Jennifer Lopez's BFF Loren Ridinger reveals how she is coping with Ben Affleck split: 'As strong as ever'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jennifer Lopez’s longtime friend Loren Ridinger opened up about how she helped the songstress deal with her personal grief while also supporting her following split from ex-husband Ben Affleck.
The Motives creator and entrepreneur discussed candidly about her friendship with Lopez, 55, and how they have supported one another during challenging times in a recent interview with Us Weekly.
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Loren Ridinger puts in a lot of effort for her best friend Jennifer Lopez
The 'Waiting for Tonight' singer looked to her longtime friend Loren Ridinger for assistance as she dealt with the dissolution of her two-year marriage to the 'Good Will Hunting' actor, which culminated in a divorce settlement in January.
"She’s been one of my best friends for so many years and somebody who’s been a big support," Ridinger, 56, revealed to Us Weekly while promoting her book 'Scrambled or Sunny-Side Up?'
"I love her and I admire and I look up to her, but she’s been a pillar of strength at a time where it’s been hard for her too. She’s a powerhouse," Ridinger added.
Ridinger added she relied on the 'Hustlers' actress during a difficult period of her own life after her husband, JR Ridinger, unexpectedly died in August 2022 at the age of 63.
Indeed, the loss, which served as the inspiration for her recently released memoir, 'Scrambled or Sunny-Side Up?: Living Your Best Life After Losing Your Greatest Love', transpired only a few days after the pair attended Affleck and Lopez’s wedding celebration in Georgia.
"Part of this whole journey was the week before JR passed away, we went to the wedding. By the time I finished the book, she was grieving with me," Ridinger said.
Although the two friends were going through different losses, the 56-year-old claimed that she was able to relate to her best friend by sharing their hardships.
"I realized that you don’t have to lose someone to grieve. You can actually go through the loss of a loved one or a divorce and grieve," she added.
According to the court document obtained by E! News, Affleck and Lopez decided to walk away with whatever assets they each earned during their two-year marriage when they finalized their divorce in January.
The documents also disclosed that the 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' actress will revert to her previous last name, which she changed to 'Affleck' following their marriage.
Jennifer Lopez was a strong source of love and support for Loren Ridinger
Although Loren Ridinger acknowledged the support of famous friends like Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, and Serena Williams in her grief over her husband's death, the entrepreneur and Market America and SHOP.com co-founder said Lopez was a powerful source of support and affection.
"I think we were so fortunate that we had each other. If we wanted to cry, we could cry. If we wanted to laugh, we could laugh. And we realized that there is sun again and there are rainbows again. She’s such an inspirational person," she explained.
Loren knew she could always "rely on" Lopez to cheer herself up and brighten her days when she was feeling low.
"I would say, like, ‘Hey, it’s not a good day.’ She’s like, ‘OK, are you fine? Are you good? Are you great?’ And we knew the difference, and we knew the words when we needed each other," Ridinger said.
"I think that’s what great friendships are about when you can test really rocky roads, really rocky times," she added.
Ridinger is certain that Lopez will be fine when she starts a new phase of her life in 2025. "I realized that she is as strong as ever and just a powerhouse. And I love her. I’m so proud of her," she gushed.
Meanwhile, Lopez has already discussed the lessons she learned about independence from her separation. "You have to be good on your own," Lopez told Interview magazine in October.
"I thought I learned that, but I didn’t. And then, this summer, I had to be like, ‘I need to go off and be on my own. I want to prove to myself that I can do that’," she added.
