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Jennifer Lopez (43) was once homeless.
The pop star, who has five-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony, often slept in a dance studio as a teenager after having arguments with her mother about her career plans.
She told W magazine, "My mom and I butted heads. I didn't want to go to college ? I wanted to try dance full time. So she and I had a break. I started sleeping on the sofa in the dance studio. I was homeless, but I told her, 'This is what I have to do.' A few months later, I landed a job dancing in Europe. When I got back, I booked [sketch comedy series] In Living Color. I became a Fly Girl [in-house dance troupe] and moved to LA. It all happened in a year."
Despite enjoying her newfound freedom, Jennifer initially hated living in Los Angeles after relocating there from the Bronx, New York.
She explained, "I hated LA. I was asking, 'Where's the store for milk? Don't you guys walk on the street?' Now I love Los Angeles, but it doesn't give me strength the way the Bronx did. All the strength that I needed for life, I got from that neighbourhood."
Jennifer, who’s dating her former back-up dancer Casper Smart (25), also revealed she’s eager to pass on her ambition and work ethic to her children.
She said, "I think a lot about teaching my kids to work hard. I've learned something about kids ? they don't do what you say; they do what you do. I watched my parents. My dad worked nights, and I was aware of how much he was doing for us. My mom was a Tupperware lady and also worked at the school. I always felt that I couldn't let them down. And I had a natural discipline from early on. I was always training for something.
"I can remember dancing and singing in front of the mirror in my bedroom. I've always had dreams ? the dreams have just gotten bigger."
-Bang Showbiz
