Marc Anthony

Born: September 16 1968
Where: Spanish Harlem, New York, USA

The Grammy-winning salsa star and actor made the crossover from pop to movies with appearances in Bringing Out The Dead and Man on Fire.

However, his marriage to global sensation Jennifer Lopez may overshadow his bid to be taken seriously as an actor.

Born to Puerto Rican parents, he was named by his musician father after the famous Mexican singer.

He began his music career singing backing vocals for English freestyle music as well as penning songs for other artists.

Switching to salsa, his third album - Contra la Corriente - established him as the bestselling tropical/salsa artist in the world.

His English-language debut I Need To Know generated the number one hit You Sang To Me and his follow-up album debuted at number two on the Billboard Top 200.

On Broadway, he melded music and acting in Paul Simon's musical The Capeman alongside Ruben Blades and Ednita Nazario.

He also recorded the theme song to the movie The Mask of Zorro as well as supplying songs for Carlito's Way and The Runaway Bride.

He made his film debut in 1988 in the musical East Side Story and subsequent small appearances included Natural Causes and Hackers.

He played a silent waiter in Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci's Big Night and a troubled teenager in The Substitute with Tom Berenger.

In he played Noel in the Martin Scorcese drama Bringing Out The Dead with Nicolas Cage and Rosanna Arquette.

Anthony wed Lopez in June 2004 just four days after his quickie divorce from former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres was finalized in the Dominican Republic.

Recent work includes playing the father of a kidnapped girl in Tony Scott's brutal thriller Man on Fire.