George Lopez

George Edward Lopez, born April 23, 1961, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is best known for starring in his eponymous ABC sitcom, George Lopez, which aired from 2002 to 2007. His stand-up comedy material examines race and ethnic relations, with a focus on Mexican American culture.

Lopez was born in Los Angeles, California, to Frieda and Anatasio Lopez, a Mexican migrant worker. He grew up in an impoverished Catholic household and was abandoned by his father as an infant and by his mother at age ten. He was raised by his maternal grandmother, Benita Gutierrez, a factory worker, and step-grandfather, Refugio Gutierrez, a day laborer. Lopez attended San Fernando High School, graduating in 1979.

After years of performing stand-up comedy, Lopez was approached by actress Sandra Bullock in 2000 to produce and star in a television comedy. ABC picked up the series, making Lopez one of the few Latinos to star in a television comedy series when George Lopez premiered in 2002. The show ran for six seasons before entering syndication. He later hosted the late-night talk show Lopez Tonight on TBS from 2009 to 2011. His other television credits include starring in the sitcoms Saint George, Lopez, and Lopez vs Lopez alongside his daughter Mayan, as well as serving as a commentator for Inside the NFL and a guest judge on America's Got Talent.

In film, Lopez appeared in Real Women Have Curves (2002), Bread and Roses (2000), and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D (2005). He provided voice roles for Papi in Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008) and its sequel, and Rafael in the animated film Rio (2011). His additional film roles include El Chicano (2019), Blue Beetle (2023), and The Underdoggs. Lopez also co-wrote an autobiography, Why You Crying, which reached The New York Times bestsellers list.

Beyond performance, Lopez worked as the creative director for comedy for Carnival Cruises between 2011 and 2016. He has hosted the Latin Grammy Awards twice and co-hosted the Emmy Awards. Through The Ann & George Lopez Foundation, he conducts various charitable efforts, including hosting an annual holiday toy giveaway at San Fernando Elementary School, which named its auditorium after him.

Lopez was married to Ann Serrano from 1993 until their divorce was finalized in 2011, and they have one daughter. Due to a genetic condition causing kidney deterioration, he successfully underwent an organ transplant in 2005 with a kidney donated by Serrano.

Lopez has received several honors for his work and contributions to the Latino community. These include the 2003 Imagen Vision Award, the Latino Spirit Award for Excellence in Television, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Award. In 2004, he received the Artist of the Year and Humanitarian Award from the Harvard Foundation, and in 2005, Time magazine named him one of the "25 Most Influential Hispanics in America."