Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's fairytale marriage crumbling after less than a year as couple always on 'two different pages'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Nearly two decades after their first engagement ended, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are at a crossroads again.
The Hollywood power couple, who rekindled their romance and tied the knot in the summer of 2022, are reportedly taking a break from each other to reassess their relationship. Affleck has recently moved out of their $60 million Beverly Hills home to a rental in Brentwood. Here’s an inside look at what went wrong in just 22 months.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck taking 'some space' to work out their issues
The couple has reportedly decided to take "some space to work out whether or not the relationship is right for both of them." Sources close to Lopez reveal that tensions began escalating a few months ago, Radar Online reports. As Lopez ramped up her work commitments, preparing for her This Is Me…Now tour, Affleck struggled to keep up. "Jennifer had started ramping up her work commitments and prepping for her tour," an insider revealed. "She's very focused on work and overextends herself,” the source dished.
The 30-date tour starts on June 26 in Florida, but Affleck reportedly disapproves of Lopez’s hectic lifestyle. "He feels worn down by the marriage and has been checked out," the source added. The honeymoon phase, it seems, is over, and the couple is often on "two completely different pages."
Their demanding careers have also added to the strain. With Lopez filming the upcoming musical 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' in NYC and Affleck shooting The 'Accountant 2' in LA, their busy schedules have highlighted their emotional and physical distance. "Both have demanding careers that often require them to be in different cities," a second source explained.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck struggling to 'communicate effectively'
Effective communication has been a significant challenge for the couple. "Over time, Jennifer and Ben found it increasingly difficult to communicate effectively," the source noted. Small misunderstandings frequently escalate into major arguments. Lopez prefers to address conflicts head-on, while Affleck tends to withdraw, leading to fundamentally different approaches to resolving issues.
According to the source, Lopez tends to talk things out when conflicts arise, while Affleck withdraws. “They have fundamentally different approaches to conflict.”
Personality differences have also played a role. Lopez is known for being an open book, sharing intimate details of her life with fans through interviews and social media. She even reflected on her past relationships and reunion with Affleck in her $20 million self-financed musical film, This Is Me... Now: A Love Story, and its accompanying documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told.
In the documentary, Affleck himself mused on their differences, saying, “Getting back together, I said, ‘Listen, one of the things I don’t want is a relationship on social media. Then I sort of realized it’s not a fair thing to ask. It’s sort of like, you’re gonna marry a boat captain, and you go, ‘Well, I don’t like the water.’ [We are] two people with different kinds of approaches trying to learn to compromise.”
A source close to the couple refuted rumors of Lopez being high-maintenance, emphasizing that their issues are "complex."
The second Lopez source added that disagreements over finances and parenting have exacerbated their problems. Lopez shares twins Emme and Max, 16, with ex Marc Anthony. Affleck shares Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and 12-year-old Samuel with ex Jennifer Garner.
