Ben Affleck is reportedly ready to start dating now that his split from Jennifer Lopez is official.
Lopez filed for divorce in Los Angeles on Aug. 20, 2024, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
“Ben has not given up on relationships and finally feels ready to move forward and start dating again,” an insider told the Daily Mail. “He is not going to jump into anything serious until the divorce is finalized but that does not mean he cannot date.”
The source said the Batman actor, 52, has one non-negotiable for the women he dates — no drugs or alcohol.
“He only wants to date someone who is sober or in recovery. These past two years have been tough for Ben and as he begins to heal, one thing is very clear: his recovery comes before anything,” the source shared. “He is not going to put his sobriety in jeopardy.”
Affleck has been open about his struggles with sobriety. He sought treatment for alcoholism in 2001 and then again in 2017 and 2018.
Bennifer relationship timeline
Affleck and Lopez were on and off again for over 20 years before their most recent split. The couple, commonly referred to as Bennifer, was first engaged in 2002 after meeting on the set of Gigli. They split two years later and went on to marry and have kids with other people.
They rekindled their romance in April 2021 and married in a quickie Las Vegas wedding on July 16, 2022. The couple had a second wedding celebration for family and friends in August 2022 in Georgia. However, in Bennifer fashion, things went downhill two years later, and they’ve since parted ways again.
In a sitdown chat with Nikki Glaser for Interview, Lopez said her “whole f****ng world exploded” after her documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, came out in February 2024.
WATCH: The Greatest Love Story Never Told on Prime (free trial)
“It feels lonely, unfamiliar, scary. It feels sad. It feels desperate,” Lopez said. “But when you sit in those feelings and go, ‘These things are not going to kill me,’ it’s like actually, I am capable of joy and happiness all by myself.”
If you missed the documentary or just want a recap, here’s everything you need to know to watch The Greatest Love Story of All Time.
Where to watch The Greatest Love Story of All Time
- Streaming: Amazon Prime
The Greatest Love Story of All Time was released on Amazon Prime on February 27, 2024. Viewers can still stream the documentary on Amazon Prime during a free trial.
Exes in a movie
Before the strain on their marriage, the “On the Floor” singer and Affleck worked on their third movie together, Unstoppable. They previously collaborated on Gigli together in 2003 and Jersey Girl in 2004. Their newest flick doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s expected to come out later this year.
Unstoppable is based on the life of wrestler Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and won a national championship at Arizona State University in 2011.
Ben’s single life
Now that Ben is back on the singles market, it’s doubtful he’ll have trouble finding ladies to hang out with. He was already briefly linked to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 36-year-old daughter, Kick Kennedy.
In August 2024, Page Six reported that the Batman actor and Kick had been spending time together. At the time, multiple sources gave conflicting claims to People about what was going on with the duo.
One source said, “I don’t think they even know each other. There’s definitely nothing going on.”
While another source told the same outlet, “Kick and Ben have been spending time together, but I’m not sure what’s happening.” The source also noted, “Kick’s celeb crush has always been Ben.”