5 revelations about Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's romance from documentary that fans blame for split

5 revelations about JLo and Ben Affleck's romance in her documentary: From public scrutiny to mutual forgiveness

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have had a whirlwind romance spanning decades, and their love story has captivated fans worldwide. Lopez's Prime Video documentary 'The Greatest Love Story Never Told', released alongside her project 'This Is Me…Now: A Love Story', provides a deep dive into their relationship, featuring interviews with Lopez, Affleck, and those close to them. Here are five key revelations about their love from the documentary:

1. Ben Affleck’s reluctant support of Jennifer Lopez’s artistic vision

Jennifer Lopez’s documentary wasn’t an easy project to embark on, especially given Ben Affleck’s desire for privacy. Despite his reservations, Affleck stood by her side, recognizing her need for artistic expression. In the documentary, Lopez admitted, "I don’t think he’s very comfortable with me doing all of this but he loves me, he knows I’m an artist and he’s going to support me in every way he can." "He doesn’t want to stop me but that doesn’t mean he’s comfortable being the muse,” she added. Affleck, reflecting on the experience, noted, "Jen is really inspired by this experience which is how artists do their work. They get inspired, their personal life, it moves you. I know as a writer and director, I certainly do the same things. But things that are private, I’d always felt are sacred and special because, in part, they’re private. So this was something of an adjustment for me." Affleck understood the importance of the documentary as a journey of self-love for Lopez, rather than a spotlight on their relationship. "I don't really love being in the making-of documentary about my personal life, which is why I'm relieved that... it seems like I might be in this but I'm not really. I was worrying for no reason," he said. "The movie wasn't about me. It was about the ability to love yourself and that love story is a lot f**king harder to find than Prince Charming."

2. Their love story's deep impact on Jennifer Lopez

Lopez revealed just how deeply her relationship with Affleck has influenced her life and work. She candidly shared that she never truly fell out of love with Affleck, even after their breakup in 2004. "We’re totally different people now (yet) we’re the same and we have the same love. 100%. I’d never fallen out of love with you. I had just put it over here," she said, reflecting on their split in 2004, which occurred just three days before their scheduled wedding. Lopez emotionally acknowledged how Affleck’s belief in her changed her self-perception, emphasizing that his love made her see herself in a way no one else could. "What he said and what he saw in me and what he made me believe about myself only comes from love. Because nobody else could’ve made me see that about myself," Lopez said through tears. "It’s very moving. I didn’t think much of myself and so the world didn’t think much of me. That lined up. This is how it is. See it. Believe it." The breakup left her feeling not only heartbroken but also like she had lost her best friend, a pain that lingered for years.

3. Ben Affleck’s insight into Jennifer Lopez’s childhood trauma

The documentary delves into Lopez’s past, with Affleck providing his perspective on the emotional challenges she faced growing up. He spoke about the emotional neglect Lopez felt as a child, noting that trauma doesn’t always have to be extreme to leave lasting wounds. "We are kind of learning more and more, it doesn’t have to be the kind of trauma where you’re locked in a basement for a year to leave wounds on you. In fact, they’re deceptive when they’re harder to pin down," he said. Affleck reflected on how Lopez’s drive for success and validation was partly rooted in this early pain, suggesting that true healing comes from within, rather than external achievements or recognition. He explained that it's common to view someone who appears "widely successful" on social media and assume "they're living the happiest life in the world" on social media. 

4. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's different approaches to public life 

Looking back on their 2004 breakup, Affleck attributes the cause to the overwhelming scrutiny surrounding their personal lives. Lopez and Affleck had different approaches to dealing with the media, which contributed to the pressure on their relationship. Lopez offered her perspective, "We bought a Bentley and drove around town with it. It’s like, ‘Yeah take pictures of us'. It wasn’t that. We were just celebrating our lives and our love." When they rekindled their romance, Affleck was hesitant about being in the public eye again, but he realized the need for compromise. He acknowledged that being with someone like Lopez, who is comfortable with the spotlight, required him to adjust his boundaries and accept some level of public attention. Affleck explained, "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. Getting back together I said, 'Listen, one of the things I don’t want is a relationship on social media. " He added, "Then I sort of realized it's not a fair thing to ask. It’s sort of like you’re going to marry a boat captain and you go, 'Well, I don’t like the water'. We’re just two people with different approaches trying to learn to compromise."

5. Embracing forgiveness for each other 

Forgiveness played a crucial role in allowing Lopez and Affleck to move forward in their relationship. Affleck reflected, "When I first read the script, it looked like the inciting incident that causes all this pain down the road is our breakup." "I thought, ‘Wow. Nobody did anything wrong. It was mutual'. I think for us to move on from that, we have to kind of forgive it. Forgive each other. Do you forgive me?" Affleck asked Lopez if she had forgiven him for their past. While the documentary initially left this question unanswered, Lopez later revealed that she had indeed forgiven Affleck, but acknowledged that she still needed to work on forgiving herself for certain things and said "I’ve forgiven you all the way. I think I need to forgive myself (on) some things." This mutual forgiveness was essential in rebuilding their relationship and navigating their future together.