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Background:
The biggest-selling salsa artist of all time, singer and actor Marc Anthony made
a name for himself as one of the contemporary Salsa superstars in Latin America
by taking home such awards as two Billboard Awards, a Diplo Award (Puerto Rico)
and a Grammy Award, before crossing over with his triple platinum self-titled
English-language debut album in the late 90’s. The album spawned the mega hit,
“I Need to Know,” which became one of the US Top 5. Additionally, the acclaimed
track handed him a Latin Grammy Award for Song of the Year, as well as a Record
of The Year nomination. He also earned several Grammy nominations in the
categories of Best Male Pop Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocals, Best
Music Video for ” No Me Ames” (duet with his wife Jennifer Lopez) and Best
Tropical Song for “Da La Vuelta.” More recent, Anthony won an ASCAP Award for
“You Sang to Me,” a 2002 ALMA Award for his outstanding performance at Christmas
in Rockefeller Center, and picked up a 2005 Grammy Award for his amazing album
Amar Sin Mentiras.
Aside from being a solo artist, Anthony also established himself as a duet star
due to his impressive collaboration with Tina Arena for “I Want to Spend My
Lifetime Loving You,” a soundtrack from The Mask of Zorro, for which he won an
ALMA in 1999.
“It’s so challenging, so challenging. It’s great to be allowed to be someone
else without being called a schizophrenic. That’s cool, you know. I mean that is
really cool.” Marc Anthony on acting
As for being an accomplished actor, Marc Anthony has added several films under
his belt after kicking off his screen career with the musical comedy East Side
Story (1988). His film credits include the acclaimed drama Carlito's Way (1993),
Natural Causes (1994), Hackers (1995), Big Night (1996), The Substitute (1996),
Martin Scorsese's Bringing Out the Dead (1999), the romantic drama In the Time
of Butterflies (2001, TV) and the Denzel Washington vehicle Man on Fire (2004).
In 2006, Anthony will also add Who Killed Hector Lavoe to his resume.
Off screen, People magazine’s “Sexiest Salsa Singer” (2001) Marc Anthony and his
wife, Jennifer Lopez, reportedly donated a large sum of money to Children's
Health Fund's Operation Assist with the purpose of helping the young Katrina's
victims. The couple also used their celebrity status to urge fans to do the
same. As for his private life, Anthony has been married twice. He tied the knot
with first wife, ex-Puerto Rican Miss Universe Dayanara Torres Delgado, on 2000,
but they divorced in 2004. With Delgado, he has two sons, Christian Anthony
Muniz (born in 2001) and Ryan Anthony Muniz (born in 2003). A few days after the
divorce, Anthony married superstar Jennifer Lopez on June 5, 2004. Initially, he
was linked with Kim Vilanueva, model Noemie and actress Mira Sorvino. He also
dated a policewoman named Debbie Rosado, with whom Anthony shares a daughter
named Arianna Muniz (born in 1994).
Skinny
Childhood and Family:
Son to Puerto Rican parents, Marco Antonio Muniz, who would later be famous as
Marc Anthony, was born on September 16, 1968, in New York, New York, but raised
in Manhattan's East Harlem. His early attention on music was inherited from his
musician father with whom young Marc frequently performed with in front of
friends and family. As a child, he was also surrounded by performances by Latin
musicians Willie Colón, Rubén Blades, Hector Lavoe, as well as contemporary pop
recordings by Air Supply and José Feliciano. By the age of 12, the youngest
child of seven siblings to Felipe Muniz and Guillermina Muniz, was spotted by
producer of demos and commercials Davis Harris and began his singing career as a
background vocalist. Marc later added acting to his endeavors.
On May 9, 2000, Marc Anthony, whose nickname is Skinny, tied the knot with
Puerto Rican beauty Dayanara Torres Delgado after a seven-month engagement. The
couple welcomed their first son, Christian Anthony Muniz, on February 5, 2001,
but they separated in July in the following year. Five months after the split,
they were back together and Delgado gave birth to their second son, Ryan Anthony
Muniz, on August 16, 2003. On June 1, 2004, however, the two announced their
divorce. Four days after his divorce was finalized, Marc married actress/singer
Jennifer Lopez in a secret wedding on June 5, 2004. Before their wedding,
Anthony and Lopez had been work together for a song titled” No Me Ames.”
“That was fantastic. I fell in love with her, fell in love with her, and
absolutely fell in love with her.” Marc Anthony on shooting a video with
Jennifer Lopez
Who Killed Hector Lavoe?
Career:
Used to singing for family and friends and performing in an after school program
during his early years, 12-year-old Marc Anthony got his first start as a
background singer after being discovered by producer David Harris. He went on to
sing backup for artists like the Ricky Martin-era Menudo, the Latin Rascal, and
Safire. He also began displaying his song writing crafts by panning the Top 40
dance hit “Boy, I’ve Been Told” for Safire.
At age 20, Anthony tried his hand in acting and landed a supporting part in the
1988 musical comedy East Side Story. His film career did not deter him away from
music. This was proved by the release of his first album, When the Night Is
Over, two years after his acting debut. Working with producer and disc jockey
Little Louie Vega, his Latin hip-hop-style album scored a No. 1 dance hit titled
“Ride on the Rhythm,” collaboration tracks with Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri.
The success opened up the door to further enter the musical industry and an
offer arrived to be the opening act on a show celebrating Puente's 100th album
release at Madison Square Garden arrived in November 1991.
Inspired by Juan Gabriel’s “Hasta Que Te Conoci,” Anthony was back in the studio
in 1993 to record this track as his first Spanish-language single on his second
album, “Otra Notra.” Produced and arranged by Sergio George, the album displayed
a better depiction of Anthony's salsa roots. A scorching performance at the
Radio Y Musica Latin music convention, combined with an appearance on the
international TV program “Carnival Internacional,” led to bookings around the
world. Additionally, a duet song with singer La India, “Vivir Lo Nuestro,”
became a hit and brought the singer his first taste of mainstream success. In
1994, his brilliant work in the album handed him a Billboard Latin Music for
Best New Artist of the Year and a Diplo (Puerto Rico). Anthony was then launched
as one of the hottest new stars in salsa after his booming tours throughout the
Americas as the opening slot for the Blades.
The same year Anthony worked in the recording studio on his sophomore album, he
was also seen acting as a performer in director Brian De Palma's acclaimed 1993
crime drama Carlito's Way. He was next featured as a Marine Guard in the drama
Natural Causes (1994, starring Janis Paige and Ken Wisan) and landed the small
part of Agent Ray in director Iain Softley’s Hackers (1995). The thriller film
starred Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller and Jesse Bradford.
Balancing his film and music career, Anthony launched his Grammy-nominated album
titled Todo A Su Tiempo in 1995. Also in 1995, he netted a second Billboard for
Song of the Year for his bright effort on “Te Conozco Bien.” In the following
year, Anthony appeared on two films. First his first major role arrived with
Stanley Tucci's Big Night. Portraying restaurant's busboy Cristiano, Anthony
shared top billing with Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci. He was then cast in the
small role of a high school gang banger in the Robert Mandel-helmed film The
Substitute (1996).
In 1997, Anthony continued to pursue his singing career by teaming up with
producer/arranger Angel “Cucco” Peña to produce Contra la Corriente. To promote
this album, Anthony embarked on a solo-concert at NYC’s Madison Square Garden.
Anthony gained even more recognition when he nabbed a first Grammy for Best
Tropical Latin Performance in 1999.
On the other hand, Marc made a wrong decision by accepting the offer to star as
the title character in Paul Simon's Broadway musical “The Capeman” (1997-1998),
a production based on a real life 1950s NYC murder case. The play was considered
a bomb and closed after 68 regular performances.
Bouncing back from that disappointment, Anthony worked with Aussie singer Tina
Arena to record the love theme song for the motion picture The Mark of Zorro, “I
Want to Spend my Lifetime Loving You.” Their bravura collaboration garnered a
1999 ALMA for: Outstanding Performance of a Song for a Feature Film. He scored
another success with the release of an English-language debut, Marc Anthony, in
1999. Working with leading producers like Walter Afanasieff and Rodney Jerkins,
the self-titled album spawned the monster hit “I Need to Know',” which reached
the US Top 5. Moreover, the song won Anthony a Latin Grammy for Song of The
Year, as well as countless nominations at the Latin Grammys, including Record Of
The Year for “I Need To Know,” Best Male Pop Performance By a Duo or Group With
Vocals for “No Me Ames” (duet with Jennifer Lopez), Best Tropical Song for “Da
La Vuelta” and Best Music Video for the “No Me Ames” video. By May 15, 2000,
Marc Anthony received double platinum certification and then went triple
platinum.
Vanishing from film for three years, Anthony made his return to the big screen
in 1999. After starring alongside Lucecita Benítez and Elvis Crespo in the
Spanish-language musical film Con la música por dentro (1999), the actor gave an
impressive portrayal of itinerant Noel, who stays alive after being shot in the
head, in Martin Scorsese's Bringing Out the Dead (1999). In 2000, Anthony was
seen as college professor Lio in the television movie In the Time of the
Butterflies (2001).
Meanwhile, his musical career was still going strong with such albums as Libre
(2001) and Mended (2002). In 2001, he was honored with an ASCAP for Most
Performed Songs from Motion Pictures for the 1999 Runaway Bride, “You Sang To
Me.” The following year, he took home an ALMA for Outstanding Performance in a
Musical, Variety or Comedy Special for Christmas in Rockefeller Center (2001).
Recently, Anthony picked up a 2005 Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album due to his
spectacular project Amar Sin Mentiras (2005). In August 2005, Anthony, Alejandro
Fernandez and Chayanne started their 15-city U.S. tour.
After a costarring role opposite Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning in Tony
Scott’s action Man of Fire (2004), the Latino singer is set to star with his
actress wife, Jennifer Lopez, in the forthcoming movie Who Killed Hector Lavoe?
In writer/director Leon Ichaso’s drama, Anthony will play the title character of
Hector Lavoe, who brought salsa music to the US in 1975, while Lopez will
portray his onscreen wife.
Awards:
- Grammy: Best Latin Pop Album, Amar Sin Mentiras, 2005
- ALMA: Outstanding Performance in a Music, Variety or Comedy Special,
Christmas in Rockefeller Center, 2002
- ASCAP: Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures for Runaway Bride, “You
Sang To Me,” 2001
- Latin Grammy: Song Of The Year, “Dimelo” (I Need To Know), 2000
- ALMA: Outstanding Performance of a Song for a Feature Film for The Mask
of Zorro (shared with Tina Arena), “I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You,”
1999
- Grammy: Best Tropical Latin Performance, Contra La Corriente, 1999
- Billboard: Song of the Year, “Te Conozco Bien,” 1995
- Diplo Award (Puerto Rico): 1994
- Billboard: Best New Artist of the Year, 1994
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