Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s romance has millennials all in a tizzy again – because in case you didn’t know, these two are the original power couple. The pair were the first to get a portmanteau – Bennifer- after they fell in love in 2002 and went on to enjoy two years together before it all fell apart over media pressure.
However, now older and wiser, Jen and Ben are giving things another shot, and although their whirlwind 2021 romance has only been going for approximately three months, it seems things are getting serious.
So here’s everything we know about their history, and here’s to not making the same mistakes twice…
Early 2002:
Jen and Ben are thought to have met on the set of the much-panned movie Gigli, in which they were both starring. Ben was single but Jen was married to second husband Cris Judd at the time.
July 2020:
Their romance was out of the bag when the two were pictured kissing at Jen’s 32nd birthday party, marking their first PDA. Jen had split from Cris, but two days later she filed for divorce.
November 2020:
J-Lo released the music video for Jenny From The Block – and surprise surprise, it starred Ben. It gave a glimpse into the pair’s attitude towards the press though, and offered an insight into their own personal life – in one shot the pair lounge on a yacht and he could be seen kissing and rubbing her butt.
Ben wasn’t as impressed with the final video though, admitting in 2008 that he regretted shooting the video. “If I have a regret, it was doing the music video,” he shared. “It not only makes me look like a petulant fool, but it surely qualifies as ungentlemanly.”
That same month, the pair were spotted on the set of their second film together, Jersey Girl.
December 2002:
The pair make their red carpet debut for Jen’s film Maid in Manhattan.
January 2003:
Ben surprised Jen with a proposal at his mom’s house in Boston. They walked in the door and “it’s just a blanket, a quilt of rose petals, all over the whole entire house,” Jen told Diane Sawyer in a now infamous interview.
“So many candles, and vases, bouquets. And my song Glad was playing. I walk in, and I was just overwhelmed. I wasn’t expecting it, and I was just like ‘Oh my God.’” His mom had helped set up the romantic moment, and Ben proposed after reading out a letter with all the reasons he loved Jen, before dropping to one knee with a pink diamond ring – her favorite.
February 2003:
The pair walk the red carpet for Daredevil, with Jen wearing the diamond engagement ring. The wedding was set for September 2003.
September 2003:
Two days before the wedding, it was confirmed the big day had been postponed.
They shared a joint statement which read: “Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date. When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate “decoy brides” at three different locations, we realized that something was awry. We began to feel that the spirit of what should have been the happiest day of our lives could be compromised. We felt what should have been a joyful and sacred day could be spoiled for us, our families, and our friends.”
January 2004:
Four months after postponing the wedding, Jen’s reps confirmed they had ended their romance. “I am confirming the reports that Jennifer Lopez has ended her engagement to Ben Affleck. At this difficult time, we ask that you respect her privacy,” the spokesperson shared.
June 2004:
Jennifer married Marc Anthony; the pair welcomed twins Max and Emme in 2008 but split in 2011 and divorced in 2014.
June 2005:
Ben married Jennifer Garner; the pair had three children together, two daughters Violet and Seraphina, and son Samuel. They split in 2015 and allegations of cheating and alcohol abuse emerged.
March 2021:
Jennifer ended a years-long engagement to former baseball player Alex Rodriguez.
April 2021:
Ben shared, for the first time in years, information about their friendship.
“I thought I had a good work ethic, but I was completely humbled and blown away by what she was committed to doing day in and day out, the seriousness in which she took her work, the quiet and dedicated way she went about accomplishing her goals, and then how she would go back and redouble her efforts,” he said.
“She remains, to this day, the hardest-working person I’ve come across in this business. She has great talent, but she has also worked very hard for her success, and I’m so happy for her that she seems, at long last, to be getting the credit she deserves.”
Sources soon alleged that Ben had been visiting Jennifer at her LA home, with a white Escalade SUV belonging to Jen picking Ben up from his nearby home. “Security picks him up at a nearby location and drops him off after spending a few hours at her house,” sources told Page Six, alerting the world that their friendship may be blossoming into more.
May 2021:
The two were both in attendance at the Vax Live event in Los Angeles, where Ben was pictured talking to Jen’s mom, who made an appearance on stage with Jen to sing Sweet Caroline. Days later, Ben and Jen were pictured heading for the airport in Montana after a private getaway at the ultra-exclusive Yellowstone Club.
A favorite of the likes of Bill Gates, Justin Timberlake and Google founder Eric Schmidt, the two reportedly attended a party together, with close pals alleging that they were “very happy together”, and that although “it has all been quick and intense, but Jennifer is happy”.
Jennifer was later in the month pictured arriving in Miami to shoot a campaign for Coach; the singer is based in the Florida city and her teenage twins both attend school there.
However, it wasn’t long before Ben was spotted at Jennifer’s home, with the pair pictured leaving the private residence together.
June 2021:
By June, sightings were coming regularly from Los Angeles, with the pair pictured arm in arm at the Pendry West Hollywood; after enjoying dinner Ben was spotted driving her home. And two weeks later on 13 June, the relationship was confirmed when the two were pictured kissing at Nobu Malibu, during a party for Jennifer’s sister’s birthday.
The two locked lips throughout the evening, and pictures also showed Jen’s twins talking to Ben. On 25 June, they had a private dinner in a private room at Avra Beverly Hills Estiatorio.
July 2021:
Bennifer spent the Fourth of July weekend together with their families. The two were pictured on 2 July at Universal Studios with Max and Emme, and Ben’s nine-year-old son Samuel. “Her kids really like Ben and think he’s funny and fun to be around,” a source close to J.Lo later told E! News. “He’s totally won the family over with his charm.”
His kids spent 4 July with their mom, however, with Ben, Jen and her kids flying to the Hamptons, where the two were pictured wandering arm in arm around the town of Long Island.
In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music that same weekend, Jennifer finally explained how happy she was, acknowleding that she wants “everybody to know that it’s the best time”.
“I’m super happy,” she said. “I know people are always wondering. How are you? What’s going on? Are you okay? This is it. I’ve never been better. And I want my people who care about me, because I care about them so much, to know that I’ve really gotten to a place in my life where I’m great on my own. And I think once you get to that place, then amazing things happen to you that you never imagine in your life happening again. And so that is where I’m at. And I love all the love that’s coming my way right now and all of the, the good wishes. And I just want everybody to know that it’s the best time. It’s the best time of my life.”
