When celebrities start dating seriously, a lot goes on behind the scenes. Naturally, such relationships are splashed all over celebrity news headlines because we're all just fascinated by the lives of the rich and famous.
The same applies to the relationship between the superstar Jennifer “J-Lo” Lopez and New York Yankees legend Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez. They met in 2005, and 12 years later, they reconnected. After two years of dating, Rodriguez popped the question. They're now about to combine their respective fortunes and empires to become one of Hollywood’s power couples.
How Stars Build A Fortune
By all accounts, J-Lo and A-Rod are already living the dream, but life wasn’t always that way for both of them. Lopez had humble beginnings, but her drive and determination made her reach beyond the stars.
We remember her as a backup dancer for superstars like Janet Jackson and now, she is a superstar with her own backup dancers. She also has millions and millions of dollars to her name, and her knight in shining armor isn’t doing too badly himself. A-Rod reportedly banked a total of almost half a million dollars from his baseball career.
An Extravagant Engagement
In March 2019, Rodriguez took to his Instagram account and shared a photo of J-Lo’s hand spotting a sparking ring with the caption, “She said yes.” He pulled out all stops and asked her to marry him while they were away on a tropical vacation.
We aren’t fooled by the rock that J-Lo now sports, and as professionals estimate, it could be in the 15 to 20-carat range. That places its value in the realms of $1 to $5 million. The two have both the individual and combined spending power, so we wouldn’t have expected anything less.
Cashing In On Deals
Rodriguez earned his fortunes from both his contracts with the different sports teams he played for, as well as sponsorship deals. He went on to land several lucrative commentator jobs after retirement from playing. On the other hand, Lopez has created her wealth from her music and acting career.
She’s amongst the list of triple threats in the business who have managed to become successful across the board. She’s sold upwards of 80 million records worldwide, making her America’s most influential Latin artist. On top of it all, she’s racked in an estimated $50 million from the Dance Again World Tour.
Exploiting Her Talents
J-Lo also takes home a chunk of money from her acting endeavors, and all the films she’s been featured in have cumulatively raked in $3.1 billion. She has earned an estimated $90 million from her involvement in Hollywood.
Today, J-Lo is still picking up roles on the big screen. The most recent was the 2019 film Hustlers, for which she received stellar reviews. Also, her time as part of the judging panel on American Idol saw her riches rise to about $45 million in total. Furthermore, Lopez inflated her bank account from endorsement deals and partnerships with brands like L’Oreal, Pepsi, and Gucci.
J-Lo’s First Address
With the eye-watering figures that J-Lo earns, it isn’t surprising that she’s invested heavily in real estate. Like most of us who dream of buying a mansion once we’ve made it, J-Lo wasn’t any different. In 2000, she bought her first house in Beverly Hills.
The seven-bedroom spread cost $4.3 million, which proved well worth it for all the amenities offered. The estate includes a spa, pool, gym, and an exterior kitchen. It also has sprawling grounds, which served as the location for J-Lo’s nuptials with her third husband, Marc Anthony, back in 2014.
A Brookville Retreat
Speaking of Marc Anthony, J-Lo spent almost a decade married to the man, and they built a life together during that time. That included buying a 10,000-square-foot Long Island estate, which they even furnished with a $2 million recording studio.
After their split, in 2015, Anthony listed the Brookville house, asking for $12 million. Slashing the price several times, it finally closed in 2017 for $4.5 million. Pailla Malla Reddy, the new owner, shared plans to tear down the ‘40s Georgian brick mansion. She explained that it would have cost way more to carry out renovations on the old house.
A Costly Investment
J-Lo’s Hidden Hills haven is one of her costliest investments. She snagged up the address in 2010 for $8.2 million while still married to Anthony. The estate offers just over 17,000 square feet of luxury space taken up by 9 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms.
She eventually sold the mansion in 2017 for $10 million, which was $7.5 million less than the initial $17.5 million asking price. The staggering sale price was supported by features like a movie theater, wet bar, dance/fitness studio, a recording studio, and a full guest suite.
A Customized Haven
Rodriguez has also wet his feet when it comes to real estate investing, and in his case, he chose to build his ideal home from the ground up. In 2010, he took up ownership of a 54,000-square-foot lot in Miami Beach for $7.4 million.
He commissioned the construction of a minimalist home that includes nine bedrooms with 11 bathrooms. In 2012, just after a year of moving into the mansion, he listed it for $38 million. He relisted the home in 2013 and got $30 million from the sale.
A Place To Call Home
Marching into life together, J-Lo and A-Rod decided to get a place of their own. A year into their relationship, they invested $15.31 million on a Manhattan condo. It still stands as one of the priciest purchases in the city.
The high price tag was necessitated by the location of the condo, housed in a super tall skyscraper at 432 Park Avenue. They decided to let go of the three-bedroom unit at the start of 2019. Five months later, it sold for $17 million. A source told NY Curbed that they sold the condo because they were looking for something bigger to accommodate their family.
Settling In Bel Air
They found their new home in Bel Air, and the 14,000-square-foot mansion is exactly what they need to house their big family. Lopez had made a move on the piece of Los Angeles luxury real estate back in 2016.
She dropped $28 million on the house, which was a bargain given the initial asking price stood at about $40 million. The seven-bedroom mansion offers 13 bathrooms resting on eight acres with scenic views provided by its lush green lawns. Other features include a koi pond, a putting green, sandy beach, and a tiki hut.
The Beach Home
We're not done quite yet when it comes to listing the properties J-Lo and A-Rod have between them. They reportedly purchased a Malibu beachfront in 2019 for $6.6 million. It’s another house they got at a great deal because the previous owner, Jeremy Piven, had slapped a $10.5 million price tag on it.
The 4,404 square foot spread includes four bedrooms and four bathrooms in total. The walls all over the three-story house are lined with windows offering a breathtaking view of the surrounding water. Another highlight is the jacuzzi set up on the balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Flying In Style
After putting expensive roofs over his head, A-Rod also likes to spend his millions on convenience. We are talking about how he chooses to get around, and it just happens that he has a private jet.
In 2017, he spent about $40 million on a Gulfstream IV aircraft, which didn’t dent his pockets that much. He had a Lear Jet before that could only ferry two to seven passengers. Meanwhile, the Gulfstream can accommodate up to 14 passengers. The jet features a slick paint job with the A-Rod Corp logo printed out on the tail.
Queen Of The Road
Obviously, this couple can’t fly everywhere, so their road game is equally as impressive as the fact that they have jets at their disposal. 2019 was a big year for J-Lo. When she marked her 50th birthday, A-Rod helped her celebrate in style by giving her a new Porsche.
J-Lo was excited to receive such a gift, but it meant that she had to get some refresher driving lessons. She hadn’t been behind the wheel in more than two decades. The price tag of the souped-up Porsche that she got is estimated at $146K.
A Birthday Treat
Interestingly, A-Rod’s birthday is just three days after J-Lo’s. After giving her the Porsche, most people would think that J-Lo would need to top that gift during his birthday. Indeed, they celebrated in style, but J-Lo didn’t exactly go for a pricey gift.
She gave him what most people would consider a priceless gift by bringing him on stage at one of her shows. She then gave him a special dance. She then followed it by leading the audience in singing the “Happy Birthday” song for Alex. Sometimes, memorable gifts are more special than expensive ones.
An Avid Art Collector
Alex is also passionate about art, and he has a decent collection of paintings. He has an affinity for works created by artists like Nate Lowman and Andy Warhol. One of his most expensive pieces is a Lowman painting valued at $140K.
In 2019, Phillips auction house offered a Richard Prince and a Jean-Michel Basquiat, two art pieces from Rodriguez’s collection, for sale. The pieces were valued at approximately $1.2 million and $5 million, respectively. Alex chose to give up a few pieces he owned so that he can start up a fresh collection with J-Lo.
Courtside Seats
Rodriquez’s life revolves around baseball, and it only makes sense that his love for the sports continues to date. Fortunately, J-Lo shares the same passion, and they regularly catch their favorite games with the best seats in the house.
They are reportedly regulars at just about every game played by the Los Angeles Lakers. Even better is the fact that they get courtside seats at every game they attend. Most of the time, they don’t even pay for the tickets, and they practically have them thrown their way. They often also bring the family along to these games.
Spreading The Love
You can’t really blame J-Lo and A-Rod for spending the bulk of their wealth on themselves. However, they are far from being considered selfish because they spread love whenever they can. They are also known to generously share their fortunes with loved ones and friends.
Rodriguez was known for his generosity back in his playing days. He would reportedly gift three pairs of suits to the Yankee rookies each season (that is three pairs per person). Who wouldn’t want a “big brother” looking out for them in such a generous way?
Giving Back
Besides sharing their fortunes with loved ones, the two are quite charitable as well. They jointly donated $2 million towards providing assistance at Puerto Rican health centers when Hurricane Maria struck. Lopez also extended her help to charitable activities following the September 11 attacks.
She also launched Maribel Foundation, now known as the Lopez Family Foundation, to provide healthcare services to underprivileged children and women. She is also the United Nations Foundation’s global advocate for women and girls. Lopez is also heavily involved in political activism efforts related to HIV/AIDS and LGBT rights.
Vacationing
J-Lo and A-Rod know when to take some time away from their busy schedules. Their nearly bottomless accounts allow them to jet off wherever their hearts desire. In 2018, they decided to head down to Europe for some much needed R&R.
They settled for Italy and made the most out of the romantic tour by indulging in the local cuisine and enjoying the great weather. They topped the trip with a vacation to the Bahamas just a few months later. That was the destination where A-Rod got down on one knee and popped the big question.
Upcoming Nuptials
Since announcing that they were getting married, A-Rod and J-Lo have stayed mum about the details of their impending nuptials. We can only imagine that it will be a ceremony of grand proportions, judging by how much they’ve spent on each other in just two years.
J-Lo’s first two weddings were somewhat rushed, and she never quite took the time to enjoy the process. That’s the approach she seems to be going for this time around because she wants it to the ultimate best one yet. We can only imagine that it will be nothing short of the wedding of the century.
Celebrating The Big News
If their engagement celebration is anything to go by, we know that their big day will be even bigger and more lavish. The two celebrated with family and friends in Los Angeles a couple of months after the beach-side proposal. Their guests were treated to an intimate four-course gourmet dinner.
J-Lo was generous enough to give us a sneak peek by sharing a few photos from the occasion. She had on a gorgeous, white ruffled gown, perhaps hinting at what we can expect to see her wear down the aisle. Their kids were also there to share the special moment.
Great Hosts
Talking about celebrations, J-Lo and A-Rod have proven to be quite the great hosts. They put up an exclusive pre-Super Bowl bash in Miami early in 2020. The star-studded affair hosted guests like Mexican singer Thalia as well as Tommy Mottola, her husband.
After J-Lo and Shakira’s unforgettable performance at the Super Bowl, the couple topped it off with another shindig. They hosted 60 guests on a yacht, and the highlight of the soiree was the custom cake J-Lo’s manager, Benny Medina, ordered from Divine Delicacies Custom Cakes. It was a vanilla rum cake with decked out with Swarovski crystals.
Her Biggest Cheerleader
Talking about Super Bowl 2020, we won’t stop gushing about the incredible performance J-Lo and Shakira put together any time soon. Right there at the front row was Rodriguez offering his support. He even took a video and shared it on his Instagram, saying how J-Lo’s was amazing and “crushed” the performance, and we agree.
He didn’t only get a front-row seat to the incredible performance, he was center-right from the field. Most of us were just jealous of the fact that he had the most enviable seats to enjoy the games and the half-time performance!
Hosted By The Royals
Being a power couple means that J-Lo and A-Rod are frequently hosted by other celebrities as well. They are often invited to events thrown by other sports stars or Hollywood A-listers. Most memorably, they had the pleasure of hanging out with the royals.
Just after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s historic royal exit, they enjoyed a lovely dinner with Lopez and Rodriguez. The Duke and Duchess were in Miami to present a speech during a JP Morgan summit. A Page Six source reportedly heard J-Lo inviting the Duke and Duchess as well as their son Archie to the Miami home shares with Rodriquez for a playdate with their kids.
Private Shopping Trips
J-Lo and A-Rod also enjoy the privilege of being able to skip queues. In fact, shopping is another thing they enjoy at their own convenience. Besides having designers send them pieces from new collections frequently, they can literally shut down entire clothing stores to shop in privacy.
We are talking about the high-end designer clothing stores like the Beverly Hills-based Brunello Cucinelli. The couple visited the store in November 2019 so that they could shop for new additions for their wardrobe. They were reportedly very down to earth, and Rodriguez even modeled a couple of outfits for J-Lo’s approval.
A Sweet Valentine’s Celebration
At the center of it all, J-Lo and A-Rod are the proud parents of four. J-Lo shares twins, Emme and Max, with Anthony. Rodriquez had Natasha Alexander and Ella Alexander with his former wife, Cynthia Scurtis. They are frequently spotted up and down with the kids, and it’s heartwarming how they all get along so well.
For Valentine’s 2020, they had an adorably sweet one spent with their children. They kept it sentimental and spent the time bonding over ice cream. They shared photos and videos on their respective Instagram accounts, giving us a snippet of how the day went.
A Special Dinner
A-Rod still took the time to spend some quality time with J-Lo later in the evening. They had a semi-private dinner to crown the day. They are always being trailed by flashing cameras, so that’s why the occasion wasn’t completely private.
They headed to Craig’s, the upscale comfort food joint in Hollywood, for their special Valentine’s dinner. A few fans raised concerns that circulated online, that the couple didn’t look too thrilled in the photos of their dinner. We figure that no one would be too happy when they have the paparazzi following them everywhere.
More On Their Wedding Plans
Revisiting the plans they have made so far for their nuptials, we all can’t wait to see them both give marriage another shot. A-Rod had joked about having their ceremony during the Super Bowl, but that’s now passed.
We found out that they don’t really have a date in mind from an Ask Me Anything session A-Rod had on Twitter. He was also honest in saying that they’ll let us know when they have a date circled on the calendar for their big day. We don’t think that they can get away with planning a private ceremony given the extent of their fame.
Everyone’s Welcome
A-Rod had been the one dropping hints at what we can expect on their big day. From what we gather, they will spare no expense to make the occasion their dream ceremony. He explained during an interview on Strahan, Sara, and Keke that he didn’t know the location of the ceremony or what he’ll be wearing, but he’ll definitely show up.
However, he also said that he knows that a long flight will be involved to get to the venue of their ceremony. The biggest detail he offered yet was that everyone’s exes are on the guest list, and they are more than welcome.
Their Kids Will Be A Big Part Of Their Ceremony
Both A-Rod and J-Lo have shared that their kids will be a big part of the ceremony, just like they are an important part of their lives. In fact, J-Lo even offered up some details about the big day during an interview with ET.
She said that her son Max would be tasked with walking her down the aisle. We know that J-Lo has an incredible relationship with her father, but she shields her folks from the public eye. It could be the reason she decided to have her son have the honors this time around. She also shared that she wants to have a church ceremony.