Jennifer Lopez has officially filed for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage, confirming months of speculation about their relationship.
The On the Floor singer filed on August 20, revealing in court documents that the couple had actually separated back in April.
Rumours of trouble between the pair began circulating earlier this year, after Lopez attended the 2024 Met Gala without Affleck, 52. The speculation grew when reports surfaced in May that the couple was living separately. Then by July, they fuelled further rumours by listing their shared Beverly Hills mansion for $60.8 million.
Amid the ongoing speculation, the 55-year-old deflected questions about their marriage during a press conference for her movie Atlas in May. She also continued to show support for Affleck and his family, attending his daughter Violet’s high school graduation in June and gave the actor a special shoutout on Father’s Day.
Now, as the couple moves forward separately, we look back at the signs that their marriage was heading for a heartbreaking conclusion.
Contrasting views on their relationship in the public eye
A few months before rumours of their split began circulating, Affleck opened up about his and J.Lo’s contrasting views on privacy. In Lopez’s February documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, Affleck reflected on their differing attitudes towards media attention.
"I initially set very firm boundaries with the press, while Jen didn't seem to mind it as much," the Argo star said. "I was very much against it."
He noted that the intense media scrutiny had previously contributed to the end of their early-2000s engagement. When they reunited in 2021, he expressed his want to keep their relationship out of the public eye.
“I told Jen that I wanted to avoid a social media spectacle,” he recounted. "But then I realised that was an unfair expectation. It's like marrying a boat captain and then saying you don't like water. We're just two people with different approaches trying to find a compromise.”
Flying solo at the Met Gala
Speculation about their relationship began swirling when the actor was noticeably absent from the 2024 Met Gala, where Lopez served as co-chair. The event's theme, The Garden of Time, saw her walk the event’s famous stairs in a striking Schiaparelli gown, but fans couldn't help but wonder if something was amiss as Affleck wasn't by her side on May 6.
While some questioned the reason for his absence, it was soon revealed that the Oscar winner had commitments on the West Coast. First, he had participated in Netflix's Tom Brady roast in California just a day before the gala and was busy filming The Accountant 2 in Los Angeles, according to his representative.
Despite the explanations, the missed appearance at one of fashion's biggest nights only fuelled rumours of trouble between the couple.
J.Lo cancel tour
In late May, Live Nation confirmed the cancellation of Lopez's U.S. Summer 2024 tour, This Is Me...Live. The announcement, shared in her On the J.Lo newsletter, explained the decision, stating, “Jennifer is stepping back to spend quality time with her children, family, and close friends.”
As expected the wording of her statement raised some eyebrows.
The Atlas press tour
In May, Lopez maintained a busy schedule of solo red carpet events, including the premiere of her film Atlas in Los Angeles and Mexico City, all while wearing her wedding ring.
Despite speculation about her marriage, she addressed the reports indirectly at a Mexico press conference. When asked about the reports, Lopez responded with a curt, "You know better than that," as shown in a video shared by El Gordo y la Flaca before her co-star Simu Lee jumped to her defense and stopped any further questioning.
Then in June, she celebrated the success of Atlas on Netflix with a cryptic message, alluding to the reports about her and Affleck’s relationship.
In her On the JLo newsletter, she shared: “ATLAS is #1 worldwide again this week!!! Thank you all so much!!! Even though there’s a lot of negativity out there, don’t let the voices of a few drown out the immense love that exists.”
Social media activity
Despite the couple staying quiet about the breakup rumours, social media buzz intensified when fans noticed a clue on J.Lo’s Instagram. A few months before the split was first reported, she liked a post addressing relationship red flags.
The March 19 post featured a caption that read: “You can’t build a relationship with someone who is disconnected from themselves. We can’t expect someone to see us when we can’t even see themselves. Getting into a relationship is easy; nurturing and maintaining it is the challenge. After all, love is not just a feeling—it’s action.”
This post, which highlighted the importance of self-awareness and effort in relationships, seemed to resonate with fans amid the swirling breakup speculation.
Selling up
It was first reported in May that the pair were living separately when Lopez was spotted house hunting in Beverly Hills alone.
Then by July, it was claimed that Affleck had moved out of their shared $60.8 million home - and they publicly listed their 12-bedroom mansion.
At the time, the Oscar winner reportedly relocated to a rental property in Brentwood, which was conveniently close to his kids and ex-wife Jennifer Garner's home. Then at the beginning of August, it was alleged that Affleck had treated himself to a $20 million bachelor pad.
Holidays and milestone moments apart
Despite fans' hopes that Bennifer would pull through after attending family events together in May and Lopez's sweet Father's Day tribute to Affleck in June, breakup rumours resurfaced when she jetted off to Italy, leaving her husband in L.A. He was notably seen without his wedding ring during her trip.
When the Fourth of July rolled around, she celebrated in the Hamptons with one of her twins, Emme, but once again, her other half was absent from the festivities. This paired with Lopez’s silence on their second wedding anniversary—contrasting her celebratory post the previous year— only raised eyebrows further.
In July, Lopez threw a lavish Bridgerton-themed party for her 55th birthday in the Hamptons, yet Affleck remained in L.A. Less than two weeks later, she was spotted in L.A. without her wedding ring, signalling more potential trouble.
Even when Affleck turned 52 on August 15, Lopez refrained from posting a birthday shout-out on social media, a notable departure from her usual online presence. However, she did stop by his home that day, as seen in photos obtained by Page Six, but the visit did little to quell the growing rumors.
Filing for divorce
After months of swirling rumors, Lopez officially filed for divorce from Affleck on August 20 at Los Angeles County Superior Court. According to court documents obtained by multiple outlets, she listed their separation date as April 26.
