Marc Anthony's father warned him to "work on" his personality because he was "ugly" when he was little.
The 45-year-old has been married to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres and Jennifer Lopez, but is under no illusion about his looks. He understands he isn't the most handsome guy on the planet, so took his dad's advice to work on his charm.
"The people I've ended up in relationships with are human beings. They're not conquests," he told Men's Fitness magazine when quizzed about his romantic life.
"My dad would tell me, 'Son, I'm ugly and you're ugly - work on your personality.' I swear to God. I told him a couple of months ago, I said, 'Dad, you remember telling me that when I was little?' He's like, 'I'll tell you that shit today, too!' I think it served me well, I think confidence is a powerful thing."
Marc is the best-selling salsa artist ever and his career seems a far cry from his early life. He was mercilessly teased for his slim body when he was growing up and even when he exercised he struggled to bulk up. In the area of New York where he lived having a slight frame was looked down upon, but the star doesn't dwell on the past. Instead, he focuses on his charitable organisation Maestro Cares - which helps neglected children in Latin America.
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Marc Anthony
"Those people who picked on me [probably] got their ass kicked in the present day," he said. "I don't have anything to say to anybody. I am more proud of the work that my foundation is doing, to be honest with you. I'm in the Dominican Republic right now. I'm opening an orphanage here... That's the biggest punch I could throw."
While the foundation is what drives Marc these days, it hasn't always been at the forefront of his life. Before he became a father to his five children, he enjoyed the party lifestyle usually synonymous with celebrities, but is glad he never took it too far.
"Once you get that out of your system, you have a better shot at getting your priorities straight. Right now, there's no club that you can invite me to that's going to make me want to leave my house. There's no number of women, there's no number of yachts or private whatever," he said. "I've been there. I think it's necessary to live it, but you have to have a mechanism to snap out of it, and I think that's good support. I survived it and now I prefer my children, I prefer to stand on my feet, I prefer finding the silence. You know, get some quiet corner and shut up."
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