Jennifer Lopez has officially filed for divorce from Ben Affleck, marking the end of their high-profile reconciliation and two-year marriage. The filing, made quietly on August 20, 2024 – the second anniversary of their lavish Georgia wedding celebration – cites “irreconcilable differences” and requests a return to her legal name, Lopez.
Sources close to the couple have revealed to various outlets that the split stems from a combination of factors, primarily centered around their conflicting personalities and lifestyles.
“They are very different people,” a source familiar with both stars told PEOPLE magazine. “She’s super public and is more social, and he’s more of an introvert and is happy to hang out at home.”
Another insider highlighted Affleck’s alleged mood swings as a significant issue in the relationship. “He doesn’t understand how his bad mood affects people around him,” the source stated, describing “big highs and big lows” that created tension in the marriage.
The couple’s busy schedules and time apart also played a role in the deterioration of their relationship. Lopez spent much of the spring in the New York area filming and working on various projects, while Affleck remained in Los Angeles.
Their separation date is listed as April 26 in the divorce filing, indicating they had been living apart for several months before the official announcement.
Despite the split, sources claim the divorce proceedings are expected to remain civil. “There’s lots of love and lots of respect there—and sadness,” one insider noted.
The divorce filing comes as a surprise to many fans who had celebrated the rekindling of the “Bennifer” romance in 2021, nearly two decades after their first engagement ended in 2004. Their whirlwind reunion and subsequent marriage in 2022 had been seen as a Hollywood fairy tale comeback.
Lopez’s decision to file for divorce without an attorney, known as filing pro se, has been interpreted by legal experts as a sign of her desire to move forward quickly and independently.
Marilyn Chinitz, a matrimonial lawyer not involved in the case, suggested to PEOPLE that this move indicates Lopez “just wanted to get this done” after a period of “hesitation and hemming and hawing.”
As news of the split spreads, attention has turned to how the couple will navigate co-parenting their blended family. Affleck shares three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, while Lopez has twins with former husband Marc Anthony.
People.com
