It didn't take long for Jennifer Lopez to grab the world by the lapels. In less than ten years, she was able to go from an unknown young Latin woman living in The Bronx to one of the world's most successful celebrities. Meanwhile, she captured the heart of many men, both famous and unknown, who were willing to do everything for her love.
We're unsure about how many times she's been proposed to, but we know she's been married three times and engaged on at least four occasions including currently. J-Lo sure has enough diamond rings in her jewelry box for a couple of lifetimes! Today, we will tell you all about the men in Lopez's past, as well as the big, fat diamond rings that came along.
Jenny From the Block
It seems strange to imagine a world in which Jennifer Lopez is not a celebrated movie star, but it did exist. Years before turning into one of our favorite celebrities, J-Lo was a struggling actress and backup dancer. Born in The Bronx, she was the daughter of two Puerto Rican immigrants, and she had big dreams of making it in the show business.
But before catching the eye of the public and attracting the attention of some of Hollywood's most coveted masculine symbols, Lopez was forced to work hard to catch her big break. During those years, she was always able to count on the support of her first love...
Ojani Noa, Jennifer's First Love
Back when J-Lo was working as a Fly Girl for In Living Color and dancing in Janet Jackson's videoclips, Ojani Noa was employed as a waiter. In 1996, the two met at his restaurant and the attraction was mutual. At the time, Lopez was still not the bonafide movie star we all know her to be, despite already making appearances in movies such as Jack and Blood and Wine.
Ojani and Jennifer had just met, but their relationship was about to face a major challenge. Not long after the two hit it off, J-Lo got her big break, with the biographical movie Selena.
The Right Place, at The Right Time
Jennifer Lopez's role as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in the 1997 biopic-drama Selena was not an accident. It was the result of years of hard work and dedication. But she made the most out of the opportunity, delivering a more-than-convincing performance. She was in the right place, at the right time.
J-Lo's breakthrough also got her closer to her Latin roots. Inspired by Selena, she decided to record her first song, in Spanish, and send it to Sony's music label. There was good news on the horizon for Lopez's booming career. As to her relationship with Ojani, the same could not be said...
The First Wedding Ring
One month before obtaining nationwide fame with the movie Selena, J-Lo got married to Ojani Noa. On 22 February 1997, the two young Latinos tied the knot and swore eternal love. But their wedding was cut short, to say the least, with the couple divorcing less than one year after.
Even though Noa wasn't exactly rich, he was the man responsible for presenting Lopez with her first diamond wedding ring. The ring reportedly cost a whopping $100K, certainly more than a waiter can afford! But when J-Lo's and Ojani's marriage reached the end, he tried to get his investment back and cash-in on his ex-wife's sudden fame.
The First Love Ends Up in Court
Diamonds are forever, but what about men? J-Lo's first love, Ojani Noa, found himself married to one of the U.S.'s most promising upcoming celebrities. But only ten months after saying "I do", he was being taken to court by the woman of his dreams.
Lopez was preparing for new adventures in life and love, but Ojani wasn't ready to go away so easily. He attempted to write a book and publish a private tape, and J-Lo was forced to use the power of the American legal system to protect her privacy. After the lawsuit, J-Lo and Ojani parted ways, and the former waiter now works as an actor and personal trainer.
The Star of the New Millennium
After divorcing from Ojani Noa, J-Lo made the most out of her newly-obtained fame to build an empire of her own. As the new millennium approached, she was quickly becoming one of the world's most prominent celebrities. She appeared in movies such as Anaconda and U Turn, and released her first music record, On the 6.
Living the life of a Hollywood superstar, she caught the eye of the recording producer Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy, and the two dated for a while. Not long after their break-up, she fell in the arms of her future second husband: actor and choreographer, Cris Judd, who was also her back-up dancer.
Cris Judd Makes a Strong Impression
In the early '00s, J-Lo was working hard to top the charts with her infectious pop-dance tracks. She reportedly spent hours filming the video for Love Don't Cost a Thing, which featured the back-up dancer Cris Judd. Maybe because they worked together so well, or maybe because Lopez was herself a former back-up dancer, the two ended up falling in love during those long sessions.
Soon enough, the two lovebirds started appearing together in public, and the paparazzi were all over them. As their relationship got more serious, Judd knew exactly what he had to do. So he bought J-Lo a big diamond wedding ring!
J-Lo's Second Diamond
In 2001, J-Lo and Cris Judd were one of the world's steamiest couples. The Latin superstar seemed very happy about her newfound love and even got an impressive diamond wedding ring to show for it. One year after meeting, Lopez and Judd tied the knot. But once again, a pricy diamond ring wasn't enough to keep J-Lo's marriage afloat...
Cris Judd may have paid a reported $100K for J-Lo's ring, but the two dancers were only married for nine months. Like Ojani Noa, Judd got the boot less than one year later. They parted ways in 2002, although the divorce was only officialized in 2003.
From Gigli to Bennifer
Operating simultaneously as a major actress and recording artist, early '00s Jennifer Lopez spent most of her time working. Unsurprisingly, she was meeting new men mostly while on the job. After ending things with her back-up dancer Cris Judd, J-Lo was about to fall in the arms of another co-worker: Hollywood A-lister Ben Affleck.
The couple that the world would soon know as Bennifer was put together for an on-screen romantic adventure in the 2003 rom-com Gigli. But soon enough, their partnership would transcend into a real-life love story. A love story that grabbed the attention of the paparazzi unlike any other!
The World's Favorite Couple
Back in 2002, all eyes were on J-Lo and Ben Affleck. Bennifer was envisioned as one of the millennium's most sensational power couples. The two young superstars were followed around by the celebrity media and thousands of fans were rooting for a love story so perfect that it seemed like it couldn't be real.
But Bennifer was real! And for a while, everybody believed that the two would stay together forever. Unfortunately, one of the biggest celebrity love stories would reach a sad end in September 2003. But first, there was, of course, a big fat diamond ring involved...
6.1 Carats of Disappointment
If you think that paying $100K for a wedding ring is too much, then you will gasp at the price of this 6.1-carat pink diamond beauty! To propose to J-Lo, Ben Affleck didn't hesitate to drop $2.5 million to buy this unique piece of jewelry.
After seeing the majestic stone, J-Lo didn't think twice. She said yes and the engagement was made public. But, out of nowhere, the wedding ended up being canceled only one day before the appointed date. A couple of months later, the official news that Bennifer was no longer a thing shocked the world. It was J-Lo's first real big heartbreak.
Finding Solace in the Arms of Marc Anthony
A brokenhearted Jennifer Lopez surely wasn't short of male attention. Shortly after announcing her breakup with Ben Affleck, the Jenny from the Block singer got entangled with Marc Anthony, a celebrated singer-songwriter who shared her Puerto-Rican roots.
Besides having a common background and sharing the same profession, Anthony and J-Lo were friends before falling in love. It's uncertain how their love story started exactly, but as early as 2004, there was yet another surprise gift in store for Lopez. If you guessed a big expensive diamond ring, you were right! And this time, Anthony was about to blow up the chart...
A Ring to Rule Them All
In 2004, fantasy fans were still crazy about the trilogy of The Lord of the Rings. But in real life, it was another ring that caught the attention of celebrity media... Trying not to fall behind, Marc Anthony decided to invest a reported $5 million in an 8.5-carat diamond ring. It was the biggest, most expensive ring that J-Lo ever got.
As we've learned by now, Jenny cannot resist a big diamond ring, and she tied the knot with Anthony in the Summer of 2004. Considering Lopez's recent past, many people thought that J-Lo's and Anthony's love story wasn't meant to last... But time proved them wrong!
10 Years of Love and Dedication
Going against all odds, Marc Anthony was able to keep J-Lo by his side for a whole decade! It was ten years of solid and dedicated love, in which Lopez was finally able to fully focus on her career. Between 2004 and 2014 she achieved so much, releasing five original records and appearing in over ten major Hollywood movie productions!
Although J-Lo and Anthony are no longer a couple, it is clear that the Latin singer-songwriter left a mark on Lopez. She was as happy as the world had ever seen her, and she trusted him enough to start a family.
Introducing Emme and Max
2008 was a big year in Jennifer Lopez's life. As many mothers would put it, there's nothing more important in a woman's life than having children. With the support of her loving husband Marc Anthony, J-Lo introduced the world to the beautiful twins Emme and Max on 22 February 2008.
Now 12 years-old, Emme and Max are two of Hollywood's cutest child celebrities. Their parents are no longer together, but they still spend some time with daddy Anthony. And in recent years, they have been getting along with the children of J-Lo's most recent love, the former baseball player Alex Rodríguez.
What Happened to Marc Anthony?
Although J-Lo and Marc Anthony were officially married for a whole decade, they started hitting a rough patch by 2011. That year, they publically announced the end of their relationship. But the divorce was only completed three years later. Their kids were the main reason why they decided to stick together for so long.
Since the separation, Marc Anthony has continued to be a supportive father and has already dated a couple of new girlfriends, including the models Shannon de Lima and J Lynne. As for Lopez, she went on to meet her new love, Alex Rodríguez. But not without first trying things out with yet another back-up dancer...
Dance Again Gets a Little Bit Too Real
In 2012, a newly-single Jennifer Lopez released the video for the song Dance Again, featuring Pitbull. The most noticeable thing about the video is the prominent presence of Casper Smart, a back-up dancer who stars alongside J-Lo for most of the scenes of the video clip.
Dancing together while covered in glitter, Lopez and Smart shared a couple of steamy scenes on camera. But their palpable chemistry turned out to be more than just an act, as the two shared a brief but passionate relationship. Still officially married, J-Lo said it best in Dance Again's hook: "Who cares what they gonna say... I wanna dance, and love, and dance, again".
It Wasn't Meant to Be
Casper Smart is a talented, good-looking man. He worked as a judge in Dancing with the Stars and he's a popular figure on social media. But when he started dating J-Lo, he was too young to assume real commitment with a woman 18 years older, with two children.
In an interview with Univision, Smart assumed that he was ready to marry J-Lo, but that now he believes that he was too young to be the man Lopez needed him to be. Lopez and Smart's love story was cut short in 2016, after five years. Unfortunately, there was no diamond ring to mark Casper Smart's place.
A-Rod Steps Into the Picture
Ten years ago, nobody could've guessed that J-Lo and A-Rod would be a couple. But the former baseball player, Alexander Rodríguez, and the Selena star got to know each other in early 2017 and hit it off immediately. Soon enough, the public was introduced to Hollywood's newest power couple, and it seemed like everybody had something to say about it.
As two beautiful seasoned Latin celebrities, Rodríguez and Lopez make a wonderful couple. But fans were a little bit suspicious of their love story at first, as both carried a lot of baggage from their past romantic adventures...
A-Rod's Controversial Reputation with Women
The news that J-Lo and A-Rod were a couple was headline-material for the celebrity media. Both the singer and the former athlete were known for having a long list of past romantic partners. But Rodríguez's reputation with women really left much to be desired.
Rodríguez's nearly endless list of exes includes some impressive names, such as Madonna, Demi Moore, Cameron Díaz, and even former WWE wrestler Torrie Wilson. But he was also associated with his share of exotic dancers, scandals, and romantic mishaps. Soon enough, the public was asking a lot of questions. Is A-Rod good enough for Jennifer Lopez? And is this relationship meant to last?
Older is Better
When J-Lo was invited to an episode of Tinder's Swipe Sessions show, she claimed that men are useless "until they're 33". She explained by saying that most men don't feel truly committed to a relationship until they're at least in their early 30s. Was this a sign that she was ready to trust Rodríguez to be a more mature romantic partner?
Now 44 years-old, A-Rod is six years younger than Jennifer, but certainly a more mature person than he was before. J-Lo appreciated his company and believed in his growth as a human being. There was only one thing missing...
J-Lo's Final Ring?
Not every woman is lucky enough to have five diamond rings in her life. But Jennifer Lopez is not just any woman. A successful recording artist, a celebrated actress, and a dedicated mother, J-Lo got her fifth diamond ring in March 2019, and it's another magnificent piece of jewelry.
This 15-carat emerald-cut diamond ring is believed to have cost at least $1 million and fits J-Lo perfectly. It was hard to top the efforts of Lopez's exes, but Rodríguez may have pulled it off! But if A-Rod's ring is worth sobbing for, the same can be said about his romantic proposal.
The Proposal
In 2019, Rodríguez and J-Lo took a romantic trip to the Bahamas. It was already a special moment for the couple, enjoying one of their first vacations together. But it got even more memorable when A-Rod made a surprise with a beachside proposal.
Down on one knee, with a diamond ring in his hand and the ocean as the perfect background, Rodríguez's marriage proposal looks like something taken out of a romantic movie. Although nobody knew about A-Rod's plans to propose, a camera was able to capture the moment, which was later shared on social media.
J-Rod is Here to Stay
Vanity Fair was the first mainstream magazine making a cover story about Lopez and Rodríguez's relationship. The power couple got the catchy nickname of J-Rod, and in Vanity Fair's December 2017 segment, J-Lo opened up about her very first date with Rodríguez.
On their first date, the couple met for a dinner at the Bel Air Hotel, and Lopez was immediately surprised by how cool and laid-back Rodríguez was. More of a listener than a talker, A-Rod did have a chance to speak his mind. He surprised Lopez by speaking about commitment and getting married. She knew right away she'd found someone special.
A Daring Text & A Fire Alarm
The first date between Lopez and Rodríguez was going great, but there were more surprises in store for the couple. On that special night at the Bel Air Hotel, A-Rod waited patiently for J-Lo to finally confirm that she was single. When she did, he felt so bewildered that he got up and went to the bathroom to collect his thoughts, as he explained to Vanity Fair magazine.
Then, a shy Rodríguez decided to text his date from the bathroom, with a steamy message. Lopez was pleasantly surprised, but when Rodríguez got back to the table, the couple was forced to leave... The reason? The fire alarm went off!
A Bad Omen?
In that same Vanity Fair interview, J-Lo had to tell the interviewer twice that she was not joking! The fire alarm at the Bel Air Hotel did go off during her first date with A-Rod. It was an isolated mishap on a date that otherwise, went extremely well. But could that fire alarm represent a bad omen for the couple?
J-Lo and A-Rod have been happily together for three years now. But soon after announcing their engagement, the couple was forced to face the biggest challenge of their relationship yet. It all started with a social media publication posted by A-Rod's former teammate, José Canseco. Was J-Rod's future on the line?
A Rocky Road Ahead
Shortly after announcing their engagement, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodríguez should be enjoying their time together. But a social media publication by José Canseco got in the way of the couple's happiness. In a brutal Twitter post, baseball player, Canseco accused A-Rod of cheating on J-Lo with his ex-wife, author and influencer Jessica Canseco.
While there seems to be no reason for Canseco to be mining the happiness of his former teammate, J-Lo did not believe his words and opted to trust her new fiancé instead. Soon enough, her intuition would be proven correct by Jessica Canseco.
The Truth Always Comes on Top
In 2019, shortly after Canseco's allegations were made public, J-Lo was interviewed in Charlamagne Tha God's radio show, The Breakfast Club. When asked about Canseco's Twitter post, Lopez was keen on dismissing it completely. She said that "it doesn't matter" and that, in her heart, she knew exactly who Rodríguez was. She completed by saying, "we're just happy".
Canseco's ex-wife Jessica also played her part in the controversy. She quickly denied the accusations of her ex-husband, which she deemed as untrue. In a social media post, she added that she hadn't even seen Rodríguez for years. After a couple of busy weeks in the tabloids, the scandal was eventually forgotten.
A Happy Family
That Lopez and Rodríguez get along very well, we already know. But what about their families? There's not a chance of being happy with someone who your kids dislike. Since both A-Rod and J-Lo have kids from previous relationships, was this going to get in the way of their newly-found love?
As it turns out, the kids of the couple are very happy about the whole situation and have already spent some quality time together. Lopez's twins Max and Emme and Rodríguez's daughters Ella and Natasha all look like one big happy family now!
Appreciating What You Have
We don't know for a fact whether Rodríguez is a jealous man or not, but he sure loves to remind everyone about his priorities. When this gorgeous picture was uploaded to J-Lo's Instagram page, fans all over the world drooled over the impressive physique of the Jenny from the Block singer. But one comment, in particular, stirred some water on celebrity news...
Sean Combs, who dated J-Lo briefly in the early 2000s, commented with an expressive "OMG"! Rodríguez quickly responded by saying "Lucky me" briskly terminating any possible controversy. Shortly after, Combs did apologize to A-Rod for his out-of-touch comment.
Researching Together
Although Rodríguez's old habits have now disappeared, they have proven to be useful on one particular occasion. When Jennifer Lopez was cast to appear in the movie Hustlers, she decided to research for her role by visiting actual gentlemen's clubs and meeting real exotic dancers.
Since Rodríguez used to know his way around this sort of place, he decided to tag along and support his fiancé's work. Being knowledgeable when it comes to exotic dancers, A-Rod played his part in helping Lopez to pull off one of the most convincing performances of her acting career.
Natural-Born Dancer
When Hustlers came out, Jennifer Lopez's performance was praised all over the media by fans and critics alike. Some magazines went even as far as calling it a "career-defining" role. But memorable acting doesn't just appear out of thin air, and J-Lo worked hard to portray the exotic dancer, Ramona, to perfection.
Besides doing on-site research, Lopez also took pole dancing classes. In an interview with Insider, Lopez's pole dancing coach, Johanna Sapakie, told all about how the Hustlers star was pulling off amazing moves without even breaking a sweat, all after only a couple of lessons.
Baseball At the Center
For a bonafide baseball fan like Rodríguez, the game is an essential part of a man's life. According to Rodríguez's ex-girlfriend Anne Wojcicki, he was all about watching baseball, and he could sometimes spend entire afternoons sitting in front of the TV with the sports channel on.
Unlike the American entrepreneur, Wojcicki, who couldn't care less about baseball, J-Lo seems to share Rodríguez's passion for the game. The newly-engaged couple was seen on the baseball field on a couple of occasions, and even their beautiful children have joined in once or twice. For a relationship to work, respecting and enjoying each other's passions is very important.
Was There a 6th Diamond Ring?
In a 2016 episode of Carpool Karaoke, James Coden asked Jennifer Lopez how many times she'd been proposed to. This was before she got engaged to Rodríguez. Surprisingly, the star answered "five times", which means that there are some secrets in J-Lo's life!
It was certainly a surprising answer, and one whose entire truth remains a mystery. Is it possible that there have been more diamond rings in the life of J-Lo? To this day, we still don't know the identity of any mysterious admirers.
There's Something Different About J-Rod
The public was skeptical at first, but the J-Rod power couple has managed to stay together for years now, and they are set to tie the knot. Although both Lopez and Rodríguez have a lot of failed relationships in their past, there's something different going on this time around.
In their social media pictures, in the interviews they share, and even in their odd visits to exotic clubs, Lopez and Rodríguez exude the sort of happiness that we associate with loving, long-lasting couples. It's hard to say whether they're meant to be together forever, but one thing's for sure: when these two are together, they look like two happy teenagers in love!