Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, one of Hollywood’s most iconic couples, have officially ended their marriage after months of speculation. The couple, who rekindled their romance nearly two decades after their first engagement, filed for divorce on April 26, 2024. The details surrounding their separation have captivated fans and media alike, as rumors of tension and discord between the pair had been circulating for months.
The first signs of trouble in paradise emerged in April 2024, when People magazine reported that Lopez, 55, and Affleck, 52, had not been seen together in public for over 47 days. Their last public appearance as a couple was on March 30, 2024, when they were spotted holding hands in New York City. Their final red carpet appearance was even earlier, in February, at the premiere of Lopez’s film, This Is Me … Now: A Love Story.
The couple’s relationship, often referred to as “Bennifer,” had a storied history. They first met on the set of the 2002 film Gigli, and their whirlwind romance quickly became the talk of Hollywood. By November 2002, they were engaged, but their relationship was plagued by intense media scrutiny. Just days before their planned wedding in September 2003, they called off the ceremony, and by January 2004, they had officially parted ways.
Nearly two decades later, in May 2021, rumors of a rekindled romance began to surface. By July of that year, the couple was spotted house-hunting together, sparking speculation that they were serious about giving their relationship another shot. Their love story took a dramatic turn when they staged a surprise wedding in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022, followed by a second, more elaborate ceremony in Georgia in August of the same year.
However, the happiness was short-lived. As Lopez prepared for her co-hosting duties at the 2024 Met Gala, she hinted at personal struggles in an April 17 post on Vogue’s official Instagram account. In the post, she expressed excitement about the event but made no mention of Affleck, raising eyebrows among fans and followers.
Lopez attended the Met Gala alone on May 6, just 10 days after she and Affleck privately separated. She continued to make solo appearances throughout the month, attending the Los Angeles and Mexico City premieres of her Netflix film Atlas without Affleck by her side.
At the Mexico City premiere, when asked about her marriage, Lopez’s Atlas co-star Simu Liu intervened, shutting down the question. Lopez, after a brief pause, responded, “You know better than that,” indicating that the topic was off-limits.
By this time, insiders were already reporting that the couple was experiencing significant issues in their marriage. One source revealed that the problems began when Lopez ramped up her work commitments in preparation for her This Is Me … Live Tour. Although the tour was later canceled, with Lopez citing a desire to spend more time with her family, the strain on their relationship was evident.
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Adding fuel to the fire, Lopez began looking at new properties in Los Angeles, which she described as investment opportunities. Meanwhile, Affleck was reportedly staying at a different location in Los Angeles, away from the couple’s shared home, which they had purchased in March 2022 overlooking the Hollywood Hills.
By June, it was confirmed that Lopez and Affleck were in the process of selling their Los Angeles home. The following month, Lopez celebrated her 55th birthday in the Hamptons without Affleck, marking another significant sign of the couple’s separation. Notably, their second wedding anniversary on July 16, 2024, passed without any public acknowledgment from either party.
The end of Lopez and Affleck’s marriage marks the conclusion of a highly publicized and often tumultuous relationship. Despite their efforts to make it work, the pressures of their respective careers and the intense media scrutiny proved too much for the couple to overcome.
As they move forward separately, both Lopez and Affleck are likely to remain in the public eye, with fans eager to see what the future holds for the two stars who once captured the world’s imagination with their love story.
