Global news headlines were dominated by reports of Jennifer Lopez seeking a divorce from Ben Affleck on August 20, 2024. The couple, referred to as “Bennifer”, rekindled their relationship in 2021 and married privately in Las Vegas, Nevada, in July 2022. A lavish wedding followed in Riceboro, Georgia, on August 20, 2022. After two years, Lopez has stated irreconcilable differences as the reason for the dissolution of their marriage.
Jennifer Lopez, age 55, listed April 26, 2024, as the separation date according to the divorce papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement, which may complicate the division of assets, including their Beverly Hills mansion worth $68 million.
Insiders have offered various viewpoints on the couple’s split. A source told “Page Six” that the timing of the divorce was particularly meaningful for Lopez. “Jennifer said she was tired of being humiliated by Ben and she waited until the two-year anniversary because she wanted it to sting,” the source said. The source also mentioned that Affleck, age 52, had emotionally moved on. “He’s been done for a long time and deep down she knows this. He let her have this so that she wouldn’t look like the villain.”
Another insider confirmed this, characterizing the timing of the divorce as a deliberate act by Lopez. The couple had been living separately for several months, with Affleck buying a new $20.5 million property. Meanwhile, Lopez had been concentrating on her career and family, attending the Met Gala in New York City alone in May.
The couple’s split, though surprising to some, was foreseeable. The couple had experienced significant challenges in their relationship, particularly concerning their differing attitudes towards fame and publicity. Affleck, who has three children with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner, reportedly found the intense public interest in his relationship with Lopez challenging. A source told “People” magazine, “Ben was uncomfortable with how much of their private life was being shared publicly, especially in Jennifer’s documentary where she shared his private love letters.”
Lopez attempted to make the marriage work, but the couple’s differences proved too great to overcome.
This marks the second time Lopez and Affleck have separated. Their initial engagement in 2002 ended in 2004 due to extreme media attention. Both moved on and started families before reuniting in 2021. The revival of their romance sparked significant media interest and public curiosity.
Despite their separation, sources suggest that Lopez and Affleck aim to maintain a positive relationship for the sake of their children. Lopez is the mother of 16-year-old twins, Emme and Max, with her ex-husband Marc Anthony. Affleck has three children from his marriage to Garner: Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12.
Details of their divorce settlement remain to be finalized, but it is evident that both Lopez and Affleck are prepared to move on. As the public observes the final stages of Bennifer’s story, the manner in which the couple will handle their post-divorce relationship, particularly co-parenting and potential professional collaborations, is yet to be seen.
Currently, Lopez is focusing on her career and children, while Affleck has moved into his new house. The end of their relationship may be a disappointment to fans, but as Lopez once stated, “We’re older now, we’re smarter, we have more experience, we’re at different places in our lives, we have kids now, and we have to be very conscious of those things.”
