The Bennifer marital drama did not take this week’s People Magazine cover, but Us Weekly put Jennifer Lopez on their cover. That feels notable to me! People Mag did have the Bennifer drama on their cover last week, but there didn’t seem to be any major tea. Us Weekly doesn’t really have anything either! We still haven’t heard what the inciting incident was which caused Ben Affleck and J.Lo to separate in the first place. Their last breakup, twenty years ago (!!), there was ample evidence to show why things fell apart. Ben’s late nights in the casinos, strippers, tabloid drama and more. The 2024 separation seems to have even stunned most tabloids and they’re furiously playing catch-up. So I appreciate that Us Weekly is attempting to do some legwork and figure out what the hell is going on. Some highlights:
The separation was a mutual decision: One source close to the couple — who wed in the summer of 2022, nearly 20 years after calling off their first engagement — says the decision to spend time apart was mutual: “They are taking some space to work out whether or not the relationship is right for both of them.”
Things began to fall apart a few months ago: “Jennifer had started ramping up her work commitments and prepping for her tour,” says the source. “She’s very focused on work and overextends herself.”
Ben checked out of the marriage: The source says Affleck “doesn’t agree with Jennifer’s lifestyle” and has felt “worn down” by the marriage. “He’s been checked out,” the source says, noting that the pair are on “two completely different pages most of the time. The honeymoon phase has worn off.”
The couple’s work commitments have also caused friction at home. “Both have demanding careers that often require them to be in different cities,” the source explains. Lopez was recently in NYC filming the upcoming musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, while Affleck, who’s started shooting The Accountant 2, stayed in L.A. The scheduling, says the source, “highlighted the emotional and physical distance between them.”
Communication issues. “Over time, Jennifer and Ben found it increasingly difficult to communicate effectively,” explains the source, “and small misunderstandings grew into significant arguments.” The source says Lopez prefers to talk things out when conflicts arise, while Affleck tends to withdraw. “They have fundamentally different approaches to conflict.”
J.Lo isn’t high maintenance: The source close to the couple says that rumors of Lopez being high-maintenance are inaccurate, adding that the pair’s issues are “complex.”
A fourth divorce? There’s a lot at stake. For Lopez, a fourth divorce could be a source of embarrassment. “She’s upset,” says the first Lopez source, “and really did think she and Ben would be endgame this time around.” The second Lopez source adds that after the pair were so open about their love and reunion, the idea of a split could be uncomfortable. The second source says Lopez has been “committed to working on the marriage” and is pushing for them to get help. Affleck, meanwhile, was initially hesitant but is starting to “invest more.”
Ben misses Jen: The source adds that “[Ben has] struggled with loneliness” since moving out of their home “and realized how much he misses Jen.” For now, they’re at an impasse. While they were apart, “Ben and Jen kept in touch primarily to discuss essential matters and updates,” says the second Lopez source.
What happens next: Friends are torn about where Lopez and Affleck should go from here. “Some believe they can work it out with time and effort, pointing to their deep bond. Others think the relationship has run its course.” For now, Lopez and Affleck are “both reassessing their priorities,” adds the source, “and [figuring out] what they truly want from the marriage.”
I believe a lot of this? I believe Ben checked out of the marriage several months ago (he looked checked out at the This Is Me… Now premiere). I believe they’ve fought about lifestyles and schedules. I believe that J.Lo doesn’t want another f–king divorce and she wants to work things out with Ben, while he has some doubts. I also believe that there’s a lot of “blame” to go around – Jennifer overextends herself, TIMN was a stupid vanity project and she puts too much private stuff out there. On the other hand, Ben absolutely checks out and stops communicating instead of working things out. Anyway, a complete mess.
Cover courtesy of Us Weekly, additional photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Cover Images.
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- HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – FEBRUARY 13: Ben Affleck and wife Jennifer Lopez (JLo) wearing a Zuhair Murad Couture gown with Joseph Saidian and Sons vintage Van Cleef & Arpels diamond earrings and A.Jaffe diamond rings arrive at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘This Is Me…Now: A Love Story’ held at the Dolby Theatre on February 13, 2024 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 846504026, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, JLo, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- Jennifer Lopez at the Netflix premiere of Atlas on May 20, 2024 at the Egyptian Theatre Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 875021654, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 20: Jennifer Lopez at the Netflix premiere of Atlas on May 20, 2024 at the Egyptian Theatre Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. Copyright: xJeffreyxMayerx,Image: 875022142, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
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- Celebrities at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘This Is Me… Now: A Love Story’ Featuring: Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 13 Feb 2024 Credit: Ryan Hartford/INSTARimages.com
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- Celebrities at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘This Is Me… Now: A Love Story’ Featuring: Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 13 Feb 2024 Credit: Ryan Hartford/INSTARimages.com
Ben is a big baby,this is how he behaved last time. Acting like he doesnt know her or owe her anything. He is one of those people that will make you hate them so that you have enough and leave instead of them having to dump you.
No matter where you go, there you are. As much as they are physically attracted to each other, they are not compatible. She will cling and he will destroy the relationship. It’s really sad but therapy can only make you a better you, not a different you.
Also read he cheated the first time. Her self esteem is low, but sadly that’s the case for most female stars.
She needs to accept her single self. He needs… well, i really don’t care. He gropped women.
I wonder if diddy was vicious with her…
@Milas-
Her apparent need to overshare personal things shows her deep, deep need for acceptance from others. What kind of hole does she have in her heart, and who put it there, indeed (or should I suggest “in-Diddy-ed”). I’ve wondered the same abt her time with diddy. I can almost guarantee he treated her the same as the other women, but she probably feels she is now too high profile to make a public statement and process through it. That really is too bad bc she is probably making the same relationship mistakes (whatever they may be, I don’t profess to know) over and over again without any personal growth. I feel some sadness for her at that. It’s kind of a doomed life.
This rings so true
I’m not a huge follower of either but I do feel like she gets a lot of sexist headlines/press. Ben has so many issues and it goes less harshly in the press headlines,
I feel like the sudden divorce headlines are from her camp. They started when P.Diddys abuse allegations got mainstream coverage. It might be her attempt to stop people from talking about her connection to him and what she might know or what she has experienced.
How exactly does she tour with an entire album about finding true love while her marriage ends? How do you convincingly sing those songs when it’s already over? I don’t think she deserves heartbreak (no one does) but when someone says, “I really want this just to be for us”, that’s not unreasonable…been married 22 years and my husband would consider divorce if I published his love letters or shared them with strangers. It’s violating a trust in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong….Ben is hugely problematic and he likes the drug of their romance (emotionally getting high or coming down…I know of what I speak from my past), but she could have respected his ask too.
Totally agree. Ben seems like a mess in his own way but that whole album/musical/documentary was a huge mistake, IMO, especially given that they only got married in 2022 AND their relationship basically flamed out due to overexposure the first time around. Learn from your mistakes JLo!
I thought he cheated on her with a stripper, that’s why they broke up at the time?
Seven, it was intolerable way before any strippers. Ben couldn’t stand being on the cover of every tabloid, and JLo very much wanted that level of exposure and more. Their movie, Gigli, was a laughingstock and Ben needed out just to live. 20 years later the exact same dynamic is back except he has his separate movie life.
@Truthiness, if Ben didn’t want to be on the cover of tabloids, he wouldn’t be. Let’s don’t infantilize a grown man. He did the same pap walks with Ana de Armas too. It is weird to justify cheating. If he didn’t want the life style, he could break up with her. Instead, he cheated on her with a stripper. He cheated in a lot of his later relationships too.
Jlo cheated on her first husband with diddy and on her 2nd husband with Ben and started a relationship with Marc while he was still married. Ben is messy we all know that but so is jlo too
Sorry Sevenblue, I wasn’t trying to cape for Ben, he’s got a boatload of flaws. The point is that they didn’t split over a stripper. Lord knows JLo has overlooked a metric ton of cheating through the years in her various relationships from Diddy onward. He wanted out and did stay out of the tabloids for years. No one here is infantilizing Ben.
Absolutely Nutella. It’s such a betrayal.
This was never about love, I’ve said so many times they don’t even know each other to love each other.
But how does she sing these songs? Does anyone care anyway? It’s so boring.
He’s not kind to his partners, he treated jen1 horribly. Why jen2 thought he’d be different with her, girl. Just no. He’s who he’s always been.
Time to go, Jen2. Have your residency & move on.
She sold out their relationship trying to get a career restart. Ben clearly had problems with the publicity the first time around, so it was sabotage for her to do this. “See, I need you to prove you can handle our love being ridiculously public!” I’m actually on Ben’s side here, if that was the trigger.
I disagree with both you and NUTELLA TOASt. Ben was a willing participant in publicizing their relationship. He was the one who took out the huge Billboard to show the world his love for JLo 20 years ago. He just didn’t like the outcome of it getting from the media or the movie flop and blamed her.
Not one thing in the past 20 has shown that JLo no longer loves the media attention or public display of affection. In fact, it’s quite the opposite frankly, and if the public can see it, then Ben had to.
I don’t remember all the details, so that is a helpful reminder. What I still don’t get about J.Lo’s decision-making now is that everyone around her was telling her not to do this, but she did, and it’s a huge flop. This time around, she gambled her career and her relationship on this, and it turns out that it showed incredibly poor judgment. If my spouse made a monumentally bad series of decisions and ignored everyone around him, I wouldn’t want to continue being around someone so stubborn and unwilling to listen.
Ben is messy. When he was still with or in the midst of divorcing Jen G, he had a huge phoenix tattooed on his back and he fricking denied it. When Henry Gates Jr discovered a slave owner ancestor, Ben had that covered up.
He helped JLo make TIMN—I’m sorry, but I could totally see him okaying parts of this with her and creeping out afterwards. When they did this, was JLo ignoring what he said OR was he first onboard and then got cold feet?
Both of them have issues, but she seems to be the one paying the price.
If that movie and album were hits he wouldn’t be acting like this. I’d bet on that.
Flopping movies were the beginning of the end for them the first time around. He likes her when she’s getting critical acclaim. Hustlers was when he started publicly lavishing praise on her again.
Agree with girl ninja and Kebbie, 100%.
I too believe this article. And “impasse” is not good. I have used that word before – an unwillingness to compromise is how I interpret that word. Digging in their heels. Not. Good.
Yes they are at an impasse. They are both set in their ways and neither of them wants to change.
You’d think these two were 25 years old and married in a whirlwind of young love. 🤦♀️
I just don’t get why they bothered getting married. Could have just had a nice grown folks relationship seeing each other when they wanted, having fun with the kids, and continued leading their different lifestyles. I was one who thought it was rather sweet that they linked up again, but when the wedding was announced I said that would not end well.
THIS. If I were her, that is the set up I would choose. Less drama and less conflict.
Yes to all this. I got zero patience for our lifestyles are not compatible from these two.
I think that just isn’t her personality.
They could have done the Kurt Russell/Goldie Hawn route but she’s always so open about how she loves love and wants THE ONE.
I’d have probably gone the Aniston/Theroux route though, of having a wedding but nothing is actually legal.
She’d never be happy with that. She needs the fairytale and he promised more than he could give.
I’ve been saying this all along. Why not get together when it’s fun and go off to their own homes when they need some space? At this point they’ve got to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and it’s too late for either of them to change – so just enjoy what you have.
I agree! I don’t have their money but, if something happened to my husband and I was on the market again, I would not be keen to get married again.
I agree as well. Rushing to marry because last time fell apart was not a good move. With their busy lives, a relationship but not a marriage would have been the way to go, at least for a while, until they were sure it was working.
@Sarah – I’ve been following a lot of women chat groups on the socials, and this seems like the pervading theme: wouldn’t marry again. Money makes a huge difference of course, but there’s something to be said for having the best of both worlds, independence and a partner to share life with.
Just pointing out Goldie and Kurt have an open marriage.
Based on articles before their Las Vegas marriage, Ben actually was really having a cold feet. I actually think JLo pulled a blind on him, considering the location where we know he has a passion for gamble, and JLo’s mother was there. It looks like they were putting him on a spot. Now before anyone saying that he was his own person and had free will, I am not so sure considering that he wasn’t a regular joe and could say No in such a public stunt. The last thing he wanted was being called left the bride on the altar the second time. It’s really bad for optics and his reputation might never recover which was everything a star had in the industry, especially his tankered post divorce and Metoo.
Yeah, once again, it’s all JL’s fault. “Ben’s late nights in the casinos, strippers, tabloid drama and more.” Do we really believe any of this has stopped? He’s miserable being at any event that involves her, but any event involving Tom Brady, he’s like the mad hatter, drinking, carousing with the good ol boys. Maybe he should just marry Tom. That way they can indulge in each other’s vices to their hearts content.
“[Ben has] struggled with loneliness” since moving out of their home “and realized how much he misses Jen.” He doesn’t miss Jen. He just doesn’t like being alone. He always needs a woman in his life. She’s there to fulfill his needs, not the other way around. It doesn’t matter who. If we’re going to talk about her failed marriages, let’s also talk about his patten of FAILED relationships: Paltrow, Lopez, Garner, Shookus, de Armas, and NOW Lopez again.
So true. And what does it mean that Ben “does not want to communicate and withdraws” in conflicts? It seems like “it’s my way or the highway” kind of attitude. Jennifer should not have to waste her time on this. Of course, there was no need to get married in the first place, but that ship has sailed.
@thymus it’s stonewalling behaviour. One of the four horsemen of relationships as recognized by the Gottman method along with criticism, contempt and defensiveness.
Also the divorce rate for fourth marriages is supposedly more than 7 in 10 divorces.
Reminds me of that famous Jen Garner’s piece on Vanity Fair in February 2016. She said that when he loved, it’s like sunshine, but if he was in a mood, he could cast quite a shadow and it was cold.
I think Ben has ” checked out ” out of this marriage. I think that once Ben ” checks out”, he is done. For the “source” saying if Ben could end this marriage based on temporary insanity speaks volumes.
I think that her entire entourage was probably staying with them in that 60 million dollar home. I think there are too many people in that marriage. I think Ben realizes they are not compatible & that he was in love with the idea of then.
Jlo is always doing everything everywhere I don’t know how it can be sustainable for a relationship. She’s releasing I don’t know how many movies a year, she’s touring, recording and is always husling. I could see how it be a problem.
Maybe Ben doesn’t communicate but if he did would she listen ? She said he was uncomfortable being the muse of the whole project but did it anyway, she said he was a reluctant participant, etc the writing was on the wall with this one. All of that and her showing his private letters without his consent just showed me how little she must have be caring about his feelings on a daily basis
When I see articles like this, about celebrities breaking up, and they start “throwing themselves into their work”, I just want to shake them and tell them to throw themselves into their marriage instead and figure their sh!t out. I feel that so often people use their work as a distraction in order to avoid those uncomfortable feelings and situations but, what you resist persists. It’s far better, in the long run, to lean into the issues at hand and get them sorted.
I so agree with this and I think that’s one of many reasons (financial security and resources also a huge factor) why celebs can marry and divorce so easily. It’s too easy to just escape to one of your 8 houses or a remote movie set when things get bad. When you don’t have that option, you’re essentially forced to communicate and compromise.
I don’t understand this. If Ben doesn’t like JLo’s lifestyle why did he marry her? I’d get this if they were in their 20s even 30s but these are two people in their 50s.
They’re in their 50s but people are often stunted at the age they acquire great fame or fortune so they’re both probably still dealing with their 20/30(ish) year old selves in some respect. Especially in an industry that glorifies youth and behaviors generally associated with young people. Being steady, mature, discerning and thoughtful are boring and don’t get clicks, likes or multi million dollar contracts.
To semi quote a line from Mad Men … Ben only likes the beginning of things.
And when they were dating it was the end side of the pandemic, which led to the strikes. When everyone was huddled at home and not working. They had unlimited time together. But when the world opened up, they both went back to work on projects. The bloom wore off.
I don’t give a F about Ben. But Jennifer does seem so earnest with her love. She goes full into to each one leading to another heartbreak for her.
I really hope they work it out, I am no Ben fan. But for whatever reason she loves him to bits. Maybe they are endgame and just need a good marriage counselor to navigate them through this rough patch. And Ben can learn to stop running away and diving into his vices when he is unhappy. And just deal with his sh*t head on. And Jennifer stops diving into 100 projects to avoid dealing with her marriage troubles.
I once read when her marriage to Marc Anthony was falling apart, her mother called Ben for advice and solace to give to Jen. I get that she is problematic but I do believe she loves him. That he was always THE ONE. I just don’t think he feels that way about her or any past partner. I think Ben is about Ben first and foremost.
That didn’t sound like he’s always been the one, it sounds like he was the one who her mom wants her to be with going by that story. I hope the story is not true because why would JLo mom call her married ex-fiancé who cheated on her to ask for relationship advice for JLo . Talk about having a lack of boundaries for everyone in involved
@Erica Her mom has always kind of famously loved Ben. I can’t imagine liking the guy that broke my daughter’s heart. Maybe she’s the type to turn a blind eye.
That makes me wonder how much of it is JLo love for Ben or the approval acceptance of her mother. As you and Erica have mentioned, her mom loves Ben and overlooks how he’s treated her daughter and crosses boundaries just, to be in contact with him.
If my mom did that to me, I would cut ties with her.
Jennifer doesn’t dive into 100 projects to avoid dealing with marital problems. That’s just who she is. Ben addressed it in the documentary. It’s her addiction just like his alcoholism, a hole that can never be filled even though you want more and more.
It goes beyond her incredible work ethic and drive, ambition. There’s nothing wrong with those things at all. But you have to have a balance if you are entering into a marriage with another high-profile person in the industry, who is also busy, and you both have children. Otherwise, she needs to stick with another Casper, who will accompany her everywhere, or A-Rod, who was all in on creating a brand and traveling a lot together for her gigs.
She might adore and love him. That doesn’t mean she is any easier in a relationship than he is, just difficult in different ways. You can say it publically all you want, gushing about your love for your spouse. It’s more about who you are as a couple in the day-to-day of your marriage and the quality of your time together or lack of time together. They are both alphas combining big, complicated lives, who probably BOTH aren’t compromising enough or just disagree about important, fundamental issues and lifestyles that make them incompatible for a marriage, no matter that the love is there. They both have a lot of baggage, not just Ben. Also, combining kids into one family is not easy, no matter the rosy picture painted for the public. Most of these types of marriages don’t work.
Jayna your comment is so on point 👏
Not wanting a 4th divorce is not the same as wanting to stay married to Ben.
Not even in the slightest.
She love bombed herself into this mess, & he’s a weak man. Not because he’s an addict: to the contrary. His fighting his addiction makes it the strongest thing about him.
But in essence, he’s a weak man. He’ll take the road of least resistance & let his partners do the lifting, the bulk of parenting & work on relationships.
He’s weak & with all her faults, she’s not.
Blind when it comes to love but I don’t see her as weak.
She deserves better, though with more respect for boundaries.
Nah, this is all because of JLo’s connection to Diddy and Ben being terrified that she’s going to get dragged into the mess (bc she was directly involved in at least 1 high profile incident) so he’s distancing himself because he’s a coward.
I wonder if any of this is exaggerated so people dont talk about possibly reopening the case where she lied about bringing Sean combs’ gun into the nightclub. the survivor is interested in having the bullet fragments removed from her face in order to prove he shot her.
I don’t think they can reopen that particular case against Diddy because he was already tried and acquitted. Filling a civil suit might be an option for the victim if she didn’t do so in the past?
They both need therapy ASAP. Neither one of them has matured at all since the last time they were together. I feel sorry for her and I know a 4th divorce must be hard but she sould really analyze why she feels the need to jump into relationships so fast.
I don’t know about her, but I suspect he has had A LOT of therapy already. As part of all his substance abuse treatments, and as likely required during his divorce from JG because child custody was involved.
Yeah, he’s had therapies over the years. In fact, I’ve read his therapy writeups on this site all the way back to 2010 with Jen Garner when they hit marital problems.
I googled it out of curiosity, and she claims she went to therapy and had to learn how to love herself and how to get over her fear of being alone lol. She stayed with a cheating A-rod until she had Ben lined up, so I don’t think it stuck.
Ya, I remember that. It was when she was selling her self-help book, and Casper had just publicly cheated on her, and they had a whole fake breakup. JLo was doing a whole book tour talking about how she was okay with being alone. At the end of promoting her book, she brought Casper a new truck, and they were publicly dating again until his cheating was made public again.
The whole thing was a joke because it is easy to say you’re ok with being alone when you never allow yourself to be single.
It’s also possible that this is a “media storm” created to get in on the news cycle while she is having a movie to promote. I don’t know if it’s true that ticket sales were going slow in vegas as well. Time will tell but so far no one has really said anything really negative about the other party so getting back together would be easily done.
She could just as easily get headlines by hanging out with him on a yacht again. She’s so proud of their epic love story (in her mind), she’d never be okay with marriage trouble rumors.
Plus, it’s the exact opposite of the image and story she’s trying to push with her album and tour.
I think once Jennifer showed the intimate letters, it was maybe game over for Ben. This probably gave him permission to act badly. Maybe he told her not to show the letters, but you know JLO she got to show the LOVE. I do believe they are two people who love each other but cannot live together due to different extreme lifestyle. I think due to Ben’s personal issues and many embarrassing situations, he probably would prefer a more private life. Too bad his wife is more Real Housewife of wherever. Nothing wrong with that, it is the way she wants to live her life. It seems they are too far apart for compromise. I hope they can work it out. They are too mature to let this second chance at love go. Maybe they did not mature at all.
As a love child of a married man and his mistress I just want to say that for sure their children are learning what they don’t want in a relationship and marriage. Sometimes it’s a good example that shows us what we want to be and do and sometimes it’s messy messy parents showing us what not to do. I’m sure their kids have a read on what they both could do to be happy but the parents too thick headed to understand for themselves and do the work. Sad.
One of my grandmothers was in and out of relationships all her life. Always drama with the men in her life. Every single one of her five kids has been in a stable marriage for 25+ years now. She definitely taught them what they didn’t want.
On a random note, does anyone else feel she looks like Joan Crawford here? Something about the eyebrows.
Did anybody really believe they would last? Neither one has significantly changed from before. Jen is in love with the idea of love and fame AND Ben maybe loves his children and Matt Damon and that’s it. He’s got too many unresolved issues to be a good partner to any woman. And to be honest, the only time I’ve seen him not looking miserable with a woman in a pap shot was when he was with Ana de Armas.
They are incompatible. That’s the core of it. Both made mistakes in the marriage: she overshared private matters, he withdrew and shut down. But that happened because of who they are. It was predictable, but I admit I didn’t think it would happen so soon. And the circumstances are so sharply telling, it almost seems scripted.
I hope they figure it out but it feels like the writing is on the wall.
I just have one question: if media scrutiny and spotlight are what broke them up in the first place, why would you do it again…voluntarily? The movie, the songs, the whole parading….why did they offer up their relationship for public consumption again?
Because sometimes, often times, people don’t learn from their mistakes.
He must be a love bomber. The biggest flag I’ve seen about him relationship wise was the Garner quote “I always say, ‘When his sun shines on you, you feel it. ‘ But when the sun is shining elsewhere, it’s cold. He can cast quite a shadow.”
Yes, I have thought about this quote a fair bit. I wonder what Jenn G. is feeling through all of this mess.
Jen G has long moved on and prob doesn’t care as long as their kids have a sober and stable dad. He did those interviews saying he started drinking bc he felt trapped in his marriage (to Jen G) and if they hadn’t divorced he’d still be drinking. He’s pretty awful towards his partners when he’s not love bombing them. Nice to service people at least, unlike JLo.
I wonder, did Jen G get that line from the Talented Mr Ripley?
Having different styles of communication can be an absolute relationship killer. I once dated a guy who always iced me out–for days, weeks, even a MONTH (!)- -when we had an argument. He would gaslight me then just cut me off entirely. By the end of the relationship, I was an absolute mess. It was his way of punishing me when I made him feel bad and it was pure torture for someone like me. And there’s nothing wrong with a “cooling down” period–I do that often in my relationship now–but icing people out is some seriously cruel and manipulative shit IMO. The article makes it sound like that’s what Ben does…
She sold out private love letters to further her career, I’d be pissed off too. There comes a time when you have to respect your partner’s wishes even though you may not agree with them. JLo has a desperate need for attention and validation, she thrives on it and will do anything to get it, she’s like a well with a crack in the bottom — you can keep filling it with water but it will all drain out if that water supply stops. I think she has HPD…her self-esteem seems to depend on constant public attention and approval, and an overwhelming desire to be noticed and praised. However Ben walked into it again and is now trying to “passive-aggressive” his way out of it. Both of them should have known better.
Spot on. I’ve also noticed shades of HPD. Especially with her insistence in showing the letters.
How ironic her desperation and dire need for attention is juxtaposed against her mean and rude treatment.
I sense HPD because the attention she so desperately desires, is envy.
She lives for people being jealous of her and/or wishing to be her.
JLO has an interesting combo of both a narcissistic personality and inferiority complex that makes her put her “work” before everyone and everything else
Is that what’s going on? Because I can’t understand why she’s not cancelling the whole tour and just trying to fix things with the man she calls the love of her life. Like the tour is more important than the man that supposedly inspired it. It’s on both of them to put in the work, I’m just surprised she doesn’t seem to care to.
At the same time Ben has started filming The Accountant 2 and is in the midst of building another company we’re dose that leave time to work on his marriage?
Neither one or seem to be prioritizing their marriage over their careers.
@Lauren, Ben’s company is in town. You see him taking his kids to school. You see him going to his son’s sports activities. He is filming The Accountant 2 in L.A. He is able to go home at night. He is able to see his kids. He said he did this so the 50 percent of his time with his kids isn’t taken up with part of it being away filming, which is what was going on in the past as most films aren’t local.
I don’t begrudge Jennifer her career at all. But she’s been away filming. Also she’s been out promoting her album this year. Then promoting her musical movie and documentary. She said she has another movie being filmed later this year. She’s going on tour. Now, her rehearsals are in L.A., so she can go home to her kids
Truthfully, with her being so busy filming movies, she just should have made the album, if that was her burning desire, and the musical movie/documentary, if that was her burning desire, i.e., without exposing his beautiful love-letter album to her, but not put together a tour. A pop tour takes a lot of effort putting together before even going out on the road. In hindsight, the album was a flop.
With the tour also struggling in ticket sales, I’m sure undertaking the tour has put a lot of pressure and stress on her. She had already shelled out $20 million for the movie, which we don’t know what she made from Amazon. Putting together a pop tour is not cheap. She has a lot of dancers, musicians, set design, choreographer, all of the people who transport it from place to place.
Then she would have had the summer for her kids and Ben and all of her other businesses, which are a lot, and then the film she is set for in the fall. She was set to do another Vegas residency next year. She could have showcased some of her music there.
@Lauren, I agree with Jayne. Yes, he’s got a company and a movie in shooting, but they are both in LA, and he juggles them fine. But she has an album, an album-movie, a documentary, a netflix movie, a concert tour. They are a lot and a lot. And they are all out of state or even out of country.
If she didn’t want a fourth divorce, she shouldn’t have gotten married a fourth time.