Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s Story That Proves Love Can Be Reborn Like a Phoenix After Almost 20 Years

Some love stories are just meant to be, even if everything’s not peachy all the time. When people belong together and go through a rough patch, that’s when you can really see their strength. If they manage to survive the ride, they’ll get a second opportunity that’s even better than the first. That’s because, many times, the end of a relationship can be due to circumstances beyond feelings.

But everything changes, and time helps to see and heal possible mistakes. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck proved that: they are back together, and this time, with lots of maturity and experience.

At Bright Side, we believe that sometimes giving someone a second chance is fair and necessary, so we wanted to share the love story of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck.

When they first met, Jennifer Lopez was married to Cris Judd, so her relationship with Ben Affleck began as a sincere friendship.

Affleck spoke about this in an interview where he said, “Because she was married, there was no thought of a romantic relationship. So that created the opportunity for us to get to know each other without any of the falsehoods that go along with dating because you’re trying to make a good impression. I didn’t try to change anything about myself, and neither did she. We became very good friends in a way that was very comfortable.”

The following year, Lopez signed an amicable divorce with Judd, and things started getting more serious with Affleck. In August 2002, rumors that they were together were confirmed after they were caught by the press. That proved to be a bit unfortunate for the couple.

Lopez said, “We were just in the first tabloids together, and it was like, ’Oh, my God.’ It was a lot of pressure.” That same year, but in November, Affleck surprised Lopez with an engagement proposal.

Most of the time, we think that the lives of celebrities are all rosy; however, it’s hard to imagine what it must feel like to have all eyes on you, on your life, on what you do, say, etc. It doesn’t seem so much fun then. This was one of the reasons why one of the most charismatic couples of the early 2000s, “Bennifer,” as they were dubbed by the media, felt pressured to break up.

The wedding was to take place in September 2003, but just days before that, the couple decided to call off the event. They quoted a “whirlwind of paparazzi” that arrived in the city where the ceremony was to take place as the official reason, in an exclusive interview.

“We began to feel that the spirit of what should have been the happiest day of our lives might be compromised,” the couple said to the magazine. “We felt that what should have been a joyous and sacred day could be spoiled for us, our families, and our friends.”

In early January 2004, the couple finally split up. “I think in different times, different things, who knows what might have happened, but there was genuine love there,” Lopez said in an interview sometime after. By then, she had remarried, but to Marc Anthony. However, her words suddenly mean something else today.

Lopez divorced Anthony in 2012. Affleck, who had married Jennifer Garner in 2005, got divorced in 2015, but this only became official in 2017. Lopez’s last relationship was with Alex Rodriguez, to whom she was engaged. However, last year, they ended their relationship amicably.

“We have realized that we are best friends and hope to remain so. We will continue to work together and support each other in our shared businesses and projects,” stated Rodriguez and Lopez upon calling off their engagement.

It’s been more than 17 years since her breakup with Affleck. Many things had changed. They were both parents and single, and although they were separated, they never stopped being friends. That’s how they decided to give each other a second chance.

Unlike the first time, they are now much more reserved with their personal lives — “they consider it sacred.” Speaking about the media handling of their relationship, Lopez said, “We’re smarter, we’re more experienced, we’re in different places in our lives. We have kids now, and we have to be very conscious of those things.”

The above expresses a mutual feeling. Both of them wish at all costs to protect their children from sensationalism. Both, no doubt, are very excited to be back together.

“I feel so lucky, happy, and proud to be with him,” Lopez said in an exclusive interview. “When you find somebody and you really, really love them and you get a second chance at that? That is a really rare, precious, beautiful thing and we don’t take it for granted.”

Both have always admired each other, whether as friends or as a couple. They both celebrate and express respect for each other’s journeys. Lopez explained, “I feel like he’s at a place in his life where...just like I feel about myself.” She then added, “When you get to a place where you feel really good on your own and who you are, so you can be in a happy, healthy relationship.”

Finally, regarding the couple’s expectations, Lopez confessed, “I just want my future to be full of love and happiness, with my children and my partner.” She continued, “I think everyone wants to be happy, with somebody to go on the journey with and grow old with, and I feel good about that right now.”

What do you think about second chances in relationships? Have you ever tried doing that?