It's been about a week since rumors about Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez getting divorced took over the headlines, and it's getting hard to keep track of all the rumors. Fans began to speculate about the couple earlier this month when Affleck did not accompany Lopez to the 2024 Met Gala, and things have escalated from there. Here's a look back at all the rumors and reports that have piled up this week, in chronological order.
Fan interest in "Bennifer" has endured for over two decades now, and this week proves it hasn't died down one bit. When the two broke off their engagement back in 2004, the most reliable reports said that the excessive media attention put a strain on their relationship. There have been hints that that is still an issue today – especially in the age of social media. Affleck even said as much in Lopez's movie The Greatest Love Story Never Told.
"Getting back together, I said, 'Listen, one of the things I don't want is a relationship on social media,'" Affleck said at the time. "Then I sort of realized it's not a fair thing to ask. It's sort of, like, you're going to marry a boat captain and you go, 'Well, I don't want the water.' We're trying to learn to compromise."
It's also worth noting that reports of turmoil in this relationship have circulated before without amounting to divorce. So far, Affleck and Lopez have not commented publicly on reports about them in the last week, and all the stories below are supported by paparazzi photos or anonymous sources speaking to reporters. With that in mind, here's a timeline of the last week in Affleck and Lopez's marriage.
'Heading for Divorce'
The report that really seems to have kicked off this week's woes came from InTouch Weekly, where a source close to Affleck and Lopez said: "The writing is on the wall – it's over. They're headed for a divorce -and for once, [Ben is] not to blame!" This person referenced the Met Gala speculation, saying that Affleck had been busy filming The Accountant 2 at the time of the event. However, they said that Affleck had also "decided to call it quits" on the marriage.
"They waited almost two decades to get back together, but in the end, they just couldn't make it work," they went on. "They both said they'd matured and learned from their mistakes, but some of the bigger issues that tore them apart the first time remained the same."
Living Apart
The InTouch source said that Affleck and Lopez were living apart, but TMZ was able to assemble proof through paparazzi photos. They noted Affleck coming and going from a rental home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles – far from the $60 million mansion where he and Lopez lived together as a married couple.
On Thursday, TMZ went further by publishing photos documenting Affleck's movements that evening. He reportedly attended his 15-year-old daughter's school play, and he met up with Lopez outside. The two arrived separately but chatted amiably on their way in, without holding hands or sharing a kiss. this was reportedly the first time they were photographed together in over a month. After the show, Affleck drove Lopez and her daughter Emme back to the Beverly Hills home. Once they got inside, Affleck drove back to Brentwood by himself, and spent the night there once again.
No Wedding Ring
The other major contribution of paparazzi photos in this story came on Friday, when Affleck was spotted without his wedding ring. The actor returned to his childrens' school for another recital. When he reached out with his left hand to adjust the sun visor in his car, photographers got a clear picture of his bare ring finger. This doesn't tell us anything conclusively – Affleck was wearing his ring as recently as Thursday, and there's no telling if this was an accident by the actor. Still, it definitely got fans talking.
Marriage Counseling
A different source gave different insights to InTouch Weekly, saying that Affleck and Lopez are attending marriage counseling in the hopes of working things out. This insider described themselves as a friend who has known Affleck for "more than ten years," and said that the actor is not too enthusiastic or hopeful about the results of therapy.
"Ben believes in therapy, to a point, and is willing to be a good sport about participating with an open mind, even though he hates the whole humiliating process," they said. "He's never going to gauge the success of this marriage by what happens in the therapist's office. He also has a higher tolerance for conflict and having to fight to get his way than the average guy."
This source said that the personality dynamic of Affleck and Lopez does not lend itself to a stable, long-term relationship. They said: "The only satisfaction he gets in life is overcoming when the odds are stacked against him. Now that they're reunited, the ego battle between Ben and Jennifer was always on full display and is only eclipsed by the obvious passion and respect they have for one another. But there has to be an easier path and you have to ask why they want their marriage to be this way in the first place?"
Giving credit to their relationship, the source said that Affleck and Lopez never let any issues between them fester under the surface. They said: "If something's bugging either of them, they're not afraid to bring it up, lay it on the table and talk – or yell – it out. But nobody believes that's sustainable in the long term and especially as they continue to brainstorm ideas to make more films together."
Solo Appearances
As mentioned above, social media chatter began earlier this month when Affleck did not join Lopez at the Met Gala. On Monday night, a similar instance came up when Lopez spent a night out in New York City without her husband. Lopez attended the red carpet premiere of her new movie Atlas without a date – though she was wearing her wedding ring, as photographers noted. The actress then appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live where fans thought it was conspicuous that she didn't walk about the recent flood of rumors.
Kimmel did not ask Lopez about the reports and she didn't bring them up either, though she did mention Affleck once. While talking about the phenomenon of celebrities being starstruck by each other, she recalled her first meeting with Barbra Streisand in 2003. She explained: "She was asking me to look at my engagement ring at the time – that Ben had given me – years ago." She said that Streisand was impressed by the size of the diamond, and Lopez was pleased.
Fans were frustrated by this passing mention with no further details or insights, and guessed that Lopez must have refused to talk about Affleck before the interview. So far, she and Affleck have still not commented on the reports of the past week.
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'Temporary Insanity'
Monday also saw another report from a source close to Affleck and Lopez. The anonymous insider told Page Six: "If there was a way to divorce on grounds of temporary insanity, [Affleck] would. He feels like the last two years was just a fever dream, and he's come to his senses now and understands there is just no way this is going to work."
Affleck and Lopez did not comment on this report even after the outlet reached out to their reps to request a response. So far, the couple seem intent to ignore these headlines, no matter how open their anonymous sources become.
Future Projects
Looking ahead, fans hoping to keep up with Affleck and Lopez should watch their professional paths as well as their personal lives. Since getting back together, they have worked together on several important productions, both as performers and producers. They even collaborated on an ad campaign for Dunkin' Donuts based on Affleck's viral love for the fast food chain. Lopez stars in the upcoming movie Unstoppable: The Anthony Robles Story, and Affleck is a producer.
One of the sources who spoke to InTouch said that Affleck and Lopez have been "brainstorming" more ways that they can work together going forward. They said this is their way of "planning for the future," adding: "But sometimes, spending time with Ben in the present, you get the sense that this whole union between him and Jennifer is being held together by nothing but scotch tape. And the crazy thing is they seem to like it that way!"
Affleck has spoken very passionately about his work in recent years as he and Matt Damon have founded the independent production company Artists Equity, in the hopes of balancing the scales for creatives growing tired of studio oversight. Lopez has had a big couple of years as well, with the release of a major new album and an accompanying movie, not to mention a handful of major film roles. She is setting out on the This Is Me... Live Tour starting next month, so work may keep her Affleck apart for some time. That may leave a lot of room for speculation by fans and reporters, unless Affleck and Lopez can settle all of this in the next few weeks.
