Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez Spark Split Rumors Amid 47-Day Public Absence

Last Public Appearance Together

The A-list couple was last seen in public on March 30, holding hands as they walked through the streets of New York City.

Jennifer Lopez's Busy Schedule in NYC

The 54-year-old “I’m Real” singer has recently spent a significant amount of time in New York City. She has been busy promoting her new Netflix film, Atlas, and served as a co-chair for this year’s Met Gala.

Lopez also had her hands full filming Kiss of the Spiderwoman, a feature film adaptation of the 1993 Broadway musical based on Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel, which co-stars Diego Luna.

Ben Affleck's Commitments on the West Coast

Meanwhile, the 51-year-old Oscar-winning director has reportedly been busy on the West Coast, filming The Accountant 2 and attending the Roast of Tom Brady on May 5. Both Affleck and Lopez have made solo public appearances, fueling rumors about their relationship.

Rumors of Separation

A source told a tabloid magazine, “They waited almost two decades to get back together, but in the end, they just couldn’t make it work. They’ll never stop loving each other, but she can’t control him, and he can’t change her. There’s no way it could have lasted.”

The source also claimed that Affleck has moved out of their home to “focus on his work and his kids.”

Affleck's Alleged Move to Brentwood

TMZ speculated that Affleck is staying at his Brentwood residence permanently, reportedly supporting their claims with a photograph of him leaving his home.

The Bennifer Romance

Affleck and Lopez, who were one of the first power couples to receive a portmanteau (Bennifer), have had a highly publicized romance that began in 2001 when they met on the set of the critically panned Gigli.

For 18 months, the couple was an object of public fascination. They went on to star together in another movie, Jersey Girl, and filmed the singer’s iconic music video for “Jenny on the Block.”

Strain from Public Scrutiny

However, the public’s obsession with their romance turned into scrutiny once Gigli was released to poor reviews. The backlash strained their relationship, leading to them postponing their September 2003 wedding days before it was set to take place due to “excessive media attention.”

Four months later, the pair went their separate ways but remained in touch and spoke highly of each other. Affleck reflected on the relationship in a 2008 appearance on the TV show Live, saying, “We fell in love, we were excited and maybe too accessible.”

Lopez later agreed, telling Vanity Fair in 2017 that she felt “eviscerated” by the tabloid coverage throughout their whirlwind romance.

Their Lives Apart

Both stars entered other high-profile relationships. Lopez married Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony five months after her breakup with Affleck. They were married for seven years and had two children, twins Emme and Max, 16, before separating in 2011 and officially divorcing in 2014.

Affleck, a year after his breakup with Lopez, married Jennifer Garner. They were together for ten years and had three children, daughters Violet, 18, and Fin, 15, and son Samuel, 12, before divorcing in 2014.

Rekindling the Romance

Affleck and Lopez rekindled their romance in 2021. The following year, they eloped in Las Vegas in July before hosting a lavish ceremony at Affleck’s 87-acre compound outside of Savannah, Georgia, in August.