Did JLo break up with Ben Affleck because he didn’t help her struggling career? Rumor has it the drama between them might be even worse than we thought. Word on the street is they’re getting a divorce, and Ben isn’t planning to make it easy for her. Apparently, he thinks she got back together with him just to use his money, fame, and connections to boost her career, which has been floundering for a few years now. A lot of people weren’t surprised by this because they didn’t think their marriage would last. Ben often looked miserable whenever he was seen with JLo, and she didn’t seem to care that he was unhappy. What makes this even messier is that this isn’t their first try at a relationship, but this time it looks like things are going to get really nasty since Ben feels used.
For those who don’t know, JLo and Ben first dated in 2003 after meeting on the set of “Gigli.” Back then, JLo was still married to her second husband, Cris Judd. But once she started seeing Ben and realized how much their relationship boosted her career, she quickly divorced Cris and went all-in with Ben. What’s even crazier is that she got engaged to Ben before her divorce from Cris was even finalized. Their relationship ended just as quickly as it started. In November 2003, people started speculating that there was trouble after they postponed their wedding. They blamed it on the intense media attention, but no one really bought it. Just three months later, they broke up and called off their engagement. They stayed friends in the industry over the years but went on to marry other people.
Up until 2020, Ben Affleck had largely kept his opinions about Jennifer Lopez (JLo) to himself. But he broke his silence to defend her when she didn’t receive an Oscar nomination for her role in “Hustlers.” He said, “She should have been nominated. She’s the real deal. I still keep in touch with her and really respect her. How amazing is it that she had her biggest hit movie at 50? That’s incredible.” By 2021, their relationship was back on full display when JLo posted a romantic photo of them kissing in St. Tropez. She gushed, “I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him. It’s a beautiful love story that we got a second chance.” They got engaged in April 2022 and were married by June.
However, just like the first time they were together, rumors of trouble soon started circulating. Fans noticed they hadn’t been seen together since March 30th—a pretty long stretch for a married couple. Adding fuel to the fire, JLo liked an Instagram post that read, “You cannot build a healthy relationship with someone who is disconnected from themselves.” Things took a turn for the worse when she attended the Met Gala alone, with Ben supposedly busy filming “The Accountant 2.” Many people weren’t buying this excuse, especially after earlier signs of tension, like a video of Ben shutting a car door in JLo’s face after initially holding it open, and another video of them having a heated argument in the car. They were also seen arguing again at the 2023 Grammys.
A source later told InTouch Magazine that JLo and Ben were heading for a messy divorce, with Ben moving out and finding a new place near his ex-wife. The insider claimed Ben wasn’t to blame for the split; instead, they said, “The writing is on the wall; it’s over. They’re headed for divorce, and Ben’s not at fault this time. He’s focusing on his work and his kids now. Ben’s already moved out, and they’ll probably have to sell the dream house they spent two years searching for. They’ll always care for each other, but they just can’t make it work. It was never going to last.” Ben was seen without his wedding ring, and TMZ reported that JLo was looking for a new home for herself and her kids. A source from JLo’s camp confirmed to US Weekly that their marriage was truly over, adding, “Jen and Ben have been having issues for a while, especially since Jen started ramping up her work commitments and preparing for her tour.”
The reason behind their divorce is still up in the air, but there’s a lot of buzz suggesting that JLo might be calling it quits because she’s achieved her goal. Some people think she reunited with Ben to grab the same media attention they had back in 2003. And it seems to make sense—her relationship with Ben has definitely been the biggest PR boost she’s had in years. She even went ahead and announced an arena world tour, which didn’t quite live up to expectations despite the extra attention. Her social media saw a huge spike, too; their dating announcement got over 8 million likes on Instagram, the highest engagement she’s had in ages. Plus, it’s rumored that Ben helped fund her new documentary, “The Greatest Love Story Never Told.” According to a source speaking to Page Six, Ben feels completely duped by JLo and is eager to finalize the divorce so he can move on. He reportedly feels like the past two years have been a strange dream and is coming to terms with the fact that the relationship isn’t going to work.
It seems JLo has gotten what she wanted and is ready to move on, while Ben, who thought they were set for life, is having a hard time dealing with the split. People have different opinions on this: some think their egos are too big—JLo’s being more self-centered and Ben struggling with anger issues—while others criticize their public behavior and personal problems, saying they haven’t changed much over the years.
What do you think about JLo and Ben’s divorce? Do you believe JLo used their relationship to revive her career? Drop your thoughts in the comments below