50 facts about Marc Anthony

Muñiz began his career as a session vocalist for freestyle and Underground New York house music acts. Learn 50 facts about Marc Anthony.

1. His full name is Marco Antonio Muñiz.

2. He is known professionally by his stage name Marc Anthony.

3. Was born in New York City.

4. His parents are from Guayama, Puerto Rico.

5. His mother Guillermina was a housewife.

6. His father, Felipe Muñiz was a musician and hospital lunchroom worker.

7. Anthony's parents named him after Mexican singer Marco Antonio Muñiz.

8. Anthony grew up in East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio.

9. He is the youngest of eight surviving children.

10. He was raised Roman Catholic.

11. He is an actor, singer, record producer, and television producer.

12. Anthony is also the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time.

13. He is the two-time Grammy and five-time Latin Grammy winner.

14. Sold more than 12 million albums worldwide.

15. He is best known for his Latin salsa numbers and ballads.

16. Anthony has won numerous awards and his achievements have been honored through various recognitions.

17. He was the recipient of the 2009 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Chair's Award.

18. He also received the "2009 CHCI Chair's Lifetime Achievement Award" on September 16, 2009.

19. Muñiz began his career as a session vocalist for freestyle and Underground New York house music acts.

20. After changing his name to avoid confusion with his namesake, Anthony worked as a songwriter and backing vocalist for pop acts including Menudo and the Latin Rascals.

21. His first album was a freestyle music record, "Rebel," which debuted in 1988 on Bluedog Records.

22. Also in 1988 he wrote and produced "Boy I've Been Told" for fellow freestyle artist Sa-Fire.

23. Then in 1989, he sang backup vocals for Ann-Marie on the freestyle club hit, "With or Without You" produced by Little Louie Vega and Todd Terry.

24. A year later in 1990, with Little Louie Vega and Todd Terry, Marc wrote a duet with Chrissy I-eece, called "You Should Know By Now."

25. In 1992, still working with Todd Terry, he provided vocals for "Love Change," which is on the flip-side of a 12" vinyl released by Elan and The Powermachine titled "Here's Your Hat," production of Todd Terry.

26. He collaborated with music producer Little Louie Vega, who featured the singer on many freestyle-flavored club hits "Ride On The Rhythm" and the "When The Night Is Over" album, which featured the Freestyle classic "Time."

27. In 1992, Vega and Anthony opened for Latin bandleader Tito Puente at New York's Madison Square Garden.

28. After 1992, he changed his style from freestyle to salsa and other Latin styles.

29. Anthony played supporting roles in projects including 1995's Hackers, and 1996's Big Night and The Substitute.

30. He appeared with Rubén Blades and Puerto Rican pop singer Ednita Nazario in Paul Simon's 1998 stage musical, The Capeman, which ran for 68 performances.

31. He had a role in Martin Scorsese's 1999 drama Bringing Out the Dead, and in 2001, opposite Salma Hayek, was in the film In the Time of the Butterflies.

32. In Man On Fire, Anthony, opposite Denzel Washington, played a wealthy businessman who hires a former U.S. Marine to protect his daughter from kidnappers in Mexico City.

33. In 2007, Anthony starred in El Cantante, a biographical drama about the life of salsa music legend Héctor Lavoe, who died in 1993 from AIDS complications.

34. Anthony's then-wife, Jennifer Lopez, narrated the story and portrayed Lavoe's wife. The film, released in August 2007, received strong reviews.

35. In 2010, Anthony guest-starred in two episodes of the TNT medical drama "HawthoRNe" as a detective and the title character's (Jada Pinkett Smith) love interest.

36. Anthony worked with ex-wife Lopez and director-choeographer Jamie King in late 2011 on a Latin talent series created by Simon Fuller, called Q'Viva! The Chosen. It follows Lopez and Anthony as they travel across 21 countries to find new talent.

37. In 2012, Anthony guest mentored on Season 2 of The X Factor (U.S. TV series).

38. He is a practicing Roman Catholic.

39. Anthony sang "God Bless America" at the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Citi Field.

40. Anthony was in a relationship with Debbie Rosado when the couple had daughter Ariana in 1994.

41. Marc married former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres on May 9, 2000 in Las Vegas.

42. Marc and Torres have two sons, Cristian Anthony Muñiz, and Ryan Anthony Muñiz.

43. Marc named his son Cristian after the Mexican singer Cristian Castro.

44. The couple separated in early 2002. They later reconciled and renewed their vows in a formal ceremony on December 7, 2002 at San Juan's Cathedral in Puerto Rico.

45. The rocky marriage came to an end in October 2003 with Dayanara filing for divorce in January 2004.

46. To help her recovery from the divorce, Dayanara traded her engagement ring for a diamond-encrusted Cartier watch and wrote the book Married to Me: How Committing to Myself Led to Triumph After Divorce.

47. Anthony married Jennifer Lopez in June 2004.

48. Lopez gave birth to their children, twins Emme Maribel Muñiz and Maximillian David Muñiz on February 22, 2008.

49. Anthony and Lopez announced their separation in July 2011.

50. Marc Anthony and model Shannon de Lima married on November 11, 2014 in the Dominican Republic.