Jennifer Lopez’s recent solo trips to Italy and Paris were probably not the best sign for her marriage. J.Lo canceled her summer tour citing family issues, and there was some hope that perhaps Jennifer and Ben Affleck would spend the summer reconnecting and working on their marriage after a difficult year. Ben and J.Lo saw each other this past week, the first time (that we know of) in more than two weeks. They were seen at the same office building, where they both arrived and exited separately. As I said, it’s giving “signing the divorce papers.” One big issue is that Ben hated the house they bought last year, the Beverly Hills mansion/money pit which was supposed to be for their blended family. Ben moved out of the Beverly Hills mansion two months ago and began renting a place in Brentwood, close to Jen Garner’s home. Well, now People Magazine says that while J.Lo was away in Italy and Paris, Ben moved all of his crap out of the Beverly Hills mansion.
Ben Affleck is moving his belongings out of his shared home with Jennifer Lopez, a source tells PEOPLE.
More than one month after PEOPLE first reported that Affleck, 51, and Lopez, 54, were living separately in Los Angeles as they dealt with strife in their marriage, a source close to the couple tells PEOPLE that the Academy Award-winning filmmaker moved all of his things out of the couple’s Beverly Hills mansion before Lopez returned from a recent trip to Europe.
“Ben continues to live at the Brentwood rental. He’s been there for about two months now,” another source says. “He seems okay. He’s been at his office every day and seems focused on work. He’s also spending time with his kids.”
Affleck and Lopez, who married in July 2022 after famously rekindling their romantic relationship, put the mansion they have shared together in Beverly Hills since June 2023 on the market earlier this month, as a source told PEOPLE.
The couple appear to have spent time together as recently as June 26, when they were photographed separately entering a building in West Hollywood, where they both maintain offices, a few hours apart. Per TMZ, Affleck arrived around 10 a.m. in a suit and with a duffel bag. Lopez, who is set to star in two upcoming movies for Affleck and Matt Damon’s production company, was photographed leaving the building hours later.
The thing is, this could be a confirmation that their divorce is inevitable, or it could be a confirmation of nothing more than they’re putting that money pit back on the market. In this case, I think both things could be true. Their marriage is in shambles AND they’re selling the Beverly Hills place. Why wouldn’t Ben move his sh-t out, you know? I think the house has already been listed! That being said, it feels notable that he moved out while Jennifer was out of the country. I will be so sad if the prediction of a Fourth of July divorce announcement comes true.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Celebrities at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘This Is Me… Now: A Love Story’ Featuring: Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 13 Feb 2024 Credit: Ryan Hartford/INSTARimages.com
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- Celebrities at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘This Is Me… Now: A Love Story’ Featuring: Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 13 Feb 2024 Credit: Ryan Hartford/INSTARimages.com
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- Celebrities at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘This Is Me… Now: A Love Story’ Featuring: Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 13 Feb 2024 Credit: Ryan Hartford/INSTARimages.com
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- Emme Maribel Muniz and Jennifer Lopez are seen out and about. Featuring: Jennifer Lopez Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 08 Jun 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Emme Maribel Muniz and Jennifer Lopez are seen out and about. Featuring: Jennifer Lopez, Emme Muniz Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 08 Jun 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Exes Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner reunite on their son Samuel’s last day of school in Los Angeles, California Featuring: Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 11 Jun 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Exes Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner reunite on their son Samuel’s last day of school in Los Angeles, California Featuring: Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 11 Jun 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Ben Affleck runs errands in the city. Featuring: Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 13 Jun 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
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- Ben Affleck runs errands in the city. Featuring: Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 13 Jun 2024 Credit: BauerGriffin/INSTARimages
Jennifer seems to have this obsession with being powerful. I can imagine that would be exhausting.
I’m so sick of the Jlo pile-on. An obsession with being powerful? What does that even mean? Ben Affleck is an insecure, mopey, self destructive cheater (remember the nanny?) Oh, and the gambling! I bet THAT is exhausting.
THANK YOU!! I’m so glad to hear someone speak sense.
Right? Like he wouldn’t be equally as exhausting.
Successful women (of colour!) who worked incredibly hard to get where they are, are ‘EXHAUSTING’ to people who will never, can’t ever and scream jealousy.. Where have we seen this bs before..so much racist, sexist judgement from so many here, when Iit comes to jlo.. But we all defend other women. Different ethnicities. Different judgements.
Thank you LTA
We are counting her relationships, her PR, her flops, her parenting skills. I saw comments she looked like a maid. Racist and misogynistic.
Ben’s a drunk, who cheated, manhandled women, and had more flops than Lopez. He is Boston’s finest, like his brother or Marky Mark.
I don’t know why she wanted him so much, her thing.
He calls the paps as much as Lopez, but whatever. She’s a woman, let’s c..p on her.
Thanks LTA , Tila, Wagiman and Mil for your comments! Agree100%! Spot on!
Jlo is at her 4th marriage it’s not crazy to say she must have a part of responsibilities in the demise of this relationship.
Exactly, @LTA. This kind of talk smacks of jealousy. Lopez has an ego, but so does Affleck and ANYONE who enters show business. Big risks, big rewards, big losses. Everyone doesn’t have the stamina or the ego to do it. They do, and they are rewarded handsomely and praised and criticized copiously as a result.
And yet she went for him. Again. I agree, he is all of those things….but she knew that. She’s not some naive 20 year old.
I bet Jennifer is a bit more exhausting than Ben. Only because she wants big good exciting things happening in her life and Ben CAN’T handle so much going on around him. Ben needs to be left alone to soul search on a remote place away from everything and everyone. Let Ben do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. If he wants to drink let him, if he wants to gamble let him. Jennifer does want not peace and quiet. She wants movies, new songs, tours etc. and that is fine. Divorce is the only solution at this point.
@Lolo86lf, if all Ben wanted was peace and quiet, he had that with Jennifer Garner. But, he was hanging out with the nanny & Tom Brady on a private jet instead of sitting at home in peace. Didn’t he also do pap walks with Ana de Armas during covid? Did this young woman also trick him to do that? If all he wanted was peace and quiet, he would make his life like any other A-list actors living outside of the spotlight. I hope we stop blaming Jennifer Lopez for Ben’s own choices. He is a grown man and he is living the life he always wanted.
@ Sevenblue: I never intended to blame Jennifer for Ben’s life. He is a grown men who can make his own choices. I know Jennifer wanted to help Ben out but it didn’t work out. Ben should get divorced from Jen and stay single for the rest of his life. Jennifer should stay single too, but she won.t.
Living with a vibrant woman is exhausting, but living with an addiction is less so? Have you lived with a self-involved, depressed (lower-case d), erratic addict? Because that is soul-crushing.
Affleck is an alcoholic and a cheater who threw his first wife publicly under the bus. We can talk all day about J Lo’s problematic career but it doesn’t change that – and it’s not like I’m saying addicts don’t deserve compassion, but let’s not pretend it’s not exhausting to deal with them.
Ben blamed Jen Garner for his problems, no one bought it because we know she is always at home taking care of their kids (and took care of Ben). Now, he must be very happy that he found a woman everyone would be very happy to blame all his problems on.
That was so low. He blamed Jen Garner for his desire to drink. Women should avoid him period.
Honestly, I find them both exhausting. When they started again I thought what in the world is Jlo doing, she is too good for a man like Ben Affleck and the racist and misogynistic coverage of their first go around was out of control, why go back. But, after the two movies and the album dedicated to their eternal love I see it as both of them.
I live in NY I read the papers, not a fan or JLo. I remember JLo was married to Chris Judd, her 2nd husband when she had an affair with BA, the greatest love story we read. Ben cheated on JLo after he broke up her marriage from Chris. JLo got engaged to marry BA after it was reported he cheated. They eventually cancelled the wedding three days before the wedding day. Next she marry Mark Anthony shortly after she broke up with Ben, within months. Several years later the story was Mark cheated on her with Jada Pickett Smith, they denied it. After Mark A she hooked up with Bear another of her back up dancer, he cheated on her. Next we she’s engaged To A Rod for about 4 years, they said he cheated on her. Now I read within weeks after she left ARod she’s back with Ben who cheated on her and left her at the alter the first time. JLo is 54 yo will be 55 in about two weeks, she has to take responsibility for her choices and stop living in fantasy land. I don’t believe anyone is jealous of JLo messy rich life, it must be exhausting, IMO.
Wut.
It’s over.
This is what my PEOPLE MAGAZINE update reported:
“Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Are ‘Focused on Their Separate Lives’ This Summer After Her Trip: Source
A source tells PEOPLE that at the moment, the couple ‘don’t have any summer plans together”
“Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are “focused on their separate lives” this summer amid tensions in their marriage, a source tells PEOPLE.”
The article went on to say that JLo has further plans to travel this summer and is just back in LA for the moment.
I don’t think working on a marriage happens when the two people are not even in the same zip code yet alone the same room
This was possibly the reason for her solo vacation; to be out of the home while he is packing and driving away.
This whole situation is just kinda…sad.
I really hoped these two would make it, but after watching the documentary where she was showing all his private love letters to anyone and everyone – the writing was on the wall.
I didn’t expect to like JlLo as much as I did after watching the documentary, but Ben looked very uncomfortable about the letter sharing and I would be mortified if my partner shared my intimate words. I still felt like she was sad behind all the bluster.
Wasn’t he a producer in the project? Seems like he would have know about the personal stuff.
I don’t know when he knew about the letters going public. My take on that is that he was always mortified about exposing them, but showing off the full extent of their love was obviously a big deal for what Jennifer pursued with the project. Even though, I believe they both relied on JLo’s team’s expertise, and he let it pass under the outmost assurance that it’d be good for the project (I do think JLo thought so). Public humiliation was not what he’d signed for, as sort of the last drop.
He’s always been an egotistic and his rehab stints seen to have wired him to block any emotions or situation that can lead him to relapse. If he realized he was already compromising too much, I guess his obvious choice was to stay far, at least. Moving his things out might indicate a myriad of scenarios, from divorce to showing he’s serious about getting rid of that fancy mammoth compound.
@Aurora: Some of this I do agree with. Years ago, Eva Longoria was married to (I think) a basketball player. He was younger and she nauseatingly, repeatedly gushed over their “love” and she made some remark about how she was the ‘teacher in the relationship’ (mostly alluding to $ex). He was humiliated and she back-tracked her statements; shortly thereafter, she made more mushy statements and not long after that – they were done. There may be some dynamic between Ben & JLo that is slightly off now due to the over-sharing of their private relationship.
Also: My stepson is a recovering opioid addict. Seven years sober, is in therapy, goes to meetings and sponsors several young people (he was in a 12-step program). If Ben is not anything doing for himself (e.g., therapy) and others (being a sponsor or mentor), and simply burying himself in work, this could be part of his unhappiness. These things help those that struggle stay sober. I don’t think his time in rehab (also – “stints” is a very negative connotation) is probably not geared to “block any emotions” – I think Ben does that all on his own. I think he wants fame of HIS terms that HE likes and is comfortable with. My best guess is that JLo, as a beautiful, famous, successful woman likes to be seen (see: recent Paris trip) and socialize – that may not be his bag. I think he likes fame to suit his particular personality, and perhaps the same fame that JLo likes is different; I could see that being a non-negotiable.
Lastly, stepson & wife were having issues (over several things) – but he HATED their apartment. He moved is stuff out while DIL was out of town (she didn’t want to be around for it – too sad). They spent six months apart, both in therapy, and reconciled. One of the first things they did? New apartment. Ben could be waiting it out till the house sells and they find another abode. There may have been something about the house he disliked or was not comfortable with. She seemed to love it – maybe it was not his style (again, no blame here – just inherent differences).
I actually am rooting for them. If he needs help (e.g., sponsor, therapy, etc.) I hope he’s doing it for himself. I honestly do think they adore each other and think they need to compromise on any inherent relationship/personality differences. We all like different things – some are less/more negotiable than others.
JLo strikes me as someone who wants to be LOVED, with all capitals. She likes the over-the-top displays and wants to scream things from the mountain top. The documentary proclaiming their love as the greatest ever was cringe. I can understand doing that after decades “together”, not after getting together after decades “apart”. It was doing too much. And one wonders what Jane Fonda saw in their dynamics that she was like “girl, no.”
He was a producer. He could have stopped that part. Please, stick to the facts. He wanted to be seen as this brooding golden boy. He did not mind it, in fact, he was in it.
I would think even if he wasn’t a producer he could have objected to the letters being used. A person holds the copyright on letters that they wrote.
Fact is, he’s the one who left the marital house two months ago and is now completing the move. Golden boy behaviour this is not, and implying he wanted to be perceived as one is as good a speculation as the one when he agreed for the letters’ segment to be included only to regret it further on.
As producer, he may have been privy to the content (I.e., parts that were filmed) but he might not have had creative control over the final cut – she might have. Or, for all we know (no blame here – it’s a theory) – they might have agreed to cut those very intimate parts and the parts were left in/put back in. We don’t have all the facts.
I do believe it’s quietly listed with The Agency, there was a report on that last week or maybe 2 weeks ago. He could be moving his things out for any number of reasons, but the fact that they aren’t moving their things out together isn’t a great sign. I just hope they can be great parents to their respective kids and let them still spend time together without it being awkward. They seemed to get along really well and I would hate for the kids to have to stop seeing each other because their parents couldn’t figure their sh-t out.
It will be like how she treated ARod kids after the breakup.
How did JLo treat the kids after the ARod breakup?
Ghost.
How do you know she ghosted A-rod’s children? And do you give A-rod the same type of scrutiny concerning Jen’s children?
Better it’s over now than sticking out miserable for years just because it’s supposed to be some “love of your life” ridiculousness.
As I’ve said countless times now, they didn’t know each other 20 years ago & they don’t know each other now. This was never love.
Anyway, hold hope out the JLM & AJ reunite. Now THAT would be something. Alas, seems they both know you can’t go back.
I think it was love, just not long-term comparability.
You don’t have to know someone inside and out to be in love with them…
Sorry… who’s JLM and AJ?
Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie
@ BNB–thank you!
Too bad if this is true. I was hoping for they might work it outscenario. Two people who have not learned to not to repeat the same mistakes. JLO is too famous and loves it and Ben prefers a more reserve approach to fame. If he is not happy that might trigger his drinking and gambling habits. I am going to say showing his private letters started this separation and I think he behaved badly during that tom Brady roast and realized that they love each other but they are toxic together. My advice is to live seperately, date if they can and everyone does their own things. Separate residence makes relationship good sometimes.
Sarah Paulson spoke about the preference to have separate residences w/ Holland Taylor – it came up during the Tony nomination season. She said though they miss each other during time apart, the arrangement makes sense for them as working actors & 2 adults who have lead independent lives for so long.
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They’ve been together since 2015. ETA: I realize it’s slightly different when children are involved, but the kids are older now & growing into their own routine.
These two are so mismatched. The picture of Ben leaving the office in his crumbled suit holding an iced coffee with a duffle bag slung over in his shoulder compared to JLo being driven out looking sleek with huge sunglasses says it all. They want two different lifestyles. No amount of money can change that basic fact. In fact, it exacerbates it. Us normies have to compromise all the time because our resources are limited. The sky’s the limit for these two. Time for each of them to move on. Ben – go enjoy Dunkin! JLo – go enjoy Italy! Let the kids stay in touch but live your lives.
All I know is if I had disrespected MerlinsDad by showing off the love letters he wrote me before we were married (still leaves me love notes to this day) to ANYBODY, there wouldn’t be any “us”. I cannot fathom that a person would think that’s ok.
I am not invested in either of them, only know what I read here, but if they’re that miserable, then no shame in going different ways. They both deserve peace and whatever form happiness brings them
@MerlinsMom That’s pretty sweet about your love letters. I’m afraid I agree with you about sharing love letters. That is a clueless thing to do. And a few other things. If I cherished a person, I would cherish their manifestation of love and hold the love letters close. To fling something so intimate out to the world shows she loves adulation more than she loves Ben. Pen Affleck? I would have walked. I think that is egregious. And strange. And weird. And that has nothing to do with who is more whatever than the other. That is what sticks out to me.
And coming back to say again, to tell him everyone is calling him Pen Affleck? I would be humiliated. I thought one was supposed to protect one’s love one, one’s partner. You can’t even have a marriage without sharing with the world. Surprised she didn’t talk about their love making. I think sharing love letters is akin to that.
protect one’s loved one, I meant.
It’s truly unforgivable, and the only possible outcome she could have been hoping for is that everyone else sees how much Ben actually loves her, despite his resting Ben Affleck face, and that’s so self-centered, it makes me sick.
I think he’s worse than she is, and I wouldn’t last a day married to him, but the letter thing is so bad.
People reporting that a “source” ( Ben) claimed that Ben moved the rest of his stuff out of their jointly owned home while JL was in Italy. Everyone knows People is Ben’s go-to for reporting. He is waiting for JL to file & ANNOUNCE PUBLICLY . Ben pretty much denounced her claim that she left him with the article stating also that he has lived in a rental near JG for over 2 months now! Their FIRST wedding ( in Vegas)I believe was
July 16th, so she could wait until then, which would be exactly 2 years to the date. I would think they both would want the announcement done PUBLICLY before the next school year. I am thinking that JL will move back to NY for a fresh start but who knows? Why do I think that maybe JL had wanted Ben to relocate with her in NY? The last home she sold in CA was absolutely gorgeous!!! ( there was no comparison!)I don’t understand why they didn’t just add on to that one. It would have saved them so much $ & alot less grief!!!
They may also take a page of out of Natalie Portman’s marriage & announce the divorce AFTER it is finalized. I am sure TMZ will inform us when the separation date was listed. Why do I think Ben’s will
differ from hers?
They love each other but they can’t live with each other. They’re incompatible. It happens.
Exactly this. It doesn’t have to be complicated or a competition between each partner’s current flaws and past histories. They knew who they were marrying and making an argument that JLo is more responsible than Ben, or vice versa, is moot.
What were they thinking? In their 50s, weathered but wiser, lessons learned, maturity accrued, right?. Instead we have the greatest love story ever told, this century’s Liz and Dick and a sterile looking building that calls itself a house now on the market.
I feel like we can partially blame the pandemic for this. Everyone went a little bat shit crazy, and these two fell back into the love both of them seem to think is the love of their life, despite being wildly incompatible.
I think divorce can be the best choice sometimes, and I’m not going to criticize them if they’re getting divorced, but it does kind of perplex me why they got married in the first place. They’ve known each other a long time, they must know they aren’t compatible at all, no matter how much they love each other. Getting married is not going to magically fix that (and both of them have been married before, so they should know). Especially in your 50s, why not just live together, or even keep separate homes but just spend time together however you like? I feel like maybe JLo just wanted the fairy tale … but by her age, with three divorces already, she should know that there’s no such thing – after the whirlwind romance, after the big splashy wedding, you just settle down to everyday life, and if you and your spouse aren’t on the same wavelength, it’s not gonna work. If they didn’t have kids, I’d think, no harm, no foul, but this has to be hard on the kids.
I’m sure at the time Beverly Hills Versailles seemed like a good investment at the time. But maybe it was just too big for them and want to downsize. If there isn’t a quiet divorce announcement July 3rd. I am going to have hope they are working it out. And 100% it will be Jennifer filing if it happens. Ben always wants to seem like a Gentleman while he is anything but.
People have buyer’s remorse all the time. On the flip side when my parents retired, they bought a cute little apt/condo in Florida. Then they realized they hate living in an apartment with people above and below them. And sold it six months later to buy a house. Where they are now.
I need to amend my “what were they thinking.”. It doesn’t only apply to the 60 something million house but rather the whole coming out of their reunion, the greatest love story that ever was and will be. They couldn’t have just dated quietly? Did they need to have the engagement, the ring/rock, the wedding (s)? Did two middle aged adults learn anything from past relationships and life in the white hot glare of papparazzi and social media?
I don’t buy the whole letters thing. Someone on here said Ben directed the film. He knew exactly what was going to be in it. If he had second thoughts those scenes could have been edited out. Once the film was out for public view he might not have cared for that segment but how is that all on her? Also putting everything on her is total BS. I think they do love each other, whatever the issues. If they are ending their marriage better to do it before stupid shit (having affairs etc ) starts happening. Good luck to all involved especially the children.
@Tashiro did we see the same doc? Did Jlo said it her self that she gave them the book to her team to get song “inspiration from” why would it being edited out make a difference ? You could tell her band of yes men/women were pushing him out and she allowed it. The second my husband is moving into another residence would have told me I might have pushed it to far She would be on tour out of pure pride and she hadn’t gotten better advise about how she was coming across. An I a confessed long time Jlo fan was relived she didn’t do it. I agree though anyone with two eyes can see this was/is true love and it’s very sad. I also feel they are both sad and healing in their own way. I don’t agree with how Jlo is being treated either. They act like she was caught in bad with someone else.
ben didn’t direct the documentary film. his company did produce it. of course both would have had veto over what was in it but it should have been jlo who took it out since it made her look bad. He came across very well in the film and she didn’t. There were numerous instances where she came across as self obsessed, full of hubris and determined to listen to no one except herself. of course her lack of self awareness was a problem since she probably thought she came across well. the internet had different ideas on that.
I can’t look past when Gwenyth Paltrow said Ben would be happiest with a 6 pack of beer, a bucket of chicken, and some strippers. That is not compatible with JLo. Two Leo’s, all that fire, I thought it would burn bright then burn out. I will be surprised if we don’t get an announcement by the end of July.
I’m sorry but Gwenyth saying that is funny af
@ MEL
I think Ben did love JL. I believe that after he allegedly walked in & saw her entourage analyzing his private, sacred letters (that he had given JL as a Christmas present) that really hurt him!
She also said Ben couldn’t “stop her from making the documentary “& then she caught herself & said “he wouldn’t want to” He had told her that he NOT want a relationship on social media when they first got back together & she had to prove to the world that she finally got him! I can’t imagine still liking, let along loving a person who acts like this..
Jlo and Ben fan here but when I saw the love letter thing it floored me. Then how she treated her employees. The side eyes, driving off while yelling instructions at them when they asked her something and straight up making them feel small and them smiling through it. It was the moment I was like “she wanted to do this and now she torturing her staff, husband, friends and for what?” Their was this feeling of anger about how she was treated when they broke up that she never healed and never admitted that to herself. I think we saw a glimpse of what Ben was dealing with behind closed doors. Also her manager is one shady b. Blowing smoke up her ass and side lining Ben. No boundaries, disrespected and exploited…I understood why he moved out at that point. He WAS being supportive and she took that an ran and never consulted with him on things like the letters. I don’t care that he was a gambler, cheater and grumpy cat … that would hurt anyone, so please stop using this admitted issues to say he cant know now what makes him happy and set boundaries. This two loved and still love each other deeply but she is not at peace in life and there was an anger in the documentary. Her moods would swing big time and the hell bent need to make this HUGE tells me there is so much we don’t know and might never true know. She wanted to make the marriage a product “and now that we are back together I feel I have something to offer” broke my heart. She meant it.
Thank you YupYup!
Jlo discarded his feelings and boundaries on a daily basis, they bought the house SHE loved, she didn’t care he hates it, he didn’t want to be on social media but compromised for her, he never went to the met gala or any fashions shows but went for the first time for her. He walked the red carpet twice in 10 years with Garner but walk almost every red carpet with jlo. She took and took but what were her compromises ? What is this relationship where only one person need to compromise and make the sacrifices? Because Ben is an alcoholic so he must be the one to blame here ? She made this entire relationship about her and her needs
Interesting. Thank you for the backstory, the person in their marriage I know the most about is Jennifer Garner.
Both times Jennifer Lopez got with Ben she was vilified by the public and press. This didn’t happen with any other man except the white one. It should be studied.
Her marriage to Cris Judd was openly mocked and Jen received considerable flak for marrying one of her dancers. Also, Cris went on record at the time complaining about how much he hated the paparazzi and the intrusion into their private life.
Her relationship with Casper Smart was relentlessly dissected by the media. Nobody could understand why she was with him, apparently he cheated on her several times and they broke up, only to reconcile but that only lasted a year. Perhaps getting involved with a boy toy 18 years her junior wasn’t the “Smart”est thing to do.
i remember the internet throwing fits over casper smart especially when she took him back after the infidelity(ies). i believe it was DMs or texting like the ARod one. that’s why i don’t believe she would have split with ARod unless she had Ben to jump off to.
JLo capitalized on their relationship and that’s just not right. She tried to turn it into some kind of bankable all-singing, all-dancing, all-acting romantic extravaganza and it fell flat. Ben’s a passive-aggressive jerk with a bag of bad behaviour to drag around. I never thought this marriage would work, they’re just too different, and apparently too emotionally immature to work out differences cooperatively.
So I’m only a bit younger than them and divorced. I have been on my own since my kid was 3 and lived alone. I LOVE MY SPACE. My kid will be off to college in 3 years. I was just thinking how I’d rather spend all day every day looking at pics of people flossing their teeth or clipping their toenails on the internet with the annoying ESPN theme song in the background on loop than live with ANYONE ever again (except my kid of course). Like I don’t want to live with family, a friend that needs a place to stay, or anyone else. I read somewhere that living alone as a woman is one of life’s great luxuries. And to me it is. To each their own.
I hate to bring up GOOP. But maybe she was onto something with the separate house thing. She was super cautious and I commend her for that (yes I am praising Goop right now trust me it’s shocking to me also lol). So Gwyneth got remarried. For a long time, they maintained separate houses. They gave all of the kids time to adjust. This is super smart. I remember thinking at the time it was one of those weird Goopy things like steaming your vag and bragging about it to the peasantry. I get it now.
I have zero interest in relationships in general but if I did, I would ONLY get remarried to someone who maintained a separate house. You’re not taking half my condo, getting in my space with your grumpiness and general asshattery. Don’t put that on me Ricky Bobby but if I did fall in love again it’s either 1) you maintain your separate home / property and we don’t co-mingle anything or 2) we buy a separate property together (I keep my condo you keep your place) and it has separate bedrooms and bathrooms. Hopefully you travel for work 3 weeks out of the month and get the hell out of my space on a regular basis.
Men are a lot. They take up A TON of space. And I’m too happy in my personal life to chance them coming in here to ruin the whole vibe. I’d be like this times 10,000 if I had JLO money!
Goop had separate houses in the beginning of her second marriage because her new husband kids did not like her because Goop was the other woman. If I remember right once his kids got older and moved out they moved in with each other.
close but not 100% correct. they (gwyneth and brad) lived together with her kids at her house during the week and he had custody of his kids on weekends so he kept his own house and spent weekends there with his kids. for a year. so you can say they part time lived together. a lot of people slammed it because it was gwyneth i guess but it sounded great to me!
It’s too bad we’re not both gigantic lesbians, because I agree with you 100%, Side Eye, right down to my one kid being the only person I will live with.
Lol Christine! ha ha! I always joke if I were a lesbian I’d feel completely differently. Nothing like having a good wife in your corner! Wives add so much to other people’s lives! Well most of them anyway. I’d still want my own space often though. I just love that alone time. Grew up in a crowded house. Lots of siblings who didn’t get along. Alone time is so wonderful / peaceful / serene.
@SIde Eye I have never been married(43), but lived with someone for a long time and when I moved out on my own, I felt so free. I have an older friend currently who refuses to leave her third husband because she “can’t be alone and has never been alone” since she was 17 and she is currently 60. I don’t understand it and find it extremely unhealthy, particularly since they are like roommates, no intimacy, separate bedrooms. She actually left him for 10 months and kicked him out of her place, all to go crawling back to him when she didn’t find another man fast enough(she dated a lot, but no one wanted to love bomb her and move in straight away)! I thought maybe because I am an only child is why I enjoy being alone, but clearly there are others who are fine with it as well. I think some people are afraid to be alone on a deep level.
I would like to get married one day, but to the right person and circumstances and if I own a place when that happens, I will not be giving it up. They will also have to sign a prenup. I also would be perfectly fine if he had his own place and we stayed over each others on occasion.
@ SideEye, Andrea, Christine: I’m trying to remember if it was a Ken Burns documentary or what, but I remember very long ago watching a program about the Irish influx in New York in the 1800’s, and how very hard they worked to earn their money, and there was a contingency of Irish women that lived together and eschewed getting married because they absolutely refused to put up with their fellow countrymen drinking their hard earned money away, and the ensuing behavior. Somehow that stuck with me. Not trying to profile the Irish, just saying.
I would join a commune of like-minded women in a heartbeat.
My girlfriends and I (all in our mid-50s) talk all the time about buying an apartment that we use as a kind-of communal “timeshare.” We’d each get it for a week or two at a time on a rotating basis. We all love our husbands and don’t want to get divorced. But honestly, like you said @SideEye — husbands (men) are a lot. As they get older, many of them get more hermitty, more home-body-ish, whereas a lot of women want to do more, get out more, have more experiences — finally focus on ourselves, now that kids are out the door and we’re settled in our careers. And we just want more SPACE.
Can we just declare this relationship a draw? If it ends in divorce it won’t matter who’s more at fault because all the speculation is around her career ambition vs his personal behavior, issues well-documented and known to both parties. There is always the possibility that they simply realized getting married was a mistake, something that’s easier to identify when it’s not your first marriage.
Agreed 👍
Her relationship with Alex Rodriguez was also dissected, especially when she posted Emme crying in her dad’s arms on social media & Marc comforting his daughter. She was in a relationship with Alex for 5 years & the next minute she was back with Ben ( shame on both of them for not taking time for themselves ALONE for awhile. Ben Affleck has also been dragged by the media for his alcoholism, depression , RBF.
JL is the common denominator in all these relationships mentioned above…
What do all these have in a common denominator..JL
Let’s not forget how Ben and Ana de Armas became the pandemic’s butt joke bc of their daily pap walks.
A lot of time and energy wasted discussing these 2. They were the only ones who couldn’t see that it was so fckng obvious that this relationship would never ever work. Jen has her set of relationship problems with men and Ben is also problematic with his own issues (drinking, the nanny?, the gambling?). I wanna know if there’s a prenup and what’s on it
they both need to just be alone and focus on themselves and their respective kids.
I find nothing sad in their ridiculous saga of ego, cowardice and tons of money. They’ll be fine. And if they’re not, that’s on them. Boo-frigging-hoo to them.
I feel like they were having a midlife crisis of sorts. They got caught up in the nostalgia and what could have been and ran with it.
Ben is years sober at this point, is in therapy, helps others with addiction and has been admirably open about the whole thing. I hate that it’s used as a stick to beat him with. I have no idea what’s going on in their marriage but he doesn’t appear to be spiralling in that way – he looks good, is driving his kids all over, going to work