Off The Record
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez Stun Fans with Divorce Rumors After Explosive Birthday Drama
Similar to the movie Gigli, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are coping with a protracted flurry of separation rumors that have left everyone stunned and perplexed.
We are living in uncertain times, what with rumors circulating that they are divorcing, photos from paparazzi showing them looking happy, J. Lo’s abrupt cancellation of her tour (more on that later), and hazy photos of Ben without his wedding ring.
Naturally, in order to make sense of it, we’ve compiled all the information in one location.
Ben and Jen Are Living apart and Not Speaking
Numerous publications and sources have verified their housing predicament. First, on May 16, TMZ revealed that Ben had been living alone in a Brentwood house. Later that day, Us Weekly corroborated this, and on May 19, a source for Entertainment Tonight asserted, “They have been staying in separate homes and the tension has been high.”
They contact “primarily to discuss essential matters and updates,” according to a source who spoke with Us Weekly on May 28. Ben was reportedly “moving his belongings” out of their house on June 28, according to a People article.
TMZ most recently revealed on July 27 that Ben had bought a $20.5 million house, which he did on J. Lo’s birthday.
Ben and J. Lo aren’t on speaking terms, which is delaying down their divorce proceedings, according to a TMZ report from August 5.
J.Lo Is Still Wearing Her Ring
Here she is on May 17, when divorce news was all over the media, clearly showing off her ring to photographers for the paparazzi and grinning.
On July 4th, she wore it in the Hamptons as well:
But Ben Has Been Spotted Without His Ring
On May 17, the day this first picture of Jen ^^ was taken, Ben was spotted in pictures released by TMZ sans his ring. But on May 19, just two days later, his ring was back on his finger.
J.Lo Canceled Her Entire Tour Amid the Rumors
Jen made the announcement on May 31 that she was “taking time off to be with her children, family, and close friends,” which included calling off her whole This Is Me…Live tour.
Writing about the decision to scratch the tour, the singer wrote, “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time.”
They’re Officially Selling Their House
Despite Jen’s desire to sell their house covertly, the couple put it on the real estate market. Their asking price is $68 million, according to TMZ, but with the amount of labor and repairs they did, it might end up being less than that.
A source told Us Weekly that Jennifer is allegedly “distraught” by the situation, saying, “She wants to sell their house off-market to try and get less attention surrounding it. Ben doesn’t care about the negative attention. He’s been through this before and it doesn’t faze him.” The source also revealed that Bennifer “can’t get on the same page [and] have been discussing divorce as an option.”
FYI: This All Started in the Tabloids
Rumors about Ben and Jen kicked off thanks to a tabloid report from InTouch on May 15. They spoke to an “insider” who said, “The writing is on the wall—it’s over. They’re headed for a divorce—and for once, [Ben’s] not to blame!”
This insider also claimed the couple “never stop loving each other, but she can’t control him, and he can’t change her.”
They‘re on “Different Pages”
Sources have been evasive about the reasons why Jen and Ben are having marital problems. They started having problems a few months ago as Jen started ramping up her job responsibilities and getting ready for her tour, according to someone Us Weekly spoke with back in May. Jen is working hard at her work. Most of the time, they are on whole, distinct pages.
The pair “did not celebrate Mother’s Day together,” a source told People at the time, and another insider with Us Weekly said that motherhood and money “have exacerbated” their problems.
Meanwhile, an Entertainment Tonight insider said, “Ben feels like Jen has a hard time feeling satisfied and that’s one of the issues they’re facing. Ben is one of the only people who feels comfortable enough to be honest and real with Jen. It’s part of why Jen loves him but also why she’s upset with him.”
Jennifer Liked a Post About Unhealthy Relationships
The post in question (from March 19) read: “You cannot build a healthy relationship with somebody” who “lacks integrity and emotional safety,” “doesn’t respect your time, doesn’t think it’s important to call/text back in a respectable time frame,” “lacks effective communication skills,” and “doesn’t know who they are or what they want.”
Divorce Papers Are Ready but Not Filed
Multiple sources told the Daily Mail in late July that Bennifer’s divorce papers are “finalized” but “not yet turned in.”
Per one insider who’s reportedly “close” to the couple, “They finalized the divorce papers with her a month ago but are waiting for the right time to drop them. At that time, they will release a joint statement that will say how much they love for each other and how they fought to make it work but couldn’t. Honestly, in the end, they could not come to a compromise. What they had before is gone and they have both accepted it.”
Compared to June, when a source told Daily Mail that J. Lo was still devoted to keeping their marriage intact, this feels different:
She is prepared to give up being J.Lo in order for this marriage to succeed, as she truly wants it to. She is opposed to getting divorced. She wants to be independent at 60, not like Madonna.
Jennifer Garner Is Rooting for Them
A source spoke to Us Weekly about Jennifer’s thoughts on all the Bennifer divorce rumors and said, “Jennifer Garner is encouraging Ben to work on his marriage to Jen. She fully supports their relationship and wants nothing more than for him to be happy.”
More recently, a Daily Mail source said, “Jen eventually got to a place where she was like, ‘Sorry, figure this out yourself.’ It was beginning to become too painful for her because it was bringing back so many memories of their divorce.”
A Reporter Straight-Up Asked J.Lo About the Divorce Rumors
Is your divorce with Ben Affleck real? J. Lo was actually asked this during a press conference for her upcoming movie Atlas.
Her response? “You know better than that” Yiiiiiikes.
They Were Last Seen Together in May
On Thursday, May 30, Ben and Jen were photographed together in Los Angeles as they made their way to Violet Affleck’s high school graduation celebration. Chris Anne Boldt, Ben’s mother, accompanied him and trailed after them.
J.Lo’s Family Wants Her to File for Divorce
“Cut your losses and move on to avoid getting any deeper in this mess,” the singer’s mother Guadalupe Rodríguez reportedly advised her, according to a Daily Mail source.
“She told her that she’s wasted years believing that Ben was some kind of knight in shining armor,” the source said. “He was not the person she built him up to be. It’s taken too much of a toll on her and because of this she has lost sight of who she is and what she stands for.”
J. Lo’s sisters, meanwhile, “want her to get on with her life—focus on her kids and career—and file for divorce first.”
As for how J.Lo feels, a source told Page Six in August that “she’s furious,” adding, “He has humiliated her. He was the one who initiated getting back together. He’s humiliated her because she made a big deal that he’s the love of her life. They just had two weddings two years ago. This is some kind of a record, they’re not young kids.”
They Didn’t Spend the Fourth of July Together…or Their Anniversary
The singer celebrated the holiday “with family and friends” in the Hamptons in New York, a location she “always enjoys,” according to a source close to J. Lo, as reported by People.
Ben, on the other hand, was apparently in Los Angeles, where he spent time with his three kids and went to his office.
The pair did not spend their second wedding anniversary together, but J. Lo was accompanied by Violet, Ben’s daughter:
J. Lo and Violet “have gotten close throughout Jen and Ben’s relationship, and maintaining that closeness is important to everyone,” an insider told Entertainment Tonight.
“Ben certainly doesn’t want to cause any strain between Jen and Violet, and he is in support of them spending time together,” the source added. “It’s a little tricky for him, but both Jen and Ben want all their kids to be happy, regardless of the issues they are facing in their marriage.”
They’re Waiting to File for a Specific Reason
According to an Entertainment Tonight source, Bennifer “waiting to announce their official split, because they want to make sure everything is seamless when they do, especially with everyone involved. Neither of them want this process to be rushed. They are treating the separation with as much grace, understanding, and gentleness as they can.”
Plus, “They want to make sure the kids are comfortable with the transition and where they are living, etcetera. They don’t want to make it feel like they’re pulling the rug from underneath their children. They’re making a mutual effort to ensure that this transition is as healthy and easy as possible.”
We’ll provide you with the most recent information about Ben and Jen’s relationship.
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