It’s the best love story over-told — and it’s already gone chilly.
However don’t cry for Jennifer Lopez, or Ben Affleck both, despite the fact that they’re reportedly residing aside after their much-ballyhooed 2021 reunion and two splashy weddings in 2022. To not point out J. Lo’s over-the-top album, hour-long musical movie that she self-financed for $20 million, and the accompanying documentary about her nice love for Ben, all launched just some months in the past.
Lopez insiders instructed The Submit the 2 are “taking time apart,” whereas Individuals journal this week quoted a supply saying the wedding “is not in the best place at the moment.”
Bennifer 2.0 could also be on life help, however sources who know them say there’s no villain or sufferer right here — simply two huge clashing egos who could not even thoughts the headlines inferring the top is nigh.
“They have this amazing Donald Trump quality, the both of them, of having no shame,” a Hollywood insider who labored with Lopez instructed The Submit. “I’d be hiding under the carpet at the point but they’re both out and about — separately — smiling and grinning and keeping us guessing. They could clear this up with one simple statement but they don’t. Don’t feel sorry for them. She loves it, and what people don’t realize is, Ben loves it more.”
However different sources near Lopez says she doesn’t find it irresistible and is genuinely upset — particularly about being being forged as a villain who needs the highlight at any price, whereas Affleck is portrayed as publicity-shy and overwhelmed by the media scrutiny that comes with marrying a diva.
In truth, one business insider says, Affleck is throwing her underneath the bus within the wake of all on the hype surrounding Lopez’s musical movie about her lifelong seek for love, “This is Me Now … A Love Story,” its accompanying album “This is Me … Now,” and the documentary “The Greatest Love Story Never Told.”
The insider factors out that Affleck’s firm Artists Fairness, which he co-founded and runs with longtime collaborator Matt Damon, produced and financed “The Greatest Love Story Never Told.”
“Affleck was across every element of production — including editing,” the business insider stated of the movie, in addition to the negotiations to promote it to Amazon. “As soon as the documentary came out, that’s when the online hatred and negativity towards Jennifer went rampant.”
“She has been torn apart. She’s been blamed for exposing their private life. People have called her a narcissist and said how embarrassing it is for Ben; but at no point did he come to his wife’s defense and say, ‘Actually, it was my idea and my company that made this documentary.’”
Lopez sharply shut down an interviewer who requested her concerning the Affleck break up rumors throughout the Mexico junket for “Atlas” final week, saying “You should know better than that.”
Individuals began noticing earlier this month that the couple — who notoriously pulled the plug on their 2003 wedding ceremony three days beforehand — had not been noticed in public collectively since March 30.
Affleck was then seen coming and going from a brand new rental in Brentwood that’s close to the house of his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, and their three children, whereas Lopez remained solo at their $60 million Beverly Hills mansion. The duo spent two years searching for the house, which J. Lo confirmed off to her 253 million Instagram followers to nice fanfare final fall.
The actor, presently filming the sequel to his 2016 movie, “The Accountant,” has been seen at the least as soon as with out his wedding ceremony band on. Garner, the devoted ex-wife who has been there to select up the items after Affleck’s previous fall-downs, even driving him to rehab after a 2018 intervention, was noticed visiting his new digs.
“Ben is a deeply damaged man who attracts women who want to fix him, and he gives them just enough hope to think that it will be possible,” one insider instructed The Submit. “Spoiler alert: It isn’t. No one tried harder or longer than Garner. J. Lo just learned the same lesson more quickly.”
Sources near Affleck and Lopez will say solely that the couple are taking time aside, and nobody has heard the phrase “divorce” talked about but. In addition they say that Affleck’s wedding ceremony band has been on and off as a result of he’s been filming.
In the meantime, Lopez went solo to the Might 6 Met Gala the place she wore a shimmering, mermaid-style Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown and was dripping in additional than 100 carats of Tiffany & Co. diamonds.
Sources add that Affleck’s absence at Lopez’s current purple carpet appearances in LA and Mexico to advertise her new Netflix movie, “Atlas,” was anticipated as a result of filming on “The Accountant” has been so intense that he was additionally, apparently, unable to attend his daughter Violet’s highschool commencement this month.
However Lopez insiders say Affleck actually ought to have been at her aspect as she hosted the Met Gala.
“It’s a respect thing,” a supply who is aware of Lopez nicely instructed The Submit. “There’s no excuse for not being there unless you’re in jail or you’re trying to blow up your life.”
In March, after her new album flopped — dropping off the Billboard 200 chart per week after it entered at No. 38, her worst-ever debut — Lopez canceled a number of concert events of her upcoming “This Is Me…Now.” tour earlier than re-branding it as a biggest hits tour.
Venue-ticket costs for the tour are priced as little as $49 at some stops and plenty of seats stay, in response to the Ticketmaster web site.
“It feels like a disaster,” a veteran live performance promoter instructed The Submit.
However others say Lopez can deal with her profession; it’s her selection of males that’s the issue.
Affleck is her fourth husband. Lopez was beforehand married to Cuban waiter Ojani Noa (1997-1998), backup dancer Cris Judd (2001-2003) and Latin music famous person Marc Anthony (2004-2014), with whom she has 16-year-old twins, Emme and Max. She was engaged to baseball star Alex Rodriguez earlier than they break up in 2021 and she or he reunited with Affleck.
“If there was a way to divorce on grounds of temporary insanity, he would,” an Affleck supply beforehand instructed Web page Six. “He feels like the last two years was just a fever dream, and he’s come to his senses now and understands there is just no way this is going to work.”
However Affleck will tax any lady he’s with, some say.
“His PR team very cleverly paints Ben as this quality director and actor who hates being a star,” Rob Shuter, who hosts the “Naughty but Nice” podcast and who was Lopez’s publicist throughout her first engagement to Affleck, instructed The Submit. “Bulls–t, Ben loves being a star. He just doesn’t want to be the lesser star.”
“Jennifer is strong but Ben is stronger,” stated a Hollywood insider who has labored with each Lopez and Affleck. “He’s very talented but he’s not easy. The only reason he doesn’t like being in her spotlight it’s because it’s her spotlight and not his. Their [reunion] story sounded beautiful in theory, but sometimes you just can’t go back in time.”
The supply shot down on-line hypothesis that Lopez and Affleck may very well be taking part in at being the 2024 model of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton to gin up curiosity in J. Lo’s new movie and live performance tour.
“I doubt that,” she stated. “But if it is a ruse it’s unforgivable, especially with all their children involved. In fact I don’t know why they’re not handling this better given all their kids and what they’ve been through.”
One other supply who has labored with Lopez additionally insisted that she’s not the villain right here: “Everyone is going to think that this is all Jennifer — it’s not. She was in love, she adores Ben, that is not a crime. And it takes two to tango in any situation.”
