speculation she had been unfaithful to Chris. Her marriage to him subsequently ended in June that same year, when Jennifer began dating Ben. Media darlings from the outset of their relationship, Jennifer and Ben announced their engagement in November 2002. Keen to reveal all about her new love, Jennifer promised multiple interviewers she had found ‘the one’ and gushed about her plans to start a family with Ben.
Their wedding was planned for September 14, 2003, but was called off just hours before it was due to take place amid rumours Ben had been seen cavorting at a strip club. And in January 2004, the couple predictably announced they were splitting. Shortly after the disintegration of her relationship with Ben, Jennifer began enjoying dates with Marc Anthony. The Latino singer had recently split from his wife and four days after his divorce was finalised in June 2004, he married Jennifer. The pair largely eschew the limelight – despite months of speculation last year that Jennifer was pregnant, she only confirmed she was expecting in November of 2007.
Since the birth of her twins last February, Jennifer has taken something of a career break. While not choosing to cut herself off from the celebrity circuit entirely – enjoying evenings out with close friends Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham – she has spent much of the last nine months with her family. Choosing to shun faddy diets and obsessive exercise regimes to help her lose her baby weight, it seems becoming a mother has helped calm the famously-fiesty Jennifer. That’s not to say she is slipping into a comfy apron and baking cookies just yet. Although she might have a healthy attitude towards losing her post-pregnancy pounds she is still keen to slim down and recently took part in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon (raising $135,712 for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles in the process) to help her get back into shape.
How are you finding motherhood?
God, I’m so happy now. I knew that being a mother would change me but I didn’t expect it to be this amazing! People think you feel less sexy once you have become a mother but I’d say the opposite is true. I feel more of a woman; sexier and happier. More of everything.
What about being pregnant, how was that?
I loved everything about it. I got absolutely huge when I was pregnant. I had twins so I was really, really doubly big. I didn’t look in any way glamorous but I didn’t care because I was about to be a mother. When I was huge, I used to stand in front of my wardrobe of sexy little clothes and say to Marc, “Just you wait till I get my body back. Just you wait.” All he used to say was that he thought I was amazing as I was.
It seems Marc was very supportive during the pregnancy, was that the case?
I think that’s why I’m still so confident because I have this man who tells me all the time that he loves me.
Are you happy with your new post-pregnancy figure? How have you handled your changing shape?
I’m looking around here and I’m not the thinnest girl in the room by a very, very long way but that absolutely doesn’t bother me. In fact, right now, I actually feel pretty hot. I put on a bit more than 50 lbs during my pregnancy. The first 30 lbs just dropped off but the next ten were really hard. I’ve got an extra 12 lbs of weight that just don’t want to say goodbye but I’m not crying about it. At some point I know I may have to put myself on a strict diet but for right now I don’t care.
You seem very happy with your life, is there anything you would change at the moment?
My husband thinks I’m gorgeous, I like my extra curves and the only thing that’s really bothering me is that I’m going to be away from my babies for a couple of hours and I’m already missing them like crazy.
It’s been reported you are caring for your children yourself, is that true or do you have some help?
I’ve only just recently hired a nanny. These are my babies. This is my life. Everything else has taken a back seat because I wanted to completely embrace all of it. Marc and I did everything and we’ve absolutely loved it.
Does that include you taking a step back from your career?
It’s so funny because I was always this incredibly focused girl who pushed myself and went from one thing to the next without stopping. Now whenever I see these young female singers, I’m the one running up to them telling them to slow down. I’m like, “Have a baby. It’ll change your life. It’s so amazing. Just do it.”
You recently took part in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon, what made you do that?
I wanted to do it for my babies to show them I could achieve something amazing as a mother. So I just entered. Obviously, when it came time to train, I’d had the babies and I wasn’t in the best of shape. But my whole thing was that I didn’t want to diet. I wanted just to exercise my way back to fitness. I started training every week, running and working out in the gym. The triathlon itself was actually amazing. I loved it. The hardest part was swimming in the Pacific. I had these huge waves crashing around me and felt incredibly emotional. Part of me felt in danger and part of me just felt so strong. I cried when I came out. Marc was standing there at the finish line. I cried even more then.
Do you cry a lot?
These days everything makes me cry. I’m still pretty hormonal.
You’ve been pictured out with Victoria Beckham a lot recently. Are you as close as everyone says?
I think she’s such a great girl. I was so excited that her fashion collection was received so well. Everyone loved it. I’m really proud of her.
You’re renowned for your dress sense – has becoming a mother dulled your interest in fashion at all?
I’m such a girl. I adore clothes. Dolce & Gabbana have always been huge favourites of mine because they are Italian and they understand women. They understand curves. I have this amazing brocade coat of theirs which is my one of my favourite possessions.
Do you try to be experimental with your look or do you prefer to stick to what you know?
I don’t really like to make big changes. I love the whole classic, womanly, curvy look so I basically stick with that. Since having my babies I’ve just bought clothes a size or two up and that’s fine. It’s as it should be.