J.Lo Turns the Big 4-0

From Selena to Maid in Manhattan

Jennifer landed her first serious movie role in Gregory Nava's 1995 drama Mi Familia/My Family, playing the role of Young Maria in the 1920's. She has said that acting alongside distinguished actors such as Jimmy Smits and Edward James Olmos made a deep impression on her. After that she landed roles in the hit film Money Train, and in Francis Ford Coppola's 1996 comedy Jack starring Robin Williams. But her big break came when she was selected to play Tejana singing sensation Selena in the 1997 biopic. She snagged a Golden Globe Award for "Best Actress-Motion Picture Musical or Comedy" for this role and never looked back. In 2002, she appeared alongside Ralph Fiennes in Maid in Manhattan, a verifiable box office hit that opened at number one and was the highest grossing film J.Lo ever appeared in, earning just under $100 million.