Jennifer Lopez Faced a Huge Personal Blow From Her Parents After Her 1st Divorce With Ojani Noa

Jennifer Lopez’s rise from the Bronx neighborhoods to a global pop icon is not a secret. Although her professional achievements have mostly been the focus of her story, it is often her personal relationships and family roles that have defined her the most.

Lopez’s life began to go through many twists and turns in the late 1990s, which would shape her both in and out of the screen. While Lopez was coming into the scene with her acting and hit songs, there were bitter changes happening in her family that had a lasting impact on her.

Jennifer Lopez Faced Two Divorces at Once

Jennifer Lopez‘s parents, Guadalupe Rodríguez and David Lopez, positively influenced her work ethic and determination throughout her career. The family went through modest beginnings in the Bronx, where Jennifer lived with her sisters Leslie and Lynda, while their parents worked at multiple jobs to meet the ends.

Speaking to W Magazine in 2013, Jennifer revealed,

I watched my parents. My dad worked nights, and I was aware of how much he was doing for us. My mom was a Tupperware lady and also worked at the school. I always felt that I couldn’t let them down.

Lopez’s father was employed as a computer technician, whereas her mother was a Tupperware salesperson and a kindergarten teacher. Their family structure changed dramatically in 1999 when Lopez’s parents separated after more than 30 years of marriage.

This came a year after Lopez’s own divorce from her first husband, Ojani Noa, whom she had married in 1997. The timing of all these happenings made it a difficult period for the singer-actress.

The effect of this separation was such that Lopez was hesitant to go to her childhood home. She told W Magazine,

The last time I was in there was when my mom and dad called us home to tell us that they were separating after 33 years of marriage. I think that’s why I was nervous about coming here today.

In her behind-the-scenes video of the It’s My Party tour, Lopez admitted that she doesn’t count her marriage with Noa as it was quite short. However, she also acknowledged that those tough experiences taught her a lot about life and relationships.

Jennifer Lopez Embraced Her Roots and Family Values in the Kamala Harris Rally

Lopez’s cultural background and Puerto Rican heritage from her parents, who grew up in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx, have always been important for her identity. Her family roots are from Ponce, Puerto Rico, and this has greatly influenced her personality as well as her career.

The On the Floor singer has never been shy about celebrating her Latina roots. In a 2006 interview with People En Español, she stated firmly,

I’ve never tried to hide the fact that I’m Latina. With the Latino community, I am theirs. I do belong to them—that’s who I am.

This pride of culture was recently seen when Jennifer Lopez spoke at the Kamala Harris rally and directly addressed her parents, family, and heritage. Lopez said (via Kamala Harris YouTube),

I am an American woman. I am the daughter of Guadalupe Rodríguez and David Lopez, a proud daughter and son of Puerto Rico. I am Puerto Rican and yes I was born here, and we are Americans. I am a mother. I am a sister. I am an actor and an entertainer. And I like Hollywood endings. I like when the good guy, or, in this case, the good girl wins.

In her speech during the rally, Lopez looked back at what led her to state how the work ethic of her parents made an impact on her. She also discussed the change in stereotypes in Hollywood, moving beyond conventional Latina roles, and urged the crowd to exercise their voting rights in favor of Kamala Harris.