The romance between Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, dubbed “Bennifer,” has officially ended after more than two decades. On Tuesday, Lopez, 55, filed for divorce from Affleck, 52, in Los Angeles Superior Court. Court documents indicate that their separation date was April 26, coinciding with the second anniversary of their wedding ceremony in Georgia. The news was first reported by TMZ, and USA TODAY has attempted to contact representatives for both Affleck and Lopez for more information.
This marks Affleck’s second marriage and Lopez’s fourth. The couple had been engaged twice—first in 2002 and then again in 2021.
Speculation about their split had been growing for months, as both stars were frequently seen in public without each other. At the Met Gala in New York City on May 6, Affleck was noticeably absent while Lopez co-chaired the event. The day before, Affleck attended a roast for Tom Brady in Los Angeles, with Lopez not in attendance.
Reports suggest that their separate public appearances coincided with Lopez’s filming for “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in New Jersey and Affleck’s work on “The Accountant 2” in Los Angeles. Although they were spotted together wearing their wedding rings on May 16 for the first time in over a month, it has been suggested that they are no longer living together.
Lopez and Affleck first crossed paths on the set of the romantic comedy “Gigli” in 2002 when Lopez was still married to her second husband, Cris Judd. Their initial engagement was called off in early 2004, largely due to media pressure. Lopez later married Marc Anthony in 2004, with whom she shares twins, Max and Emme, before their divorce in 2014. Affleck married Jennifer Garner in 2005, and they had three children together before divorcing in 2018.
After her engagement to MLB star Alex Rodriguez ended in April 2021, Lopez and Affleck were seen together, sparking rumors of a rekindled romance. Lopez confirmed their relationship publicly on Instagram during her 52nd birthday in July 2021. They began attending major events together, often displaying affection publicly, including at the Venice Film Festival and the 2021 Met Gala.
In April 2022, Lopez announced their engagement again, this time with a unique green diamond ring, and they married in a surprise Las Vegas ceremony on July 16, 2022. A month later, they celebrated with a more elaborate ceremony at Affleck’s estate in Savannah, Georgia.
As 2024 approached, rumors intensified regarding their possible separation, as they continued to appear publicly without one another.