Jennifer Lopez Teared Up as She Described Losing Ben Affleck: ‘It Was Really Hard’

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck shocked the Hollywood world when they rekindled their decades-old romance back in 2021. The two had spent nearly 20 years apart, met other people, and had families between their first split in 2004 and their reconnection in 2021. Ultimately, the couple got married in 2022, but fans’ hopes of a happily-ever-after were slashed when rumors of an imminent split started to surface in spring 2024.

Court documents reveal that Lopez officially filed for divorce two years after the couple wed, and the “Jenny From the Block” singer teared up as she once described losing Affleck .

Jennifer Lopez was once emotional about losing partner Ben Affleck

Lopez and Affleck first met on the set of “Gigli,” a 2002 film that proved unsuccessful at the box office. Still, one thing came out of it: the couple’s relationship. The two started dating shortly after meeting, and they became engaged in 2002 with a wedding planned for 2003. Ultimately, though, the wedding never happened. The two initially pushed off their nuptials after blaming it on the media frenzy surrounding their relationship, but they ultimately called it quits in early 2004.

Although the split seemed mutual, Lopez later revealed how hard it was for her to move on from Affleck. In 2024, she released “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” a documentary all about her own self-love. In the movie, she talks about Affleck , and she reveals that losing him so many years ago was harder for her than anyone realized.

“For all those years, it was really hard because I didn’t just feel like I lost the love of my life,” Lopez said, referring to the time following their breakup. “I felt like I lost the best friend that I ever had, and I couldn’t talk [about it] for so many years. That was the hardest part.”

She also said, in tears, that he made her “believe” in herself. “What he said and what he saw in me and what he made me believe about myself only comes from love. Because nobody else could’ve made me see that about myself.”

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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have been separated since April 2024

Not too long after the documentary was released, Lopez and Affleck started taking some time apart. There were rumors about their marriage woes all summer, but the two would still put on a brave face in public. The couple appeared together on a number of occasions throughout the spring and summer, but when they listed their $60 million California mansion, it was hard to deny that something was amiss.

Lopez filed for divorce without a lawyer on August 20, 2024. Neither Lopez nor Affleck has made any official statements regarding the split. Lopez has been married four times, including her marriage to the actor, while Affleck went through a high-profile divorce with Jennifer Garner between 2017 and 2018 before reconnecting with Lopez a few years later.