Marc Anthony

Marc Anthony
Name	Marc Anthony
Caption	Anthony performing in 2019
Birth name	Marco Antonio Muñiz
Birth date	16 September 1968
Birth place	New York City, U.S.
Genre	Salsa, Latin pop, ballads
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, actor, record producer
Years active	1988–present
Label	Atlantic, RMM, Sony Music Latin, Columbia
Spouse	Dayanara Torres (2000–2004), Jennifer Lopez (2004–2014), Nadia Ferreira (2023–present)

Marc Anthony is an American singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He is among the most influential figures in Latin music, particularly for popularizing salsa music to a global audience. Often called the "King of Salsa", he has sold over 12 million albums worldwide and holds the record for the best-selling tropical salsa artist of all time.

Early life and education

He was born Marco Antonio Muñiz on September 16, 1968, in Harlem, New York City, to Puerto Rican parents. His father, Felipe Muñiz, was a musician and hospital worker, while his mother, Guillermina, was a homemaker. He grew up in Spanish Harlem, immersed in the sounds of salsa, merengue, and rock en español. He attended Central Commercial High School and later studied at the City College of New York, though he left to pursue music. His stage name was adopted to avoid confusion with the Mexican singer Marco Antonio Solís.

Music career

His career began in the late 1980s, writing and producing for freestyle music acts like the Latin Rascals and Sa-Fire. His self-titled debut album in 1991 was a freestyle and dance-pop record. A pivotal turn came in 1993 with his Spanish-language album *Otra Nota*, produced by Sergio George, which established him as a serious salsa vocalist. His international breakthrough arrived with *Todo a Su Tiempo* (1995) and the landmark album *Contra la Corriente* (1997), which won a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album. He crossed over to the English-language market with his 1999 Grammy-nominated eponymous album, featuring the hit "I Need to Know". His 2004 album *Amar Sin Mentiras* won the inaugural Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Major hits include "Vivir Mi Vida", "You Sang to Me", and his duet with Jennifer Lopez, "No Me Ames". He has performed at historic venues like Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, and his residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace was highly successful.

Acting career

He has pursued a parallel career in film and television. His early acting roles include parts in *Hackers* (1995) and *The Substitute* (1996). He gained critical acclaim for his portrayal of Héctor Lavoe in the biopic *El Cantante* (2006), opposite Jennifer Lopez. Other notable film credits include *Bringing Out the Dead* (1999) directed by Martin Scorsese, *Man on Fire* (2004) with Denzel Washington, and *In the Heights* (2021). On television, he served as a judge and coach on the Spanish-language version of *The Voice*, *La Voz... México*, and had a recurring role on the series *Hawthorne*.

Personal life

He has been married four times. His first marriage was to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres in 2000; they have two sons. He married singer and actress Jennifer Lopez in 2004 in a private ceremony at her home in Los Angeles; they are parents to twins. Following their divorce, he married model Shannon De Lima in 2014, a union that ended in 2017. In 2023, he married Paraguayan model Nadia Ferreira in a lavish ceremony at the Pérez Art Museum Miami attended by figures like David Beckham and Salma Hayek. He is a practicing Catholic and has six children in total.

Philanthropy and business ventures

He is a dedicated philanthropist, founding the Maestro Cares Foundation in 2012 with Henry Cárdenas to build orphanages and educational facilities for children in Latin America. He has been a longtime supporter of the Children's Health Fund and actively participates in disaster relief efforts, including for Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. His business ventures include co-ownership of the Miami Dolphins NFL franchise and a partnership in the Miami Freedom Park soccer complex project. He also launched his own fragrance line and has been involved in various real estate investments.

Awards and recognition

His accolades include three Grammy Awards and eight Latin Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded tropical artists. He has received numerous Billboard Latin Music Awards, Premios Lo Nuestro, and ASCAP honors. He holds several Guinness World Records, including for the best-selling tropical salsa artist. In 2009, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was honored with the "Icon Award" at the 2016 Billboard Latin Music Awards and his legacy is cemented in the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.

Category:American salsa singers Category:American male actors Category:1968 births Category:Living people