Ben Affleck recently got candid about reconnecting with his ex-fiance Jennifer Lopez, almost 20 years after the pair ended their high-profile romance. Affleck spoke with journalist Michael Hainey for the December issue of WSJ. Magazine, and opened up about he and Lopez rekindling the flame between them.
“I can say that it’s definitely beautiful to me. And, you know, one of the things I really value across all facets of my life now is that it was handled in a way that reflected that. And it is a good story. It’s a great story. And, you know, maybe one day I’ll tell it. I’ll write it all out,” he said before pausing and laughing. “And then I’ll light it on fire.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
The Tender Bar star also spoke about how he is feeling about his place in life right now amid his relationship with Lopez and his three children. “I am very lucky in my life in that I have benefited from second chances, and I am aware that other people don’t even get first chances.”
Affleck continued: “Life is difficult, and we are always failing and hopefully learning from those failures. The one thing you really need to avail yourself of the opportunities provided from that growth is the second chance. I’ve definitely tried to take advantage of that. I haven’t always been successful, but in cases in which I have, they’ve turned out to be the defining aspects of my life.”
Lopez and Affleck first dated in the early 2000s, after meeting on the set of the 2001 film Gigli. Dubbed “Bennifer,” the couple’s relationship was the subject of countless headlines and heavy media scrutiny, which led to paparazzi and tabloid reporters following them around quite frequently. They split up in 2004, with Lopez later explaining that the constant press coverage was a big part of why Affleck wasn’t comfortable continuing their relationship.
After their split, Lopez went on to marry and have two children with singer Marc Anthony. She later split from Anthony in 2011, and then began an on-off relationship with Casper Smart, her former backup dancer. Affleck also tied the knot, marrying actress Jennifer Garner. The couple shares two daughters, Violet and Seraphina; and one son, Samuel. In 2018, Garner and Affleck split, with the Gone Girl star being romantically linked to several different women over the past few years, including Ana de Armas, his co-star from the upcoming thriller film, Deep Water. Lopez began dating former MLB star Alex Rodriguez in 2017. The pair became engaged in 2019, but their nuptials were postponed twice. In April, the now-former couple announced they had split.
