She brings an inviting vulnerability to her characters even when they're tough as nails, such as in the critically acclaimed "Out of Sight," where she appeared with George Clooney. Not surprisingly, she was named "ShoWest Female Star of the Year" by the nation's theater owners in 2002.

Her musical success has run parallel with her movie success. She was the first woman to have both an album and film at the top of the charts simultaneously: in 2001 she was No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 chart, while the delightful romantic comedy "The Wedding Planner" was No. 1 at the box office. Both J.Lo and her first album, On The 6, debuted at the top. Combined, they've sold close to 15 million copies worldwide.

In March, she released her first Spanish-language album, Como Ama Una Mujer, which entered the Billboard Latin chart at No. 1. Singing in Spanish allowed Lopez to express a softer, more romantic side than she often does in her beat-heavy, rhythmic, English-language albums. Anthony produced much of the album, which left Lopez confident she was in good hands.

"We have a lot of respect for each other and I think we affect each other in a very positive way when it comes to work," she told Billboard. "We see the best in each other and we're able to reach higher levels. To me, he's such a legend. The fact that he produces, he sings, his understanding of music, and the way he expresses himself as a singer. I was able to go to the studio, and have the confidence he had. He would say, 'These are things you understand, these are things you've always wanted to say, now tell me the story.' It was very natural."

"The fact that they have crossed over to Latin and non-Latin audiences makes them quite unique."

In October, Lopez returns with her fifth English-language studio album, Brave.

Amazingly, Lopez finds time for other endeavors. Although best known for her acting and singing, she has made a tremendous mark as an entrepreneur. Her ventures include extraordinarily successful clothing, jewelry and perfume lines. She debuted her newest apparel brand, Justsweet at New York's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in September.

Not surprisingly, People en Espanol has named Lopez the most influential Hispanic entertainer on its list of 100 Most Influential Hispanics.

She's also finding success behind the camera. In addition to producing "El Cantante," Nuyorican produced the film "Shall We Dance" and is now moving further into television production. Nuyorican Productions and Jane Startz Productions are developing "The Amigas Sweet 15 Club," a new sitcom about teenage girls who come together to launch a party planning business. Nuyorican also produced the MTV series "Dance Life."