Jennifer Lopez Is “Focused on Work” as She and Husband Ben Affleck Continue “Reassessing Their Priorities” Amid Marital Conflict
“They are taking some space to work out whether or not the relationship is right for both of them.”
There are few in show business more hardworking than Jennifer Lopez, and People reports that the singer-actress-dancer-entrepreneur is staying “focused on work” amid hiccups in her personal life, specifically surrounding her marriage to husband Ben Affleck.
And there is more than enough work to focus on: Lopez’s movie Atlas just dropped on Netflix on May 24; she kicks off her “This Is Me…Live” tour in Orlando on June 26; and she has two upcoming films, Unstoppable and Kiss of the Spider Woman, set to be released in the near future. As for Lopez and Affleck, “They’re still living separately,” a source close to Lopez told People. “She’s back in L.A. for tour rehearsals. She seems okay. She’s very focused on work.”
Last week, Lopez attended two premieres for Atlas, one in L.A., and one in Mexico City. A source speaking to Us Weekly said that Lopez wasn’t her usual “bubbly” self while promoting the film: “There weren’t a lot of big smiles, even for photographers,” they said, noting that Lopez did wear her wedding band, but not her 8.5-carat diamond engagement ring. “It seemed like she was just going through the motions.”
Affleck is reportedly at least temporarily no longer living in their $60 million Beverly Hills mansion and is instead staying “at a nearby rental while they figure out their next steps,” Us Weekly reports. The decision to spend some time apart was mutual, a source speaking to the publication said. “They are taking some space to work out whether or not the relationship is right for both of them,” they said.
Problems apparently began brewing a few months ago after “Jennifer had started ramping up her work commitments and prepping for her tour,” they said. “She’s very focused on work and overextends herself.” They added that Affleck “doesn’t agree with Jennifer’s lifestyle” and has felt “worn down” by their marriage.
“He’s been checked out,” they said, noting that the couple are on “two completely different pages most of the time. The honeymoon phase has worn off.”
Lopez has been in New York City most of this spring filming Kiss of the Spider Woman; Affleck, who is currently shooting The Accountant 2, has remained in L.A. “Both have demanding careers that often require them to be in different cities,” they said, which has added to friction. Being geographically far apart “highlighted the emotional and physical distance between them,” they said, adding that the two have struggled to communicate as of late. “Over time, Jennifer and Ben found it increasingly difficult to communicate effectively, and small misunderstandings grew into significant arguments,” they continued. “They have fundamentally different approaches to conflict.”
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Lopez and Affleck have been married for less than two years, and “for Lopez, a fourth divorce could be a source of embarrassment,” Us Weekly writes. According to a source speaking to the outlet, “She’s upset, and really did think she and Ben would be endgame this time around” after their first go-round as a couple back in the early aughts. A different person speaking to the publication said that Lopez has been “committed to working on the marriage” and is pushing for them to get help; Affleck, for his part, was apparently initially hesitant but is starting to “invest more,” they said. Affleck has “struggled with loneliness” and “realized how much he misses Jen” since moving out of their shared home.
So, where does it all stand? Taking everything, of course, with a grain of salt—only Lopez and Affleck truly know the state of their union—the source told Us Weekly that they are “both reassessing their priorities and [figuring out] what they truly want from the marriage.”
Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
The Final Girl Reigns Supreme in These 17 Feminist Horror Movies
Calling all scream queens.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Macy Gray Says Britney Spears Once Skateboarded Into Her Recording Session
??????
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
The 32 Coolest Super-Short Haircuts on Celebrities
Warning: They'll convince you to go for the chop.
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s Marriage Has Reportedly Been “Over for Months”
Two weeks shy of their second wedding anniversary, the latest news doesn’t bode well for the Lopez-Affleck union surviving into year three.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Jennifer Lopez Is Adapting Emily Henry's 'Happy Place' for TV and Fans Have Mixed Feelings
The rom-com author is a #BookTok sweetheart.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Jennifer Lopez Is Apparently Dancing and Shopping on European Vacation Without Ben Affleck: "That's Never Really Been Ben's Scene"
She's making the most of it.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Ben Affleck Is Pictured Without His Wedding Ring for the First Time Since Jennifer Lopez Divorce Rumors Started
But he was seen wearing it the next day, before we all get carried away.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Ben Affleck Says Jennifer Lopez' Fame Is "F***ing Bananas" in Contrast to His
His comments come as divorce rumors continue to abound.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Kevin Hart Is Brave Enough to Ask Ben Affleck About His “Resting B— Face,” and Affleck Actually Has an Understandable Explanation for It
He’d also prefer we call it something other than RBF, thank you very much—and Affleck’s got a suggestion at the ready.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Jennifer Lopez Is Back In Italy, Where She Once Honeymooned with Ben Affleck—But This Time, She’s Solo
Unfortunately, the state of the Lopez-Affleck union is apparently “not getting any better—it’s worse.”
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Jennifer Lopez Wishes "Our Hero" Ben Affleck a Happy Father's Day Amid Rumored Marital Strife
She shared a stunning throwback pic.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published