George Lopez

George Lopez is a Mexican American comedian who developed his stage act into a successful sitcom -- George Lopez -- that ran for six seasons on ABC (2002-07). Abandoned by his parents and raised by his grandparents, he grew up near Los Angeles and was inspired by the fame of 1970s star Freddie Prinze. By the mid-1980s Lopez was devoting himself full-time to a career in comedy, and by 1990 he was doing stand-up routines and getting small roles in TV and film. His big break came when Sandra Bullock encouraged him to do a sitcom; she co-produced the family-friendly show and made occasional appearances. Lopez has also had comedy specials on cable TV (HBO and Showtime) and appeared in feature films, including Fatal Instinct (1993), Real Women Have Curves (2002, starring America Ferrera), Swing Vote (2008, starring Kevin Costner) and Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008, as the voice of Papi).