Jennifer Lopez’s tempestuous relationship with Ben Affleck began in 2001 when they became friends while shooting the disastrous flop Gigli, which in retrospect was a bad omen for the future. They first dated in 2002 and got engaged that November. Their wedding was planned for September 2003 but was canceled due to the excessive and intrusive media attention it had garnered, and they called off their engagement in 2004.
Both stars have been married since — Lopez to singer and actor Marc Anthony from 2004 until 2014, and Affleck to actress Jennifer Garner from 2005 until 2018 — but they shocked the world when they rekindled their romance in 2021, not long after Lopez announced her split from boyfriend and baseball star Alex Rodriguez.
They got engaged for a second time in April of 2022, some two decades after their first engagement, and finally wed in a Las Vegas ceremony on July 16 that year. However, in April of this year, they split again, and Lopez filed for divorce in August.
The singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and businesswoman has reportedly said she’s refraining from jumping back into another relationship too quickly, having endured four divorces in total since her first in 1998 (from actor and producer Ojani Noa, and the second was from dancer, actor, and choreographer Criss Judd in 2003 after she’d met Affleck).
According to a source close to Lopez, “Jen like most people, would love to have love in her life again. But the one person she has to give time to right now is herself. If something presents itself, then obviously life and love find a way, but she isn’t looking to get into any new relationships. She is focused on her work and wants 2025 to be the year she gets back to being herself. She isn’t actively looking to date right now and is still processing losing Ben again. She likes being in a relationship almost immediately after one ends, but right now she is trying something new and seeing if that works out for her better.”
That information contrasts what another insider told InTouch a few weeks earlier, with the source saying Lopez was already looking for a new man to have some no-strings fun with. The insider said, “Obviously, she’s showing Ben what he’s missing. She’s not looking for a serious relationship – for now – but she is looking to have some fun. She’s on the prowl again.”
In October, Lopez spoke about her latest split from Affleck publicly for the first time in a chat with Nikki Glaser for Interview magazine, insisting, “You have to be good on your own. I thought I learned that, but I didn’t. And then, this summer, I had to be like, ‘I need to go off and be on my own. I want to prove to myself that I can do that.”
Ultimately, whatever Lopez decides to do next regarding her personal life is entirely up to her, as only she knows what she wants and what’s best for her. We wish her all the best, regardless of what she chooses.
Published: Dec 4, 2024 06:52 am