‘In Living Color’: Jennifer Lopez Didn’t Join the Show Until Later
There are a lot of iconic TV shows when you look back on it, but there was something particularly spectacular about the Wayans siblings’ Fox TV show In Living Color.
It had everything from dancing and singing to comedy sketches, but most of all, it introduced the world to some of the most famous stars today.
Among these stars was the dancer turned successful businesswoman, actress, and singer — Jennifer Lopez, who, despite being known for her fame on the show, didn’t actually join it until its third season!
The premise of ‘In Living Color’
In Living Color was a phenomenal ’90s sketch comedy that was primarily African-American-focused. Created by the Wayans siblings, the comedy showcased various skits, shorts, dancing, and hip-hop/rap music.
The cast consisted of a wide range of some of the biggest names in Hollywood we know today — most when they weren’t even as famous. It included the Wayans siblings (Keenen Ivory, Damon, Shawn, Marlon, and Kim), Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Jamie Foxx, Chris Rock, and more — including Jennifer Lopez who comes in later in the series.
Lopez’s role on the show
Taking it back 30 years to the start of the glamorous Jenny we know today, J.Lo appeared on the third season of In Living Color as a “Fly Girl” dancer, where she would be until 1993 when she moved her talents to the big screen.
If you haven’t seen her audition tape to be a “Fly Girl” on Fox’s In Living Color in the 90s, then you have to set aside to watch it now. It’s a wonderful dive back into three decades ago when no one really knew who J.Lo from the block was, and she was holding onto hope for her big break — in dancing, not singing or acting, believe it or not!
“I always consider myself as a dancer first,” Women’s Health reports J.Lo saying. “I became a singer and actress after dancing. For me, it’s so part of who I am.
Her career since premiering on the show
Lopez’s career skyrocketed after her few years on In Living Color, and it never looked back. The superstar is still a significant part of Hollywood today, with generations that weren’t even thought of at the time of her career starting knowing who she is and what she has done.
While it would take an entire book to cover all the successful things the singer/songwriter has done over the years, there are some noteworthy films and performances. In the film industry, she is best known for roles like the leading lady in Selena, Slim Hiller in Enough, Marisa in Maid in Manhattan, and Charlie in Monster-In-Law.
In music, she has eight studio albums, three compilation albums, one remix album, and one soundtrack album — producing hits like “All I Have,” “Waiting For Tonight,” “Jenny on the Block,” “Love Don’t Cost a Thing,” and “On the Floor.”
Likewise, the star has also made a name for herself on the small screen, including shows like Shades of blue, American Idol, World of Dance, Dancelife, and more.
There’s no telling whether Jennifer Lopez would’ve had the same success had she not made it on to the set of In Living Color as a “Fly Girl,” but we’re certainly thankful she did — even if it wasn’t until the third season. The last three decades might’ve been boring without the glamour J.Lo has introduced us all to.
