Hollywood couple Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck appear to be going through a rough patch. In addition to the fact that no joint pictures have been taken of the couple in weeks, Affleck is reportedly staying in a separate home and was recently seen on solo excursions while his wife was out house hunting. This and other events, which have not gone unnoticed by the public, indicate something may be amiss between the two.
Could beloved power couple Bennifer be on the rocks? Unfortunately, as reported by several news outlets, things are not looking too good for the duo. Rumors that they might be headed toward a split continue to escalate as new developments unfold.
On Thursday morning, Ben Affleck was spotted driving in Brentwood, Los Angeles, and according to a media outlet, the actor had left a house where he has been staying alone. The following day, he was snapped by paparazzi, leaving the same area.
Riding solo yet again, the same outlet reports that Affleck was not seen at the $60 million Beverly Hills estate he shares with Jennifer Lopez, the evening before.
While some have expressed sorrow concerning the news, conveying their sadness about the couple’s potential breakup, others are less surprised, with someone expressing that they saw it coming.
“Why are they breaking up?😭” asked a sad fan. Another vehemently denied the breakup rumors, exclaiming, “Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!! This can’t be happening!!!!!” Similarly, someone else simply wrote, “That’s not true.”
“I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they have secretly split. I knew from the moment they got married, it [would] not be till death do us part. This is her fourth marriage, how is it truthful on her vows?” asserted a social media user. Meanwhile, a hopeful fan commented, “I hope things work out between them!”
Adding fuel to the couple’s relationship drama is the fact that Affleck and Lopez have not been publicly photographed together for over a month. The last time paparazzi snapped photos of the pair was March 30. They were seen holding hands in New York City.
Lopez then stayed in New York in April and May to promote her upcoming movie on Netflix called “Atlas.” She was also there to prepare for and attend the Met Gala as a co-chair, without Affleck.
While his wife was busy in New York, Affleck was on the West Coast reportedly filming his upcoming movie, “The Accountant 2.” He also attended Tom Brady’s comedy roast on May 5, without Lopez.
Like they did concerning the news about Affleck’s Brentwood solo living, social media users have weighed in on the fact that the married couple have not been seen supporting each other at momentous events.
Speaking on Lopez’s disposition during her big night at the Met, a Facebooker highlighted, “She looked super stressed and tired at the met gala I figured it was […] her tour rehearsals and filming … Maybe it was this 😳 I root for them.” Three people responded to this comment with their opinions.
“That’s what I was thinking,” replied another social media user, while someone else said, “Agree! She looked awful, stressed and strained. Did not look herself at all.” Continuing to echo the sentiment, another Facebooker stated, “I thought the same. Something seemed off.”
Further exacerbating the public’s feeling that something seems awry with the couple is the fact that, in addition to what has already been discussed, Affleck was spotted on another solo outing earlier this week.
Pictures of the “Gone Girl” star leaving Baltaire restaurant in Los Angeles on Monday evening surfaced online. Reportedly, Affleck had dinner there with his friend, Sean Bailey, former president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production.
The following day, Lopez reportedly went house hunting with her friend, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas. They were photographed leaving a luxury residence in Beverly Hills. However, whether or not the excursion was indeed for Lopez’s benefit or Goldsmith-Thomas’, remains unknown.
Although Lopez and Affleck’s recent activities without each other seem to hint at a potential split on the horizon, the matter is still speculative. Neither party has confirmed nor denied the dissolution of their marriage. However, this does not take away from the fact that there have certainly been signs of tension in their relationship.
Apart from the recent updates, Lopez appeared to be cryptically hinting that her marriage was on the rocks as early as March. The “Marry Me” actress liked a post on Instagram that was about relationships.
The post shows a carousel of infographics that explain different reasons why people can’t forge healthy relationships with individuals who lack certain traits, like “integrity,” “emotional safety,” “respect,” “communication skills,” and decisiveness.
“You can’t build a relationship with someone who is disconnected from themselves […] Getting in a relationship is the easy part. Nurturing & fostering it is a different story. After all, love is not a feeling, it’s action ❤️,” penned Lenna Marsak, the author of the post.
Why Lopez decided to like the carousel is unclear, but one can only guess that it might have had something to do with her own situation. After all, the musician has been known not to hold her tongue back when it comes to expressing herself and letting people know how she feels.
Although she has yet to speak on the breakup rumors, Jennifer Lopez has previously been candid about experiencing feelings of anxiety when she got back together with Ben Affleck. She once admitted to having PTSD as a result of their initial romance.
The 54-year-old confessed that she and Affleck still had emotional scars from their first romance before they got married. Years before tying the knot last year, Affleck and Lopez became a Hollywood ‘It’ couple after embarking on a romantic relationship in the early 2000s.
Their relationship was so popular that many people in public spheres referred to them by their couple’s name: Bennifer. Unfortunately, Lopez and Affleck did not make it down the aisle despite getting engaged.
However, they rekindled their romance in 2021 and went on to marry in Las Vegas in 2022. Although the couple was back on solid ground, prior to the arrival of these new split rumors, last year, Lopez confessed, “We both have PTSD.”
The couple’s marriage has been a point of criticism and since they tied the knot, many people expressed their predictions that the couple will not “last.” Of their marriage, one social media user said, “It’ll end in divorce.” Another person even went so far as to put a timeline on their marriage and commented that it “won’t last another 5 years.”
Although most people had negative things to say about the longevity of Affleck and Lopez’s marriage, others showed support for the couple. In this regard, one fan expressed, “I’m very happy for them.” Another fan swooned, “Love them two!” and someone else sent well wishes their way and stated, “Bless you all.”
The emotional scars from their first romantic go-around were exacerbated by the unprecedented media coverage and public scrutiny that plagued their early romance.
Thus, naturally, given that this part of their lives was brought into the spotlight again with Lopez’s “This Is Me…Now” album and accompanying film, the couple couldn’t help but feel nervous about having to relive those memories.
However, Lopez and Affleck refused to let their current romance be overtaken and overshadowed by what happened between them in the past.
Despite the pain they experienced, she had previously declared that they were mature enough to handle the situation. However, concerning where things supposedly stand with the couple now, only time will tell if they will be able to continue with their relationship.
