By Sam Manzella
The recipient of this year’s Generation Award has us getting loud.
Jennifer Lopez received the lifetime achievement honor at the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards on Sunday (June 5). Although she is best known for her killer dance moves and hit pop songs, J.Lo is a consummate multi-hyphenate and has acted in a number of iconic films and television shows over the years.
Accepting the honor in real time at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, a teary-eyed Lopez thanked her supporters, as well as those who have discredited her over the years.
“I want to thank all the people who told me when I wasn’t in the room, or sometimes to my face, that I could never do this,” she said. “I really couldn’t have done this without you.”
The 52-year-old icon also shouted out her children, who she said taught her “to love”; her longtime manager, Benny Medina; and her fiancé, fellow actor Ben Affleck.
Before she was the established triple-threat we’ve come to know and love, Lopez first graced our screens as a “Fly Girl” dancer on Fox’s classic sketch comedy series In Living Color, which ran for four seasons from 1990–1994.
Her breakout movie role came via the critically acclaimed 1997 biopic Selena: The Movie, which made her the first Latina actress to earn more than $1 million from a feature film. She’s appeared in a number of memorable movies since, from the 2002 Big Apple romantic comedy Maid in Manhattan to 2019’s star-studded girl-power flick Hustlers.
Rich Polk/Getty ImagesLopez most recently starred in the 2022 rom-com Marry Me alongside Colombian singer-songwriter Maluma. Earlier in the night, she also took home this year’s Golden Popcorn for Best Song for “On My Way (Marry Me),” an original song from the cute flick.
As a newly minted Generation Award winner, Lopez is in good company. Previous honorees include Scarlett Johansson, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Chris Pratt.
“It’s an honor to connect with audiences,” Lopez added at the end of her acceptance speech, “and because of all of you, I will continue to do this for as long as I am around. Thank you.”
The 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards are airing live from the Barker Hangar in L.A. right now on MTV, with the Movie & TV Awards: UNSCRIPTED to follow. Find all the winners here.
Tagged: Movies