10 signs that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were headed for divorce: From living apart to tense outings

10 signs Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were headed for divorce

Following months of conjecture, Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from husband Ben Affleck on August 20 after two years of marriage. As per the paperwork obtained by TMZ, Lopez revealed the two had split way back on April 26. They had been observed in progressively uncomfortable and tense public interactions in the latter months of their marriage, which indicated their union might not be destined for success. We look back at Lopez and Affleck's final days of marriage to highlight the early signs that they were headed for divorce.

1. Ben Affleck slamming car door in Jennifer Lopez's face

During a public outing in May 2023, fans got a rather candid peek at the apparent problems between Lopez and Affleck. While out and about in Los Angeles, the couple experienced a moment of awkwardness as they returned to their vehicle. First, the 'Air' star opened Lopez's passenger door in a fairly chivalric gesture. Then, however, the stony-faced Affleck let his arm fly and forcefully closed the door behind his spouse. Some of the former couple's fans were surprised and outraged by the display.

2. Jennifer Lopez's solo appearance at 2024 Met Gala

There were reports in May that Lopez and her husband Affleck were getting separated when she was spotted leaving the house without him. Even more unexpected was her May 6 solo attendance at the Manhattan Met Gala. People were astonished that Affleck did not show up to support her during the important event because she was co-chairing the glitzy charity gala. Although a source claimed that the actor "decided to call it quits" on his marriage to the singer, he was reportedly working on 'The Accountant 2' at the time.

3. Ex couple's Grammys row

The couple seemed to have a heated argument at the Grammy Awards in February 2023, but they eventually later laughed it off. Affleck's dejected look turned him into a meme that evening, and a video of Lopez appearing to scold him went viral on social media. The 'Armageddon' actor was observed talking in his wife's ear before she abruptly withdrew and spoke to him in an abrasive manner. They turned to face the camera and assumed blank expressions as soon as they realized they were being filmed.

4. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's somber McDonald's trips

Late in 2023, Affleck appeared to take a liking to McDonald's along with his spouse Lopez, who accompanied him on multiple visits to the fast-food joint. Lopez would often sit next to her husband looking stony-faced or even irritated. The Oscar-winning actor has been candid about his battles with alcohol addiction, even though he has not spoken much about his apparent fondness for fast food.

5. JLo's social media activity hinted at trouble

Despite Bennifer's silence on the split rumors, fans observed that Lopez liked an Instagram post about relationship warning signs a few months before, which sparked intense conjecture on social media. The caption for the March 20 post said, "You can’t build a relationship with someone who is disconnected from themselves. We can’t expect someone to see us when we can’t even see 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." 

6. Different views about their relationship in the public eye

Only a few months before the first signs of a split, Ben revealed details about his and Jennifer's radically differing privacy policies. The 'Argo' star said, "I had a very firm sense of boundaries initially around the press while Jen I don't think objected to it in the way I did. I very much did object to it." After rekindling their romance in 2021, Ben expressed that the "massive amount of scrutiny" they endured was a "catalyst" for the dissolution of their initial engagement. "Getting back together, I said, 'Listen, one of the things I don't want is a relationship on social media,'" Affleck added at the time.

7. Living apart for months

Reports that Jennifer and Ben were not living together surfaced later in May. The 'Maid in Manhattan' actress and the Oscar winner were living apart after almost two years of marriage. The couple's living arrangement was also made public before their second wedding anniversary. This relationship update appeared soon after Lopez went solo to the 2024 Met Gala.

8. Jennifer Lopez’s canceled tour

Jennifer Lopez's 'This Is Me...Live' tour in the United States was canceled at the end of May, per Live Nation executives. It was stated in her OntheJLo newsletter that Lopez was "taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends." The 'Selena' star also addressed her fans through her OntheJLo newsletter: "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..."

9. Spending birthdays apart

The 'Waiting For Tonight' singer turned 55 on July 24 and celebrated with a Bridgerton-themed party in the Hamptons with Ben in sight. She was seen in Los Angeles less than two weeks later, not wearing her wedding band. Furthermore, Lopez neglected to wish Affleck a happy birthday on social media when he turned 52 on August 15. However, according to images obtained by Page Six, the 'Jenny From the Block' singer did pay a visit to his house that day.

10. Ben Affleck buying a new home

According to earlier reports, the actor and the singer had moved out of their $60 million Beverly Hills mansion. In May, the mother-of-two was spotted in Beverly Hills looking at houses sans Affleck. Lopez and Affleck purchased the 46,000-square-foot house for $60.85 million a little over a year ago. Later on, it was revealed that Ben had moved into a rented house in the upscale Brentwood section of Los Angeles. The actor found it conveniently close to his ex-wife Jennifer Garner's house, so their kids won't have to travel far when their devoted co-parents spend time with their kids.