In a momentous turn of events, Jennifer Lopez has officially filed for divorce from Ben Affleck in Los Angeles after months of rumors of a separation.
The famous singer filed for divorce on Tuesday, August 20th, which is two years after their Georgia wedding ceremony, as reported by TMZ.
Lopez filed the petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court and listed April 26, 2024 as the separation date. She filed for divorce herself without an attorney and is technically representing herself.
This is the second breakup of Bennifer, as the media had named their high-profile relationship when they got together for the first time in the early 2000s and almost got married. Bennifer 2.0 started in 2021, when Lopez and Affleck decided to try living together again and got married in 2022.
The couple had not signed a prenuptial agreement, according to TMZ. This means that, technically, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s individual earnings from the past two years—whether from movies or major commercial deals—are joint property.
Lopez, who is reportedly worth as much as $400 million, has produced four films since marrying Ben, including her $20 million documentary, This Is Me. In 2023, she launched the Delola cocktail line and was also due to embark on a world tour for her latest album This Is Me this year. However, it was canceled just weeks before it was due to start so she could focus on her family.
On the other hand, Oscar-winning actor Ben Affleck, who reportedly has a net worth of $150 million, has starred in two films, the film Air in 2023 and Hypnotic in the same year.
In the divorce petition filed by Jennifer Lopez, the singer is not asking for spousal support and additionally asked the judge to deny Ben Affleck any spousal support request, as well.
How the Lopez – Afleck separation began
According to TMZ insiders, Jennifer’s divorce filing comes amid their ongoing money dispute. The two have been engaged in tense settlement talks for months. At times, they have not spoken at all. This is a fact proven by several public appearances, during which they seemed to be distant but were going through the motions for show.
In May, Lopez and Affleck put their massive $60 million Beverly Hills mansion up for sale, only a year after buying it. A few days after Lopez’s 55th birthday, Affleck bought a new house worth $20.5 million. According to a recent Us Weekly story, the actor’s decision to buy his own home marked the “end of the relationship.”
This is the second time Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have each gone their own ways. Their love story began during the filming of Gigli, which hit cinemas in 2003. The two protagonists met on the set and fell in love. However, their relationship did not last, and they parted ways in 2004 even though they had been engaged. They eventually found other partners and started families.
Almost two decades later, Lopez and Affleck reconnected and decided to give their relationship a second chance. In 2021, they confirmed that they were a couple again and soon got engaged. A year later, the couple wed twice. The first wedding was a romantic affair in an intimate ceremony in Las Vegas in July, followed by a second wedding with close family and friends in Georgia in August.
