Literally Every Last Detail on Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s Breakup

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are getting divorced. News that comes amid a lengthy round of breakup rumors that—much like the film Gigli—left everyone shocked and confused. Between reports claiming they’re no longer living together, paparazzi pics of them looking perfectly happy, J.Lo’s sudden tour cancellation (more on that below), and blurry images of Ben without his wedding ring, we’ve spent the past few months living through truly uncertain times. So naturally, we’ve gathered all the available info in one place to make sense of it.

Jennifer Filed for Divorce on August 20

Otherwise known as the two-year anniversary of her and Ben’s Georgia wedding—a move that was designed to sting. Only it didn’t. A source tells the Daily Mail, “She waited until the two-year anniversary because she wanted to sting. But it did not sting him. He’s been done for a long time and deep down she knows this. He let her have this so that she wouldn’t look like the villain.”

Other details? J.Lo filed “pro per” (aka “by herself and without an attorney”), waived spousal support, and asked the judge to deny support for Ben. She also listed their official date of separation as April 26, 2024, when she was in NYC ahead of the Met Gala:

Sources took no time chiming in on J.Lo’s filing, and People spoke to someone who said the Atlas star “tried really hard to make things work and is heartbroken. The kids are a top priority, as they always have been.”

“She’s very disappointed and sad, but Ben hasn’t given her any signs that he wants to continue their marriage,” their source added. “He hasn’t shown any commitment and interest in making their marriage work. It’s gotten to the point that she just needs to look out for herself.”

Another source told the outlet that “It’s been incredibly difficult for her that Ben chose to pull away from their marriage and move on with his life, leaving her behind. She didn’t want a divorce. She wanted to figure things out. They love each other. Jennifer is not the type to just give up. It’s been almost torture for her to wait around.”

They Have a Movie to Promote

The couple worked together on Unstoppable, which premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival in a matter of weeks. Page Six reports that while J.Lo will be heading to the red carpet premiere on September 6, Ben (who produced the film) will skip the event and stay at home.

Ben and Jen Spent the Summer Living Apart...and Not Speaking

First, TMZ reported on May 16 that Ben was staying at a Brentwood rental all by himself. Then on in July, the Air actor purchased a new $20.5 million bachelor pad...which he bought on J.Lo’s birthday. And by August, TMZ had reported that Ben and J.Lo weren’t on speaking terms, which was slowing down their divorce.

Bennifer Wore Their Rings Throughout Their Split

Which made matters slightly confusing. Example? Here’s J.Lo on May 17 (divorce headlines were dominating the news cycle at this point) visibly wearing her ring in front of paparazzi photographers while smiling.

She also wore it in the Hamptons on the Fourth of July:

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Meanwhile, Ben was seen without his ring on May 17 (the same day this first photo of Jen ^^ was taken) in images published by TMZ—but it was back on his finger just two days later on May 19.

J.Lo Canceled Her Entire Tour Amid the Rumors

On May 31, Jen announced that she was canceling her entire This Is Me...Live tour because she was “taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends.”

“I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down,” she said. “Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…”

They Put Their House Up for Sale

The pair publicly listed their home for sale over the summer—despite Jen wanting to do so under the radar. According to TMZ, their asking price is $68 million, which could potentially be a loss due to the amount of work and renovations they put into it.

A source told Us Weekly that Jennifer was “distraught” by the situation, saying, “She wants to sell their house off-market to try and get less attention surrounding it. Ben doesn’t care about the negative attention. He’s been through this before and it doesn’t faze him.”

As for why J.Lo doesn’t continue living in the home, a People source says, “She and Ben bought the house for the whole family. It’s way too big for her and filled with too many memories as well.”

FYI: This All Started in the Tabloids

Rumors about Ben and Jen kicked off thanks to a tabloid report from In Touch on May 15. They spoke to an “insider” who said, “The writing is on the wall—it’s over. They’re headed for a divorce—and for once, [Ben’s] not to blame!”

This insider also claimed the couple “never stop loving each other, but she can’t control him, and he can’t change her.”

They’ve Been on “Different Pages”

Sources have remained cryptic about why Jen and Ben couldn't make things work. But Us Weekly spoke to someone back in May who said, “They started having issues a few months ago as Jen had started ramping up work commitments and prepping for her tour. Jen is very focused on work. They are on two completely different pages most of the time.”

Another source told Us Weekly that finances and parenting “have exacerbated” their issues.

Meanwhile, an Entertainment Tonight insider said, “Ben feels like Jen has a hard time feeling satisfied and that’s one of the issues they’re facing. Ben is one of the only people who feels comfortable enough to be honest and real with Jen. It’s part of why Jen loves him but also why she’s upset with him.”

Jennifer Liked a Post About Unhealthy Relationships

The post in question (from March 19) read: “You cannot build a healthy relationship with somebody” who “lacks integrity and emotional safety,” “doesn’t respect your time, doesn’t think it’s important to call/text back in a respectable time frame,” “lacks effective communication skills,” and “doesn’t know who they are or what they want.”

Divorce Papers Have Been Ready Since July

In late July, the Daily Mail spoke to multiple sources who said Bennifer’s divorce papers were “finalized” but “not yet turned in.”

Per one insider, “They finalized the divorce papers with her a month ago but are waiting for the right time to drop them. At that time, they will release a joint statement that will say how they have much love for each other and how they fought to make it work but couldn’t. Honestly, in the end they could not come to a compromise. What they had before is gone and they have both accepted it.”

This was a change from the vibes in June, when a source told Daily Mail that J.Lo remained committed to saving their marriage: “She wants this marriage to work so much that she is willing to make any sacrifice including giving up being J.Lo. She doesn’t want to be divorced. She doesn’t want to end up like Madonna—on her own at 60.”

Jennifer Garner Was Rooting for Them

A source spoke to Us Weekly about Jennifer’s thoughts and said, “Jennifer Garner is encouraging Ben to work on his marriage to Jen. She fully supports their relationship and wants nothing more than for him to be happy.”

But then a Daily Mail source claimed that “Jen eventually got to a place where she was like, ‘Sorry, figure this out yourself.’ It was beginning to become too painful for her because it was bringing back so many memories of their divorce.”

A Reporter Straight-Up Asked J.Lo About Her Marriage Problems

During a press event for her film Atlas, J.Lo was legit asked, “Is your divorce with Ben Affleck real?”

Her response? “You know better than that.” Yiiiiiikes.

They Were Last Seen Together in May

Ben and Jen were spotted together in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 30, while heading to an event for Violet Affleck’s high school graduation. Ben’s mom, Chris Anne Boldt, was also in tow and walked behind the pair.

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J.Lo’s Family Wanted Her to File

According to a Daily Mail source, the singer’s mom, Guadalupe Rodríguez, told her, “Cut your losses and move on to avoid getting any deeper in this mess.”

“She told her that she’s wasted years believing that Ben was some kind of knight in shining armor,” the source said. “He was not the person she built him up to be. It’s taken too much of a toll on her and because of this she has lost sight of who she is and what she stands for.”

A source also told Page Six in August that J.Lo was “furious” with Ben, adding, “He has humiliated her. He was the one who initiated getting back together. He’s humiliated her because she made a big deal that he’s the love of her life. They just had two weddings two years ago. This is some kind of a record—they’re not young kids.”

They Didn’t Spend Their Anniversary Together

The couple spent their second wedding anniversary apart (specifically, the second anni of their Vegas wedding), but J.Lo was joined by Ben’s daughter Violet:

According to a source who spoke to Entertainment Tonight, J.Lo and Violet “have gotten close throughout Jen and Ben’s relationship, and maintaining that closeness is important to everyone.”

“Ben certainly doesn’t want to cause any strain between Jen and Violet, and he is in support of them spending time together,” the source added. “It’s a little tricky for him, but both Jen and Ben want all their kids to be happy, regardless of the issues they are facing in their marriage.”

They Waited to File Because of the Kids

According to an Entertainment Tonight source, Bennifer wanted to make sure the kids were “comfortable with the transition and where they are living, etcetera. They don’t want to make it feel like they’re pulling the rug from underneath their children. They’re making a mutual effort to ensure that this transition is as healthy and easy as possible.”

There Are Rumors Ben Is Dating Kick Kennedy

A source told Page Six that Ben was “hanging out with”RFK Jr’s daughter Kick Kennedy, with a source saying "he nature of their relationship remains unclear." However, Ben's rep told People “There is no truth to any of it. I don’t know if they even know each other.”

We’ll keep you updated with the latest on Ben and Jen’s relationship.