AHS Awards: Ethel Waters Tribute for Influential Comedic Actor George Lopez
George Lopez will be the third to receive the Ethel Waters tribute. He has accomplished a great deal during his 42 years in the entertainment industry, encompassing films, TV series, stand-up comedy, and charity work. Despite a difficult upbringing that now inspires many of his artistic endeavors, he has made a substantial impact in an industry known for its challenges.
Though he possesses a natural comedic talent, George Lopez was initially inspired by Hispanic comedian Freddie Prinze, not to be confused with his son Freddie Prinze Jr. Today, he is well-known for his roles in TV series such as Lopez vs. Lopez, George Lopez Show, and as “Mr. Electric” in Sharkboy and Lavagirl. He first gained recognition for his comedic performances on Comedy Club (1987) and The Arsenio Hall Show (1989), as well as in The Original Latin Kings of Comedy (2002). Beyond his stand-up career, Lopez hosted his talk show, Lopez Tonight, and has appeared in several films, including Bread and Roses (2000) and Real Women Have Curves (2002), which won the Audience Award, The Spy Next Door (2010), and The Tax Collector (2020). He also provided the voice for “Papi Cortez,” a chihuahua, in the 2008 children’s film Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
Throughout his career, Lopez has established The Lopez Foundation and received numerous accolades, including the Humanitarian Award and the 2004 Artist of the Year Award from the Harvard Foundation. In fact, he is one of the most successful Hispanic Americans to be on a general TV series in the U.S.
2004 was particularly significant for Lopez, as he received both the Artist of the Year Award and the Humanitarian Award for his contributions to the community and his fundraising efforts for earthquake victims in El Salvador and Guatemala. During the filming of the fourth season of the George Lopez Show, he discovered that he had polycystic kidney disease, a condition he had been struggling with, experiencing symptoms like fatigue and severe back pain for several years. In an act of support, his former wife, Ann Serano Lopez, stepped forward in 2005 to donate one of her kidneys to him, highlighting the importance of family and friendship in the face of adversity.
Lopez is no stranger to challenges and refuses to let this setback hold him down. He remains active in his foundation, hosting an annual celebrity golf tournament to raise awareness for kidney disease. Proceeds from this event go towards sending children with kidney disease to summer camps, where they can have memorable experiences. Additionally, Lopez starred as “Coach Feis” in the 2024 film The Underdoggs and continues to appear in his new TV series, Lopez vs. Lopez, alongside his daughter, Mayan Lopez.
