Picture : JLo/ X
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are reportedly set to part ways once again. Lopez, 55, filed for divorce from Affleck, 52, after a marriage that lasted just over two years.
The news was first reported by TMZ and subsequently confirmed by multiple sources to People magazine. Lopez reportedly filed the divorce papers herself in Los Angeles County Superior Court on August 20 listing April 26, 2024, as the date of separation, Variety reported.
The singer has chosen to represent herself in the legal proceedings. The couple’s marriage began with a surprise wedding in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022, followed by a larger ceremony in Georgia on August 20, 2022, marking the second anniversary of their traditional wedding celebration. According to People magazine, there is no prenuptial agreement between the two.
“She tried really hard to make things work and is heartbroken. The kids are a top priority, as they always have been,” according to People magazine.
Lopez and Affleck reignited their relationship in 2021, nearly 17 years after their initial engagement was called off in 2003. Fondly referred to as Bennifer by their fans, the couple officially ended their first engagement in January 2004 but maintained a friendly relationship over the years.
The couple went public with their renewed romance in April 2021, following Lopez’s split from former MLB star Alex Rodriguez. They made their relationship official on social media in July 2021 and were seen together at the Venice Film Festival that same year.
Lopez and Affleck announced their engagement in April 2022, culminating in their surprise Las Vegas wedding. They celebrated with a grander ceremony in Georgia, attended by celebrities such as Matt Damon, Kevin Smith, and Jason Mewes.
The ceremony was officiated by podcaster and life coach Jay Shetty, according to People magazine.
Lopez shares twins Max and Emme, 16, with her ex-husband Marc Anthony, while Affleck has three children–Violet Anne, 18, Seraphina Rose, 15, and Samuel, 12 with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
The couple’s recent collaboration on Lopez’s Prime Video musical documentary, ‘This Is Me… Now: A Love Story’, which accompanied her album release in February, was one of their final joint projects. Rumours of marital strife began circulating in May when they spent significant time apart. Lopez was occupied with her movie promotion and upcoming tour, while Affleck remained in Los Angeles to film ‘The Accountant 2’.
Their relationship appeared strained as they spent much of the summer on opposite coasts, with Lopez reportedly staying in the Hamptons and Affleck in Los Angeles. In June, they listed their Beverly Hills mansion for sale, and Affleck subsequently purchased a new USD 20 million home in July. According to People magazine, Lopez and Affleck were no longer residing together, with Lopez reportedly not seeing Affleck for several weeks leading up to the filing.
