Jennifer Lopez's Look-Alike Is a Bodybuilder from Houston

Chelsey Sanchez
Updated ·5 min read

From Harper's BAZAAR

  • Houston-based bodybuilder Janice Garay (also known as Jay from Houston) looks almost exactly like Jennifer Lopez.

  • Garay went viral on Instagram after one of her selfies landed on the platform's Explore page, prompting users to question whether or not she was actually J.Lo.

In the comments of an Instagram selfie posted by bodybuilder Janice Garay, an Instagram user wrote, "Are you Jenny from tha block?" Garay wrote back, "No I'm jay from the H."

Can you blame anyone for mistaking the Houston-based bodybuilder for her Grammy Award–winning look-alike, Jennifer Lopez? The duo share extremely similar features, from their facial structures and blonde-highlighted hair to their predilection for large hoop earrings and ability to rock a nude lip.

In 2017, Garay went viral after one of her selfies landed on the Instagram Explore page, with users pointing out that her famous doppelg?nger is none other than J.Lo. She told ABC30 at the time, "It was just normal selfies I had taken in my restroom and people were assuming that I was Jennifer Lopez, commenting 'Are you J-Lo?' No...I'm Jay from Houston!"

The comparison is at least a flattering one. She added that the Hustlers star has long been someone she has admired. "She is my idol," she told the news outlet. "She's somebody that I looked up to since I was a little girl. It is flattering."

That same year, Garay joined in on the fun by posting a meme featuring herself, J.Lo, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. "If The Rock and JLO had a daughter, she would look like this," the meme read. In her caption, she wrote, "I want everyone to notice me for my dedication [and] hard work for bodybuilding not some 'want to be jlo' that people claim of me to be. Even [though] I do have the most respect and love for Jennifer Lopez, people who know me know I admire her [and] look up to her ever Since the movie Selena came out."

View this post on Instagram

??100k!? 😱😱😱 💓🙌🏽🙌🏽🤘🏽I'm so speechless, I want to thank all of my followers/fans/friends/family and even the haters for the love an support! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 Now I am worldwide being shown on all the Hispanic channels, radio stations, blogs, all over social media! 😩This is where it all started with this meme About 4 weeks ago LOL, then more memes were being made shortly after that, most of my pictures were popping on the explore page all the time apparently, people assuming I was @jlo but little did they know I'm a Figure Competitor That lives in Houston, Tx name "JAY" not JLO. Lol I appreciate everyone who stands up for me with all this negativity going around, I see your comments trust me I just don't have the time to reply back to everyone to say TY, but now I'm telling all of you🙏🏾💓! As you know I'm in prep getting ready to hit the stage in L.A California on July 22nd - LA Championships I worked my ass off every single day for this show no matter what was going on in my life (good&Bad) or how I was feeling...I want everyone to notice me for my dedication An hard work for bodybuilding not some "want to be jlo" that people claim of me to be . Even thow, I do have the most respect and love for Jennifer Lopez , people who know me know I admire her An look up to her ever Since the movie Selena came out. I keep getting asked "how do you deal with all this negativity and hate jay?" well because I'm so focused on my own goals An dreams that no matter what is being thrown my way, it won't ever break me because I've been through worst situations that most of you will never know! That's why I remain humble, I'm just a girl from Houston trying to make it big in the fitness industry to become Ms. Figure Olympia! Just Remember, anything is possible, you have to work for what you want, invest and stay away from distractions and negative people in your life, nobody will ever understand but that's okay your doing this for you, not them so in the end who cares what people have to say about you. I'm over here being hated so much but god is blessing me with opportunities in my life! So who is really Winning?! 🤷🏽♀?💪🏽🙏🏾💓 Love you all! Thx again! - Jay 🖤

A post shared by J A Y F R O M H O U S T O N (@jayfromhouston) on Jul 14, 2017 at 4:21pm PDT

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