An emotional Jennifer Lopez reflected on her stellar career as she was honoured with the icon award at the E! People’s Choice Awards.
The chart-topping singer and award-winning actress, 51, broke down while watching a video message from her 12-year-old twins Emme and Max.
She was introduced to the stage by actor Armie Hammer while Renee Zellweger and Nicole Kidman paid tribute.
Hustlers star Lopez, who wore a striking red ensemble to accept the honour, reflected on a tumultuous year and said 2020 had been a “great leveller”.
She said: “It showed us what mattered, what didn’t and for me it reinforced what matters most – people. All of us, together, helping each other, loving each other, being kind to each other.
“And the importance of that connection, that human touch.”
Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, reflected on her rise to the top, saying as a Latina woman “sometimes we have to work twice as hard”.
She added: “Sometimes my big dreams and ambitions made the people around me nervous. People would say, ‘You’re a dancer, you can’t be an actress… you’re an artist, you won’t be taken seriously as a businesswoman.’ The more they said I couldn’t, the more I knew that I had to.”
Lopez said “the true measure” of her success is “in inspiring girls of all ages and of all colours, from all around the world to know you can be anything you want and do as many things as you want and be proud of who you are no matter where you come from”.
She finished the speech with a call for the US to “heal as a country and stand together united, proud and in harmony.”
Lopez has previously won similar awards at other ceremonies, including the Billboard Icon Award and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs.
