Cris Judd

Early life

Before Hollywood, Judd spent his early years growing up on Air Force bases in Angeles City in the Philippines and Hawaii. His mother, Violeta (née Calventos) is Filipina, and his father, Larry Judd, is Portuguese. The Air Force then moved his family to Niceville, Florida, where he attended Niceville High School. While in Florida, Judd, an avid athlete, spent a lot of time surfing and golfing. With a golf handicap of four, he even considered going pro after graduation, but instead decided to go to college.

Dance career

At age 21, Judd became interested in dance. Within a year, he switched jobs and began dancing professionally with Disney. He was hired to dance with Michael Jackson for the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards and then danced with Jackson on the HIStory Tour, eventually becoming lead dancer for the tour. In 1999, he performed at the Billboard Music Awards with Celine Dion, the MTV Music Awards with N'SYNC, and in 2000 at the American Music Awards with Enrique Iglesias and Brian McKnight, and for "Best Song" nominee That Thing You Do at the 69th Annual Academy Awards. Judd teamed up for the first time with choreographer Eddie Garcia, a collaboration that continues to this day, to choreograph the 2000 Tour for Jordan Knight.

Judd choreographed numerous music videos including My Way for Usher, Jump, Jive, & Wail for the Brian Setzer Orchestra, If I Could Go for Angie Martinez and Tango for Julio Iglesias. He also directed the music video, Ain't It Funny-Remix, with Ja Rule. Judd then became creative director for Handprint Entertainment, overseeing a $5 million budget and delivering Jennifer Lopez's NBC concert special Let's Get Loud (DVD), which was filmed at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Judd appeared as a back-up dancer for ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez's music videos Love Don't Cost a Thing, Play, and I'm Real, and appeared in her I'm Gonna Be Alright video. He and Garcia produced an interactive dance DVD released in summer 2005, and has prepared the Midnight Fantasy musical for the Luxor Resort in Las Vegas.

In 2009, Judd took part in the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards opening dance tribute to former mentor Michael Jackson. Judd took part in the dance performance of "Scream", the duet number between Michael and Michael's sister Janet Jackson; Janet danced alongside Judd and other famous dance choreographers.

Acting

Judd guest-starred on Unfabulous, Eve, Half and Half, Everybody Loves Raymond, Bringing Down the House, and Goyband.

Reality television

Judd's television debut was on the first season of the American series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. He beat out all the other contestants, earning $200,000 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation when he was crowned "King of the Jungle" in a viewer vote.

In 2006, Judd hosted the reality version of Dirty Dancing, and in 2008 was a judge on Lifetime's Your Mama Don't Dance.

In 2008, Judd appeared in an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians as a choreographer/friend of Kris Jenner. In 2009, Judd appeared on the reality TV series Bad Girls Club where he choreographed their opening dance performance for FANTASY, an adult dance revue at the Luxor hotel. In 2012, he appeared in The Real Housewives of New Jersey, as a choreographer hired by Melissa Gorga.

In 2013, Judd was announced as one of the judges in the third series of New Zealand's Got Talent.

Personal life

Judd met Jennifer Lopez in Spain in late 2000. when he was hired to direct her music video for "Love Don't Cost a Thing". He composed the song, "Alive", which was selected as the theme song for the movie Enough. The two married on September 29, 2001. The marriage ended less than a year later.

Judd married Kelly A. Wolfe in Laguna Beach, California in November 2009. They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Vivienne Lee Judd, on September 19, 2013.