Matt Damon's warning to pal Ben Affleck before Jennifer Lopez marriage revealed amid divorce rumors

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Matt Damon reportedly warned his longtime friend Ben Affleck about rekindling his relationship with Jennifer Lopez before their marriage, sources reveal.

Damon, concerned for Affleck's well-being, especially given his past struggles with alcoholism, is now working to prevent his friend from relapsing amid growing speculation over the state of Affleck's marriage to Lopez.

Matt Damon's stark warning to Ben Affleck before marrying Jennifer Lopez

The couple, who have been married for less than two years, sparked concerns after not being seen together for over a month. Images of Affleck, 51, without his wedding ring and Lopez, 54, vacationing alone in Italy have further fueled divorce rumors.

Damon, 53, has advised Affleck to focus on his work and not lose sight of his professional goals amid the alleged marital turmoil. "Matt tried to warn Ben when he got back together with JLo that this could happen," an insider told DailyMail.com.

"Matt was there to help Ben get it together after their first split and he felt like this would happen again."

Affleck, who holds Damon’s opinion in high regard, has always admired Damon's successful marriage to Luciana Barroso, which has lasted over 18 years. The insider added, "Matt has had a successful marriage for years and Ben has always been in awe of this."

As the situation with Lopez becomes more strained, Damon has encouraged Affleck to dive into his work. "Matt told Ben that he supports whatever choice he makes but wants him to jump in and focus on his work," the source said.

"Ben spent so much time focusing on JLo's projects just like he did the first time around. He told Ben, 'What has she ever done for your career?'"

Damon and Affleck, childhood friends and collaborators on the Oscar-winning screenplay for Good Will Hunting, recently founded Artists Equity, a production company. They are reportedly set to star in and produce an upcoming thriller titled RIP.

Damon has been a steadfast support for Affleck, particularly in helping him maintain his sobriety. "Matt is the only real guy friend Ben has. He would not let him get back on the bottle and has been on him to make sure of this," the source continued.

Online reactions to Matt Damon's advice to Ben Affleck before marrying Jennifer Lopez

The news of Matt Damon advising Ben Affleck before his marriage to Jennifer Lopez has sparked a variety of reactions online, ranging from supportive to critical. 

Many users agreed with Damon’s suggestion that Affleck should focus on his work. One user wrote, "This sounds like good advice. Whatever else is going on, if you can keep your career on track then you haven't lost everything, and have a base from which to rebuild your life."

Damon is widely respected for his professionalism and stability. One comment read, "Matt Damon is one of the most professional and solid people in the upper echelons of media today. He is a good friend to have but Ben has to make the choices himself. No one can make another person long term make and live good choices. Influence, of course, help, yes, make...no."

Some users expressed concern over Affleck’s history with alcoholism. A user pointed out, "There's no such thing as a 'former' alcoholic."

One user commented, "Affleck himself has a loving long lived marriage with a woman who seems to be beautiful, mature, and loving....and yet it wasn’t enough. It just goes to show that cheating and marriage failure is so rarely about the other person, but about the deep failures and inadequacies within yourself. He admires what he had and discarded."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.