Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s Divorce: A Chronology of Their Relationship

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck had an extraordinary love tale.

After two years of marriage, Lopez initiated divorce proceedings against Affleck in August 2024, which were officially finalized in January 2025, as reported by TODAY.com.

The couple, famously dubbed Bennifer, first met and became engaged in 2002, but their engagement ended in 2004. They rekindled their romance in 2021 and sealed their vows two decades after their initial meeting in 2022.

Lopez was so moved by their love story that she chose to center her 2024 album, “This Is Me… Now,” around it, along with an accompanying documentary titled “The Greatest Love Story Never Told.”

During a February 15 appearance on TODAY, Lopez expressed how incredibly “supportive” Affleck has been of her latest projects. One of the tracks from her new album, “Dear Ben,” serves as a sequel to a song of the same name from 2002 and reflects on how their relationship has changed over time.

“He inspires me, and undoubtedly, the feelings we share fostered this music,” she remarked.

“He’s consistently supportive of my endeavors,” she added. “He understands that I am a creative individual and an artist, and I will express myself in various ways. It was challenging as I felt that few truly grasped what I was aiming for… But he was always encouraging, saying, ‘You can achieve this. Whatever you wish to do, I believe in you, so go and follow your passion.’”

Continue reading for a timeline of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s relationship.

2002: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck meet for the first time

In 2002, Lopez and Affleck had their first encounter on the set of their film, “Gigli,” which premiered the next year.

At that point, Lopez was still married to her second husband, Cris Judd. However, in July 2002, Lopez petitioned for divorce from Judd, citing “irreconcilable differences,” according to People. This led to the public beginning of Lopez and Affleck’s romance soon thereafter.

Reflecting on their initial meeting, Lopez shared with People in 2016 that she felt like, “OK, this is it,” when she first talked to Affleck.

“(But) often, I think what people perceive them to be and how you view them when you love them can differ from their true nature,” she elaborated.

2002: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck get engaged

In November 2002, Affleck proposed to Lopez.

In an interview with Diane Sawyer at that time, Lopez described the overwhelming joy of seeing the engagement ring on her finger.

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she shared. “I still admire it. I kind of marvel at it. He said, ‘I wanted you to have something unique, something no one else has.'”

2004: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck break up

In 2004, Lopez and Affleck ended their engagement.

During a November 2022 appearance on Apple Music, Lopez discussed their split, calling it her “greatest heartbreak.”

“Once we called off that wedding two decades ago, it was the biggest heartbreak of my life, and I truly felt like I was going to die,” she shared. “It sent me into a downward spiral for 18 years where I just couldn’t seem to get anything right.”

2021: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reconnect

In 2021, Lopez and Affleck rekindled their romance after her breakup with fiancé Alex Rodriguez earlier that year.

In a December 1, 2021, interview with WSJ. Magazine, Affleck described their reunion as “beautiful.”

“I can say it’s truly beautiful for me,” Affleck commented on their reconnection. While he didn’t divulge details on how their relationship reignited, he mentioned it unfolded in a “healthy” manner.

During a May 2023 appearance on TODAY, Lopez’s mother, Guadalupe Rodríguez, expressed she always believed her daughter and the actor were destined to be together.

“I knew you would reunite because I prayed for 20 years,” Guadalupe Rodríguez told Lopez on air.

Lopez responded with a playful acknowledgment, saying, “OK,” as if this wasn’t the first time she had heard such assurances.

February 2022: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck cozy up on the red carpet

The couple made their red carpet return as a pair during the February 2022 premiere of Lopez’s film, “Marry Me.” They displayed plenty of affection while posing for pictures in wedding-themed attire.

“It’s a fabulous date night. We’re extremely happy,” Lopez told “ET.” “What more can I say? We’re simply enjoying ourselves.”

April 2022: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck get engaged (again)

In April 2022, Affleck proposed to Lopez for a second time.

The “On The Floor” singer shared her joy with fans by posting a video of herself admiring her new ring, featuring a striking green diamond.

July 2022: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck get married in Las Vegas

In July 2022, Lopez and Affleck exchanged vows in a Las Vegas ceremony.

Lopez’s representative announced the joyful news in a statement to TODAY.com.

“We did it! Love is beautiful, love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient,” she expressed.

Lopez detailed their wedding, emphasizing it occurred exactly as they envisioned. She mentioned that they waited in line with four other couples to secure their marriage license.

“Behind us, two men held hands, enjoying each other’s company. In front of us, a young couple traveled three hours from Victorville, celebrating their daughter’s second birthday — all of us wanting the same thing — for the world to recognize our partnerships and declare our love through the ancient and nearly universal symbol of marriage,” she shared.

“With the most amazing witnesses imaginable, a dress from an old movie, and a jacket from Ben’s closet, we recited our own vows in the small chapel and exchanged the rings we’ll wear for the rest of our lives,” she continued.

On her wedding day, Lopez wore two gowns, one being a textured long white dress that she showcased on Instagram and the other an off-the-shoulder white dress seen in photos with Affleck.

While fans speculated that the “dress from an old movie” referred to her outfit from “Jersey Girl,” the actor confirmed it wasn’t in a February 13 interview with Variety.

“No, that’s not true,” she said with a hearty laugh regarding the speculation. “I wish it were true. I wish I had that dress. I don’t have that dress.”

“No, this was a different gown that I owned. Believe it or not, I was doing so much promotional work for ‘Marry Me’ or ‘Shotgun Wedding’ — one of those projects — and thus, I had numerous wedding dresses at my home. So, when we impulsively decided to get married that day, I just had a dress ready. It wasn’t from a film,” she clarified. “Yeah, I had never worn it in any movie. I just had it from doing photo ops and performances for ‘Marry Me’ at that time.”

August 2022: A second wedding in Georgia

On August 20, 2022, the couple celebrated a second wedding ceremony at Affleck’s estate on Hampton Island Preserve in Georgia.

The ceremony was conducted by life coach and author Jay Shetty. Both Lopez and Affleck wore Ralph Lauren Couture, with Lopez changing gowns multiple times throughout the evening.

November 2022: Jennifer Lopez discusses her name change

In a November 2022 interview with Vogue, Lopez revealed her choice to adopt her husband’s surname.

After facing some backlash regarding the decision, particularly from an opinion piece by The New York Times, Lopez explained that changing her last name to Affleck felt appropriate now that they were officially married.

“People will continue to address me as Jennifer Lopez. However, legally, I will be Mrs. Affleck because we are united,” she said. “I’m proud of that decision, and I don’t see it as a problem.”

Feb. 4, 2024: Ben Affleck serenades Jennifer Lopez in Dunkin’ commercial

During the 2024 Super Bowl, Dunkin’ released an advertisement featuring Affleck performing a song, alongside Tom Brady and a flustered Matt Damon, in front of Lopez.

Although Jack Harlow, who also had a role in the ad, advised Affleck not to go ahead with it, he proceeded regardless.

“Sometimes it’s really challenging to be your friend,” Damon noted during the performance.

Lopez appeared surprised by the tune, as Affleck and his dance crew wrapped up their recording without securing a spot on her album.

“Remember when I said I’d do anything for you? This is that anything,” Damon remarked at the clip’s conclusion.

“Relax, they’re naming a drink after us,” Affleck responded.

Feb. 15, 2024: Jennifer Lopez reveals Affleck’s influence on her new album ‘This Is Me… Now’

On February 15, during an appearance on TODAY, Lopez spoke about her new album, “This Is Me… Now,” which narrates the emotional journey of her love life over the years.

Lopez mentioned how her relationship with Affleck “motivated” her to create this album following their reconnection a few years back.

“He inspires me, and undoubtedly, the emotions we share led to this music’s creation,” she commented.

Lopez highlighted that Affleck has always been very “supportive” of her artistic endeavors. Included in the album is a track entitled “Dear Ben, Pt. II,” which serves as a sequel to her 2002 hit, “Dear Ben.”

“He’s endlessly supportive of whatever I’m doing. He understands I’m a creative individual and an artist, and I’m going to express myself in various ways. I don’t believe anyone truly grasped my intentions, which made it challenging for me…,” she stated. “But he was always there saying, ‘You can achieve this. Do whatever you desire. I believe in you, just go and follow your passion.’”

Later in the morning on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, Lopez participated in a game with Hoda Kotb and confessed she would get possessive if someone flirted with Affleck.

“Don’t tease me, don’t play with me,” Lopez said with a grin as Hoda burst into laughter.

“I’m a lover, not a fighter, but I would elegantly and lady-like let them know to back off,” Lopez concluded.

Feb. 26, 2024: Ben Affleck adjusts to Jennifer Lopez incorporating their relationship into her work

Lopez released “This Is Me… Now” the film and her documentary “The Greatest Love Story Never Told” in February 2024.

Affleck expressed some reservations about the candidness shown by Lopez regarding their relationship in her projects.

“I genuinely found beauty and irony in the notion that it’s the greatest love story never told,” he reflected in front of the cameras. “And if you’re making an album about it, that seems like a way of telling it.”

Affleck recognized it as part of artistic expression, admitting Lopez’s approach was “an adjustment” for him.

“Jen felt so inspired by this experience, which is how artists create,” he mentioned. “I typically share personal stories similarly, but I hold things that are private as sacred because they are, in fact, private. So, this was a bit of an adaptation for me.”

Affleck mentioned that he came to terms with the situation upon realizing that the core theme of these projects was about love and not just himself.

“I don’t particularly enjoy documenting my personal life, which is why I feel relieved that I’m not truly in it, as it may seem,” he expressed. “I was worried without reason. The film wasn’t focused on me, but rather the journey of loving oneself, which is significantly more elusive than finding Prince Charming.”

Aug. 20, 2024: Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck

Following months of rumors regarding a potential breakup, Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck on August 20, as confirmed by court documents acquired by TODAY.com and filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

According to a source close to the singer, the couple did not have a prenuptial agreement, and it was confirmed that Lopez filed without legal representation.

The date holds significance as it marks the anniversary of Affleck and Lopez’s second wedding in Georgia.

The couple has yet to publicly comment on the news.

October 2024: Jennifer Lopez expresses excitement about being single again

In October, Lopez candidly discussed her newly single status during a chat with Nikki Glaser for Interview Magazine.

During the conversation, Lopez shared her “excitement” about being single and that she is not currently dating or actively seeking a new relationship.

“I’m not searching for anyone,” she stated, highlighting that she has learned to find contentment on her own.

“I can’t depend on others for my happiness. I need to cultivate happiness within myself. I used to claim I was a happy person yet was still searching for something from others. Now, I realize, ‘No, I’m genuinely fine,’” she conveyed.

January 2025: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck finalize their divorce

In early January, Lopez and Affleck completed the divorce proceedings, and according to court documents obtained by TODAY.com, Lopez retained the green diamond engagement ring gifted to her when he proposed a second time in 2022.