Lessons Learned from Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s Divorce

After their highly publicised split, both Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck moved on to new relationships, building families and pursuing their careers in the spotlight. While they were no longer a couple, their lives remained intertwined through their continued success in Hollywood and the occasional public comment about their past romance.

Lopez’s marriages

Following her breakup with Affleck, Lopez rekindled her relationship with singer Marc Anthony, and the two were married in June 2004 – only a few months after her engagement to Affleck ended.

Their marriage lasted a decade, during which they welcomed two children: twins Max and Emme. However, in July 2011, Lopez announced their separation, citing irreconcilable differences, and their divorce was finalised in 2014.

Lopez later entered into a high-profile relationship with former baseball star Alex Rodriguez, with the two getting engaged in March 2019. However, the wedding never happened. Instead by April 2021, they had split, with sources citing trust issues and excessive media attention as contributing factors.

Affleck’s marriages

Ben Affleck, on the other hand, found love with Jennifer Garner, whom he met on the set of Daredevil in 2003. The two started dating shortly after Affleck and Lopez parted ways and were married in a private ceremony in June 2005. Over the years, Affleck and Garner became one of Hollywood’s most beloved couples, raising their three children—Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.

However, despite their seemingly stable family life, their marriage ended in 2018, following years of speculation about Affleck’s struggles with addiction, infidelity, and personal issues. The two have since remained on good terms, often seen co-parenting their children and supporting one another through career and personal challenges.

After months of speculation and reports of marital strain, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s second shot at love officially came to an end when Lopez filed for divorce on August 20, 2024. According to court documents obtained, she cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split and listed April 26, 2024, as their official date of separation.

Unlike many high-profile celebrity divorces, their legal proceedings were surprisingly straightforward. Lopez filed the paperwork at the Los Angeles County Superior Court without a lawyer, requesting that neither party receive spousal support and that attorney’s fees be split evenly. The court filing also noted that the exact details of their shared assets and obligations were “unknown” and would be determined later.

By January 2025, the divorce was officially finalised, marking the end of their two-year marriage. While their union didn’t involve children, they both had families from previous marriages—Lopez with Marc Anthony, and Affleck with Jennifer Garner—making co-parenting arrangements a priority in their post-divorce lives.

One of the more publicised aspects of their settlement was the fate of Lopez’s engagement ring. As part of the divorce agreement, Lopez retained ownership of the ring, which she had previously described as “sentimental” and “one of the most beautiful things” she had ever received. Affleck, meanwhile, waived any rights to her personal effects, including jewellery, clothing, and other possessions.

While the legal process wrapped up quickly, the emotional fallout was another story. With the world watching, both Lopez and Affleck had to navigate life after their real heartbreak, facing media scrutiny, career shifts, and the challenge of moving forward—again.

The finalisation of the divorce was relatively straightforward (and completed in January 2025), and this has seemingly allowed both parties to be able to move forward with their lives, navigating the aftermath of their split with a lot of self-reflection.

Lopez’s perspective

Following the split, Lopez leaned into her work and self-discovery. She spoke candidly about her journey during an interview with Nikki Glaser, where she described the experience as her “whole world exploding” but also an opportunity for growth. She emphasised that, for the first time in a long time, she was “excited to be a newly single woman” and focused on rediscovering her independence.

Despite the heartbreak, Lopez stayed busy. She continued promoting her music, movies, and projects, including her film Unstoppable, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival just months after the divorce filing. She also sparked headlines when she was spotted spending time with Yellowstone star Kevin Costner, leading to speculation that she was open to a fresh start—though sources close to her insisted she wasn’t rushing into anything.

Through it all, Lopez maintained a graceful public image, making it clear that while she may have believed in true love, she was also learning to find happiness on her own.

Affleck’s perspective

For Ben Affleck, the post-divorce period was less about reinvention and more about stability. According to sources, he focused on work, co-parenting with Jennifer Garner, and maintaining a sense of normalcy despite the public scrutiny surrounding his split.

Unlike Lopez, Affleck never spoke openly about the divorce, but insiders suggested he was relieved to move on from the pressures that came with their relationship. He reportedly threw himself into his career, working on The Accountant 2 and spending time with his three children, whom he shares with Garner.

Interestingly, despite the divorce, Lopez and Affleck remained in touch—at least when it came to family matters. Reports suggested that Lopez still checked in on Affleck, particularly after the Los Angeles wildfires in early 2025, when he sought refuge at Garner’s home.

While neither has ruled out love in the future, it’s clear that, for now, they are focused on their separate paths—marking the final chapter in a story that once seemed like Hollywood’s greatest love story.