Jennifer Lopez-Ben Affleck officially divorced: A timeline of their relationship
What's the story
Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Lopez (55) and Ben Affleck (52) are officially divorced, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge confirmed on Friday.
The court had approved their divorce settlement on January 6, taking effect after California's mandatory six-month period post-filing for dissolution.
This ends their two-year marriage which started in July 2022 and saw Lopez filing for divorce in August 2024.
Amicable settlement
Lopez and Affleck chose mediation over court battle
The couple chose mediation in September 2024 to avoid a long-drawn legal battle. This enabled them to finalize their divorce without any public spectacle.
After the divorce, Lopez has legally dropped Affleck's surname from her name.
While the financial details of their settlement remain confidential, neither party will pay spousal support to the other.
They have reportedly also "reached an agreement on the $60M mansion," per TMZ.
They don't have kids together, so there are no custody issues.
Relationship history
Lopez-Affleck's relationship: A look back at their journey
Lopez and Affleck's relationship goes way back to the early 2000s when they first met, fell in love, and got engaged.
They also starred together in the movies Gigli in 2003 and Jersey Girl in 2004. However, they broke up that same year amid intense public scrutiny and constant limelight.
After nearly two decades of separation, they rekindled their romance and married in a surprise move in July 2022 that thrilled their ardent fans worldwide.
Problems
However, the two couldn't resolve their differences
In August 2024, an insider told Page Six that JLO thought she was "finally getting her chance at the fairy tale, she just really didn't stop to consider who the actual man was [in] the fairy tale."
"Ben has a darkness to him that no other person can fix. [His ex-wife] Jen Garner couldn't fix it, all the success in the world couldn't fix it."
Independence
Lopez's views on independence
Since filing for divorce, Lopez has spoken about her emotional journey.
In an interview with comedian Nikki Glaser for Interview magazine's October 2024 issue, she revealed her need to be self-reliant.
"You have to be complete if you want something that's more complete," she said. "I thought I learned that, but I didn't."
"And then, this summer, I had to be like, 'I need to go off and be on my own.'
Past relationships
A glance at their previous marriages and children
Before reuniting with Lopez, Affleck was married to actor Jennifer Garner, with whom he shares three children. Their marriage ended in 2018.
Lopez, meanwhile, has been married three times before.
Her first marriage was to Cuban actor Ojani Noa; it lasted from 1997 to 1998.
She subsequently married Cris Judd (2001-2003) and Marc Anthony (2004-2014).
She shares two children (twins) with Anthony.