More than a month after filing for divorce from Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez has addressed her split in a new interview with Interview, candidly sharing details about the year her “whole f**king world exploded.”
“You have to be complete, if you want something that’s more complete,” she explained. “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.’”
Without mentioning her ex-husband by name, she added, “Being in a relationship doesn’t define me. I can’t be looking for happiness in other people. I have to have happiness within myself.”
The interview also saw her admit she was not interested in any new romances at the moment.
“Here’s the thing. There’s no new bar because I’m not looking for anybody. How’s that?”
“I’m not looking for anybody, because everything that I’ve done over the past 25, 30 years, being in these different challenging situations, what can I f–king do when it’s just me flying on my own. What if I’m just free?”
Admitting that her current single status was “not what I thought it was going to turn out like,” she added, “This is exactly where I needed to be, to lead me to where I want to go.”
She also confirmed in the new piece that she never regretted re-kindling things with her on-again off-again beau. “Not one second,” she emphasized. “That doesn’t mean it didn’t almost take me out for good. It almost did. But now, on the other side of it, I think to myself, ‘F–k, that is exactly what I needed.’”
Lopez’s latest interview comes just a few weeks after she took to Instagram to look back on her summer amid her divorce.
The singer shared a collection of photos and many fans have pointed out the ‘cryptic’ messages they contain.
On the second slide, a quote read “Everything is unfolding in divine order,” whilst a shirt in another photo contained the quote: “She’s in bloom and unbothered out of reach and at peace.”
Lopez captioned the post, “Oh, it was a summer.”
According to TMZ, Lopez filed for divorce in the Los Angeles Superior Court on August 20, 2024 – exactly two years after they celebrated their second elaborate wedding ceremony in Georgia.
Listing their date of separation as April 26, 2024, the publication also reported that Lopez filed her divorce documents without the assistance of an attorney.
It’s believed the couple did not have a pre-nuptial agreement in place.
Lopez has reportedly waived her right to spousal support and is requesting a judge denies Affleck, 52, spousal support too.
News of their separation follows months of fan speculation surrounding their romance, with split rumours first emerging in May 2024 after the singer was spotted attending the Met Gala solo.
In July, Lopez celebrated her 55th birthday in the Hamptons with Affleck nowhere to be seen. They also spent their second wedding anniversary apart and had not been pictured together in public since June 2, 2024.
That same month, the actor bought a new home in LA’s Pacific Palisades, and the couple quietly put their $91 million Beverly Hills marital home on the market.
For a full recap of their complicated romance so far, scroll down for Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s relationship timeline.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Relationship Timeline
December 2001 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck first meet
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez met over 20 years ago on the set of Gigli and whilst the film may have been a flop, it was where sparks started to fly.
Whilst recounting their first meeting, Lopez, who was still married to dancer Cris Judd, told People in 2016: “I felt like . . . ‘Okay, this is it.’”
July 2002 – Jennifer Lopez separates from Cris Judd
In June 2002, Lopez split from then-husband Cris Judd after just over one year of marriage; filing for divorce one month later citing “irreconcilable differences.”
The former couple’s divorce was finalised in January 2003, during which time Affleck and Lopez had been seeing each other for roughly six months.
November 2002 – Ben Affleck proposes to Jennifer Lopez
In an interview with Diane Sawyer, Lopez announced that she and Affleck were engaged as she proudly showed off her 6.1-carat pink diamond ring, worth a reported $1.2 million and described as “the most magnificent thing [Lopez has] ever seen.”
“It was traditional, but also in a very spectacular way, as of course Ben would do it,” she said of the proposal.
September 2003 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck postpone their wedding
Mere days before they planned to tie the knot in Santa Barbara, Lopez and Affleck decided to postpone the wedding.
“Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date,” the couple confirmed in a statement.
“When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate ‘decoy brides’ at three different locations, we realised that something was awry. We began to feel that the spirit of what should have been the happiest day of our lives could be compromised. We felt what should have been a joyful and sacred day could be spoiled for us, our families and our friends.”
January 2004 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck call off their engagement
More than six months after they decided to postpone their nuptials, a representative for Jennifer Lopez confirmed in a statement to People that she had ended her engagement to Ben Affleck and asked fans to respect her privacy. However, no reason was provided.
Following the announcement, a representative for Affleck stated to People, “I am not going to confirm anything about his personal life. We don’t want to get dragged into quicksand. Everybody wants a war. It’s not happening from our side.”
October 2008 – Ben Affleck breaks his silence on his relationship with Jennifer Lopez
Almost five years after the couple announced their split, Affleck opened up about his relationship with Lopez, telling the British TV show Live, “I think Jen and I made a mistake in that we fell in love, we were excited and maybe too accessible. I don’t think either of us anticipated the degree to which it would take on a world of its own.”
March 2016 – Jennifer Lopez opens up on her relationship with Ben Affleck
Eight years later, Lopez echoed a similar sentiment in an interview with People.
“We didn’t try to have a public relationship. We just happened to be together at the birth of the tabloids, and it was like ‘Oh my God.’ It was just a lot of pressure . . . I think different time different thing, who knows what could’ve happened, but there was a genuine love there.”
February 2020 – Ben Affleck supports Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers
When Lopez was snubbed for an Oscar for her role in Hustlers, she had one big fan in her ex.
“She should have been nominated,” Affleck, who had divorced from wife Jennifer Garner two years prior, told New York Times reporter Brooks Barnes shortly after the nominations were released.
“She’s the real thing. I keep in touch periodically with her and have a lot of respect for her. How awesome is it that she had her biggest hit movie at 50? That’s f***ing baller.”
April 2021 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck spotted at VAX Live
Not long after Lopez’s engagement to Alex ‘ARod’ Rodriguez was called off, she and Affleck were seen at Lopez’s home and both attended VAX LIVE before their getaway to the Yellowstone club in Montana.
“They were alone,” a source told E! News. “Just the two of them.”
In snaps obtained by the Daily Mail, the pair were also seen sitting together in a car in Montana.
“[Jennifer] spent several days with Ben out of town. They have a strong connection. It’s all been quick and intense, but Jennifer is happy,” a source told People of the pair, who were later spotted arriving back in LA a week later on a private jet.
“She had a great time with Ben,” another source told People of their getaway. “She is happy with him and enjoys spending time with him.”
July 2021 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck confirm their relationship
In July 2021, the pair made things official by going public on Instagram. In a carousel of photos from JLo’s 52nd birthday, a photo of the pair kissing was included. This marked the first time the couple broached the subject of their relationship on social media.
September 2021 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck make their red-carpet debut
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck attended the Venice Film Festival together, making it the first time the pair returned to the red carpet since rekindling their romance earlier that year.
Shortly after, they attended their first Met Gala together before walking the red carpet hand in hand at The Last Duel premiere.
February 2022 – Jennifer Lopez speaks on her renewed romance with Ben Affleck
In an interview with People, Lopez spoke about her rekindled relationship with Affleck for the first time.
“I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him,” she explained, adding, “It’s a beautiful love story that we got a second chance.”
April 2022 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck announce their second engagement
In a video shared to the actress and singer’s On the JLo newsletter, the couple announced that they were engaged, with Lopez sharing the first look at her green engagement ring.
July 2022 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck marry in Las Vegas
On July 17, Lopez confirmed in her On The JLo newsletter that she and Affleck wed in Las Vegas.
“It’s a beautiful outcome that this has happened in this way at this time in our lives where we can really appreciate and celebrate each other and respect each other,” she explained.
“We always did, but we have even more of an appreciation because we know that life can take you in different directions.”
“We have been in the game in the public eye long enough to know who we are as people and what really matters and what doesn’t matter.
“We have kids and we respect each other. … We really live our lives in a way we can be proud of and our kids can be proud of you.
“We’re just operating from a place of love and respect for everyone in our lives and that is very important to us. We know what the truth is [and] we hold it sacred.”
August 2022 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck celebrate their second wedding
A month after walking the aisle in Vegas, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck celebrated their nuptials with a lavish ceremony in Georgia. Celebrities including Matt Damon, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes attended the star-studded event, which took place on the grounds of Affleck’s 87-acre compound outside Savannah.
Lopez shared details in her newsletter about her special day and the moment she walked down the “aisle that would lead me towards the rest of my life.”
“When he saw me appear at the top of the stairs that moment it both made absolute sense while seeming still impossibly hard to believe, like the best dream, where all you want is never to awaken,” Lopez wrote.
“I would have had many of the same thoughts probably had I not been focusing so hard on not tripping over my dress, but when I got close enough to see his face, it made the same wonderful sense to me.”
“Some old wounds were healed that day and the weight of the past finally lifted off our shoulders,” Lopez continued. “Full circle — and not at all the way we planned it. Better.”
November 2022 – Jennifer Lopez speaks about taking Ben Affleck’s last name
In an interview with Vogue, Lopez revealed that she changed her last name after marrying Affleck, explaining that “people are still going to call me Jennifer Lopez,” but her legal name “will be Mrs Affleck because we’re joined together.”
“We’re husband and wife. I’m proud of that. I don’t think that’s a problem,” the actress explained.
“It feels like it’s a power move, you know what I mean?” Lopez continued.
“I’m very much in control of my own life and destiny and feel empowered as a woman and as a person,” before noting that she “can understand that people have their feelings about” her name preference, “and that’s okay, too.”
“But if you want to know how I feel about it, I just feel like it’s romantic,” she said. “It still carries tradition and romance to me, and maybe I’m just that kind of girl.”
November 2022 – Jennifer Lopez opens up on her 2004 split from Ben Affleck
In an interview with Zane Lowe, Lopez opened up about her breakup with Affleck in 2004.
“It was so painful after we broke up,” she said. “Once we called off that wedding 20 years ago, it was the biggest heartbreak of my life. I honestly felt like I was going to die. It sent me on a spiral for the next 18 years where I just couldn’t get it right. But now, 20 years later, it does have a happy ending. It has the most would-never-happen-in-Hollywood ending.”
“True love does exist and some things do last forever and that’s real. I want to put that message out into the world and that does take a lot of vulnerability,” Lopez said, adding that Affleck “loves” the new album. “He’s my biggest fan, which is awesome, and supporter. When he came back into my life again, the same thing happened where I felt so inspired and so overtaken with emotion that it was just pouring out of me.”
0February 2023 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck get couple tattoos
To commemorate Valentine’s Day, Lopez revealed on Instagram that she and Affleck had couple tattoos.
In one picture, the actress could be seen taking a selfie to show off the new ink on her rib cage. The tattoo includes an infinity sign with an arrow as well as what appears to be “Jennifer” and “Ben” written in cursive.
She also shared a photo of her husband’s tattoo, which has two arrows crossing one another. It features the letter “J” above the crossed arrows and the letter “B” below.
“Commitment ♾️,” she wrote in the caption. “Happy Valentine’s Day my love.”
August 2023 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck celebrate their first wedding anniversary
Jennifer Lopez took to Instagram to celebrate her first wedding anniversary with Ben Affleck.
“One year ago today 🤍 …” she began her caption alongside a series of photos from their wedding.
“Dear Ben, Sitting here alone, looking at my ring ring, feeling overwhelmed, it makes me wanna sing sing, how did we end up here, without a rewind, Oh my,
This is my life,” she continued.
February 2024 – Jennifer Lopez shares new details on her romance with Ben Affleck
In her 2024 documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told, Lopez shared several revelations about her nearly three-decade relationship with her now husband.
In an early clip, she revealed her first Christmas present from Affleck, sharing that she received a book of “every letter and email that we wrote to each other from 20 years ago and today” titled “The Greatest Love Story Never Told by Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck – 2001-2021 and counting.”
Speaking on the revelation, Affleck shared that while he did find the irony in Lopez finally sharing their story, he felt that “things that are private … are sacred and special because they’re private, so this was something of an adjustment for me.”
Affleck also revealed that the couple had called it quits three days before their wedding, telling the camera, “We just crumbled under the pressure.”
Affleck also shared some insight on his perspective of their early split, stating, “When Jen and I broke up before, the catalyst was the amount of scrutiny around our private life. I had a very firm sense of boundaries… while Jen, I don’t think objected to it in the way I did”.
May 2024 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck divorce rumours surface
Despite declaring their love for one another in the recent film This is Me Now, rumours began to circulate that the couple had potentially parted ways after not being spotted together for almost two months. Photos obtained by TMZ further contributed to the speculation after Affleck was spotted driving in Los Angeles without his wedding ring.
2It was reported by multiple outlets that the couple were staying in separate houses, with sources claiming that the pair had since partaken in couples therapy.
“Ben believes in therapy, to a point, and is willing to be a good sport about participating with an open mind,” sources told In Touch.
August 2024 – Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck
After two years of marriage, Jennifer Lopez reportedly filed for divorce from Ben Affleck on August 20, 2024.
First reported by TMZ, news surrounding the couple’s split follows an extensive period of speculation surrounding their relationship, with media outlets initially spotting the pair without their wedding bands in June 2024.
Over the following months, rumours surrounding the future of Lopez and Affleck’s romance continued to garner significant attention as the pair were repeatedly spotted both with and without their rings.
On July 11, sources speaking to People reported that the couple were planning on selling their California home and less than one month later, the couple’s 12-bedroom mansion was publicly listed for sale.
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