Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, famously recognized as Bennifer, experienced a love story that spanned two different eras—the early 2000s and the early 2020s. After a relationship lasting over two decades, marked by two engagements, two weddings, and numerous headlines, Jennifer Lopez has officially filed for divorce from Ben Affleck. This filing in Los Angeles on Tuesday seemingly brings an end to a relationship that captivated the public imagination during both of its high-profile chapters. The couple, who became iconic long before the trend of celebrity couple nicknames, were among the first to be referred to by a moniker—Bennifer.
Their journey together began in the late 1990s, with their first encounter at the 70th Academy Awards and the premiere of Ben’s film “Armageddon” in 1998. However, it wasn’t until they worked together on the film Gigli in 2003 that their romance blossomed. Their engagement followed in 2002, with a wedding planned for 2003. However, just four days before the ceremony, they called off the wedding, and by early 2004, the couple had separated. Jennifer later cited the overwhelming media attention as a key factor in their split.
Seventeen years later, in 2021, during the global pandemic, Ben and Jennifer rekindled their relationship. A year later, in 2022, they became engaged once again, exactly 20 years after Ben’s first proposal. They married twice that year—first in an intimate Las Vegas ceremony and then in a more elaborate celebration at Ben’s Georgia estate.
However, their rekindled love story has now come to an end. Court records indicate that Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce on Tuesday, listing their date of separation as April 26, 2024. The filing did not mention any prenuptial agreement. Jennifer is set to star in Unstoppable and Kiss of the Spider Woman, both produced by Ben Affleck, while Ben will appear in The Accountant 2.
