Jennifer Lopez Reveals Her ‘Biggest Heartbreak’

Jennifer Lopez recently revealed the “biggest heartbreak” she ever experienced, but the story certainly has a happy ending. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe — following the announcement of her new studio album, This Is Me … Now — Lopez spoke candidly about her life and career. During the conversation, she shared that her initial split with Ben Affleck was the worst emotional pain she ever felt.

“Twenty years ago, I fell in love with the love of my life,” Lopez said. “I was working on an album and it was called This Is Me … Then. It was all about capturing that moment in time. Now, the most amazing, incredible, unbelievable thing has happened. The reason we’re here is because I want to capture this moment in time because it is even better than the first time.” 

She went on to explain, “Dude, I wouldn’t even perform these records. It was so painful after we broke up. Once we called off that wedding 20 years ago, it was the biggest heartbreak of my life. I honestly felt like I was going to die. It sent me on a spiral for the next 18 years where I just couldn’t get it right.” 

 “It has the most would-never-happen-in-Hollywood ending,” Lopez later said of how their romance has turned out. “[A] ‘That would never happen. We’re not going to write that because nobody would believe it’ ending.” As Lopez notes, her new album, This Is Me … Now, is in many ways a spiritual sequel to her 2002 album, This Is Me … Then, as she was dating Affleck at the time, and now the pair are back together and married.

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.

Lopez and Affleck began dating again in mid-2021 and finally said their I Do’s in two separate ceremonies over summer 2022. During a Vogue interview, Lopez was approached with the notion that some fans were upset about her taking Affleck’s last name, to which she responded with surprise. “What? Really? People are still going to call me Jennifer Lopez,” she said. “But my legal name will be Mrs. Affleck because we’re joined together. We’re husband and wife. I’m proud of that. I don’t think that’s a problem.”