STANDING on the red carpet this week, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck looked like a couple in the first throes of romance – grinning broadly, blushing and being extremely tactile.
It was clear the chemistry between the iconic on-off couple had reignited and while their divorce was only finalised a few months ago, it seems things could be hotting up once again. Here, we take a deep dive into their intimate relationship as insiders tell us how animal magnetism has throw them back together while they promote their new movie.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reunited this week for a special screening of Kiss of the Spider Woman[/caption]
Ben could be seen whispering something in Jen’s ear as they posed for pictures[/caption]
A source close to the couple said: “It’s complicated… they’ve fallen back into it, not that they ever really fell out of it. They never cut each other out of their lives.
“They do seem to be together, but in a very on-off complicated way – they spend a lot of time with each other, and with the kids together. If you ask their teams, the line is they are very good friends and want to be in each other’s lives as a big family with the kids.”
And it seems the film has played a huge part in their current status, which was evident as J-Lo, 56, hit the red carpet in a striking arachnid-themed dress for the premiere Kiss of the Spider Woman and she was joined by her former husband, 53, who helped produce and finance the film.
If you’re around them, the chemistry between them is insane.
Our insider explained the complex emotions tied up in the film, telling us: “At the time of working on the set of this new movie Kiss of the Spider Woman, they were splitting up – but still working together every day, and sleeping together, and fighting – so it’s quite an intense association for them.
“Then when filming stopped, obviously Ben was still working on it post-production. He’s absolutely gushing about her performance in it, he thinks she was really incredible – and they both said working together on this was an amazing experience.
“This is her crowning glory movie, and they’ve been spending a lot of time together working on the publicity these past few weeks.”
And Ben has certainly been gushing about his ex and the film, saying: “This is a role that Jennifer is just so spectacular in and it’s exactly the kind of role that she’s dreamed of playing her whole career.
“It’s hard to imagine she hasn’t had some opportunities, but that’s actually true, and she kind of seized this thing with both hands and did something spectacular and beautiful.”
But while he may be full of joy about the movie, it’s a different story for Jenny From The Block, who last week revealed she “barely managed to get through” filming during what was a “really tough time”.
The insider continued: “I’m told that doing the movie publicity for the last few weeks has seen them falling back into the pattern, he’s the one who is really making the big effort, and he’s also telling her he’s making such a huge effort to change for the better to make it up to her.
“If you’re around them, the chemistry between them is insane. I would think she hates how he humiliated her with the split, especially as she was making such a big deal about their big Love Story. Jen has always been trying to save and fix Ben, since they day they met, it’s been that kind of relationship between them – very intense, and very push and pull.”
Third time lucky?
Ben first dated superstar Jennifer from 2002 to 2004 before he called off their first engagement.
They said at the time they were postponing it due to excessive media attention.
Ben, who won Oscars for Good Will Hunting and Argo, married actress Jennifer Garner in 2005. They have three children together, Violet, 18, Seraphina Rose, 15, and Samuel, 12, but split in 2018.
Fans couldn’t believe the now divorced couple looked so pleased to be together[/caption]
It was in stark contrast to their red carpet appearances during their marriage[/caption]
The pair were spotted looking miserable on a number of occassions before their split[/caption]
Ben, who has always been candid about his alcoholism, admitted in 2020 that his drinking increased as his marriage fell apart.
He said: “I drank relatively normally for a long time.
“What happened was that I started drinking more and more when my marriage was falling apart. This was 2015, 2016. My drinking, of course, created more marital problems.”
Jennifer married third husband, singer-songwriter Marc Anthony, 55, five months after breaking up with Ben in 2004. Prior to dating Ben she was briefly married to Ojani Noa and then Cris Judd.
I love and support this person. I believe in them. They’re great. I want people to see that.
She gave birth to their twins, Emme and Maximilian, in 2008 before they divorced in 2014.
She went on to date former baseball player, Alexander Rodriguez, 49, from February 2017, announcing their engagement two years later. They split after two years of being engaged.
But then, a shock twist, after remaining in contact, Ben and Jen started dating again in April 2021, twenty years after their first romance – sending the fandom wild.
In July 2022, they tied the knot in Vegas and Ben became her fourth husband before hosting a larger reception for their friends and family later in the summer at Affleck’s home in Georgia.
Public strife ends in no wife
However, cracks began to show when a grumpy looking Ben was scolded by his wife during the Grammys for not looking motivated.
Later, they had a public argument in their car, which went viral.
And less than two years later the pair announced they had split again before their divorce was finalised in February of this year.
In a rare moment of candidness, Ben insisted that there was “no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue” when it came to their separation.
Many were hoping J-Lo would get her happy ending when she got back with Ben[/caption]
They first dated 20 years before their wedding[/caption]
Insiders say the couple have never truly been apart[/caption]
Ben is said to have still really struggled with the media attention surrounding their relationship – all those years later.
The insider shared: “When married, I think he hated her lifestyle, the constant paps and need for public attention and sharing very intimate details – she hated how he wanted to be a recluse. They are very different people, she’s really fiery and intense, he’s not.”
Ben himself has reflected on the different ways they handled life in the spotlight.
He explained: “There are a lot of people who I think have handled celebrity more adeptly and more adroitly than I have, Jennifer among them.
“My temperament is to be a little bit more reserved and private than hers. As happens in relationships, you don’t always have the same attitude towards these things.
“And so I thought, ‘Oh, this is interesting because how do you reconcile that?’ Because exactly what you said is true.
“I love and support this person. I believe in them. They’re great. I want people to see that.”
And that certainly seems to still be the case as he remained glued to her side, albeit a bit sheepishly, as she shared her biggest achievement to date – which he just so happens to be a huge part of.
Ben was married to Jennifer Garner for 10 years[/caption]
Jennifer was married to Marc Anthony – who she shares two children with[/caption]
Jennifer Lopez’s relationship timeline
Ojani Noa
Lopez was briefly married to Cuban waiter Ojani Noa. The pair wed on February 22, 1997, but split less than a year later.
Since then, Lopez has endured legal challenges regarding her relationship with Noa, including in 2006 when she sued to prevent him from publishing a book about their marriage.
Sean Combs
While working on her debut album On The 6, Lopez began dating record producer and rapper Sean Combs.
They dated for two years from 1999 to 2001.
Cris Judd
After splitting with Combs, Lopez began to date former backup dancer Cris Judd. They wed on September 29, 2001.
But this too was a brief marriage, as they divorced less than a year later in June 2002, citing irreconcilable differences.
Ben Affleck
Just months after divorcing Judd, Lopez became engaged to actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck in November 2002.
The pair were due to get married in September 2003 but postponed the wedding indefinitely just a day before the ceremony and then split January 2004.
Nearly 20 years later, the pair made headlines after rekindling their romance in July 2021.
Marc Anthony
Following her heartbreak with Ben Affleck, Lopez started a relationship with her longtime friend, singer Marc Anthony.
She married Anthony in June 2004, and on November 7, 2007, during the final night of their co-headlining tour, the couple announced they were expecting their first child.
Lopez gave birth to twins Emme and Maximilian in February 2008.
But three years later, in July 2011, the couple announced their split and filed for divorce in April 2012. Their divorce was finalized in 2014.
Casper Smart
Between October 2011 and August 2016, Lopez had an on-off relationship with her former backup dancer, Casper Smart.
She then found love with former New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez the following year.
In March 2019, the couple announced their engagement.
Alex Rodriguez
Rodriguez met Lopez 20 years ago when the baseball star asked for the pop star’s autograph and again at New York Yankees game.
It was first announced the couple was dating in March 2017.
On April 14, 2021, the couple released a statement to Today saying that they have ended their two-year engagement.
