Here's Where Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck's Relationship Stands Amid Pending Divorce: 'They Want To...'
Are Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck keeping things amicable amid their divorce? Here's how the couple is handling their relationship and co-parenting while navigating their split.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are dedicated to maintaining a friendly relationship amid their pending divorce, which Lopez filed for on August 20, the second anniversary of their traditional Georgia wedding. Bennifer initially married on July 17, 2022, in Las Vegas.
A source recently revealed to People that the singer-actress and the Oscar winner are committed to a positive post-divorce relationship because "they want to show their children that things are amicable" and that "there's still a lot of love" between them. Lopez, for those who may not know, is a mom to twins Max and Emme, 16, whom she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony. Affleck, meanwhile, is father to Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12, whom he shares with ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
In efforts to protect the bond their five kids share, Ben and Jen have reunited twice in the past week. Their first meeting took place on Saturday, September 14, when they had lunch with four of their five children at the Polo Lounge of the Beverly Hills Hotel to let the kids catch up. Violet, who is attending Yale University, was notably absent from the reunion. The devoted parents reunited again for a back-to-school event for their children on September 17.
Amid the estranged couple's recent reunions, rumors of reconciliation gained momentum, but those were soon quashed when celebrity divorce lawyer Laura Wasser was spotted meeting the couple at their shared Los Angeles office. The meeting, according to Page Six, occurred on Monday, September 23, to discuss the terms of their divorce, as the couple did not have a prenuptial agreement.
Page Six further reported that Bennifer worked on eight movies combined and also made substantial earnings from endorsement deals as a couple during their two-year marriage. And since the couple did not fix a prenup, any income made during their marriage will be considered community property and will be divided equally by the court.
Besides movies and endorsement deals, their $68 million Beverly Hills mansion, which the couple listed for sale in June and is still awaiting a buyer, is also subject to equal division, regardless of who spent what amount during the purchase.
ALSO READ: Jennifer Lopez vs. Ben Affleck: Who Is Worth More? Net Worth Explored
In her divorce filing, Lopez asked the Los Angeles County Superior Court to waive spousal support for either party. The papers, obtained by People, also indicated that Affleck and Lopez would split attorney fees and that Lopez requested for her maiden name to be restored.
The Love Don’t Cost a Thing singer listed April 26 as their date of separation, which aligns accurately with the media’s timeline of the rift between the couple.
Reports of trouble in Lopez and Affleck’s relationship began circulating in early May when the Atlas star attended the Met Gala in New York without Affleck. Following the event, which she co-chaired, JLo extended her stay in the Big Apple through the summer, while Affleck remained busy filming The Accountant 2 and with other work commitments on the West Coast.
In the months leading up to Lopez’s official filing, the couple spent significant holidays and milestones apart, including the Fourth of July, their Vegas wedding anniversary, and her 55th birthday, which served as perfect fodder for celebrity news and gossip magazines.
Despite their personal relationship being on shaky ground, Lopez and Affleck remain professionally connected, with her starring in two films — Unstoppable and Kiss of the Spiderwoman — both produced by his company, Artists Equity.