Jennifer Lopez - Celebrity Status and Image

Celebrity Status and Image

"She's a rarity. One of the few Hollywood stars you can actually admire. And when you meet her she's just as gorgeous, just as likeable, as she is on screen. I'm talking about J-Lo. Or for the uninitiated, Jennifer Lopez, a showbiz phenomenon who's up there with Madonna she's been in more than 25 movies with leading men like George Clooney, Robert Redford and Jack Nicholson. And, she's a merchandising marvel."

Lopez has been said to have epitomized the definition of America's sweetheart, having crept into millions of homes with her music, movies, accessories and clothing lines. Lopez is described as the most influential Hispanic performer in the United States; she became the first Latin actress or singer to be so commercially successful in the limelight. Nobel Prize recipient José Ramos-Horta called Lopez a remarkable woman and true inspiration after seeing her work on the film Bordertown. Cindy Pearlman from The Record said that Lopez is responsible for welcoming a "Latina presence to a film industry"; considering that for much of its history it had been a "whites-only preserve." In Icons of American Popular Culture (2009), author Robert C. Cotrell described Lopez as being a Latina Oprah Winfrey and the embodiment of the American dream, "Boasting a far more authentic rags-to-riches tale". Cotrell stated that she is a "multidimensional artist who had turned into a financial powerhouse" while demonstrating that a could still be successful as "a top recording artist, and operate as a major player in the corporate world, with her perfumes alone pulling over $500 million annually."

Having been of Latin descent and crossed over to mainstream music market, Lopez is considered "crossover royalty". Mark Guarino of Daily Herald discussed Lopez and fellow Latin artists such as Ricky Martin, he wrote: "judging from their records, their cultural identity was identified as cultural baggage by their record companies and those suitcases were shucked en route to stardom." She is also considered an icon and "royalty" of pop culture.

Lopez has changed her personal appearance multiple times, scoring several different hairstyles over the years. She has been described as a sex symbol and having a reputation as "one of the most desirable women on the planet." She has also been described as a "siren" and "Bronx Barbie". Despite her fashion, which Lauren Savage of Billboard noted was "stunning" and "albeit scantily-clad", Lopez has stated: "I know how to fight! I can take a lot of punches and still keep going. I've been trained like a boxer to go 15 rounds." Lopez is noted in the media for her curvaceous figure, in particular her buttocks, and was called "original doyenne of derriere" by Katherine Ormerod of Grazia. In a survey by Nutrisystem Diet Index, it was revealed that most American females would have her legs and butt. Lopez has been criticized by the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for her use of fur in her fashion lines. Celebrities such as Pink and Pamela Anderson also have criticized her for this, too. Lopez has changed her personal appearance multiple times, sporting numerous different hairstyles over the years. In November 1998, Lopez was named "Sexiest Woman of the Year" by Details magazine. Lopez appeared on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women" list multiple times, leading the list for two consecutive years. In 2011, Lopez was first on People magazine's list of "100 Most Beautiful People".

American record producer Randy Jackson stated that although she doesn't have the "biggest voice in the world", "she can sing. It's the (complete) package ". Daniel Chang from The Spectator said that: "Lopez will achieve more success as an actress than she will as a singer." In 2007, The York Press said that Lopez's Spanish album Como Ama Una Mujer "proved that she is a major musical force" and commented that Lopez's voice had a greater depth and that she was "at last" making "great records" which were far stronger. The York Press also complimented Lopez for not needing as much "digital enhancement" on her voice compared to singers like Britney Spears. A writer from The Sun said On the 6 "makes it clear she can sing" commenting that she has "a lot of talent and stylistic range" but instead ends up doing "impressions" of other more distinctive performers. Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly commented on Lopez's vocals stating that: "There's no way to know if Jennifer Lopez's voice is mechanically altered or not, but on the recorded evidence of her sophomore album, J.Lo, her singing seems to be in key".