After months of speculation from the media and public, it’s official: Bennifer 2.0 is headed for divorce. It’s no secret that pop star and actress Jennifer Lopez (famously known as “J.Lo”) and Academy Award-winning actor Ben Affleck have had a complex history – from their called-off engagement back in 2004 to their rekindled relationship in 2021, the infamous duo has been a topic of media attention for more than two decades. But on August 20, 2024, exactly two years to the date from their Savannah, Georgia wedding ceremony, Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck in the Los Angeles County Superior Court without using a lawyer, a move that indicates urgency to move forward on her part. Now that the divorce rumors have become reality, here’s a look at what the couple did right.
They Didn’t Use The Media As A Weapon.
The end of a marriage is a stressful, emotionally-fraught time for anyone, regardless of celebrity or socioeconomic status. For public figures and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, the added pressure of being under an international microscope can take a significant toll on the couple and their families. The media carries great weight in shifting and even manipulating the public’s perception of both parties.
For this reason, quickly releasing a carefully-worded joint statement has become a popular choice amongst high-profile couples looking to present a united front and shut down media speculation. But silence is another way to avoid a public showdown, as we’ve witnessed with Lopez and Affleck. Both have previously endured high-profile public divorces – Lopez with Marc Anthony in 2014 and Affleck with Jennifer Garner in 2018 – and may have been staying quiet so as not to fuel the media fire. At the time of this article, neither party has released a statement about their official separation.
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"Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Show Us That 'Love Don’t Cost a Thing' When Divorce Is Done Right," by Marilyn Chinitz and Morgan Fraser Mouchette was published in Forbes on August 22, 2024.
