During the early 2000s, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were a popular culture sensation in IT Hollywood. Their separation was widely discussed and became arguably one of the most talked-about topics of the decade. The ongoing interest in their breakup would have likely persisted if they hadn’t chosen to reunite and reignite their unfinished story from two decades ago, a decision they made during the lockdown period.
After their split in 2004, actor Ben Affleck spoke about his failed engagement and the impact it had on his life during an interview. He acknowledged the unfortunate timing that surrounded all the events and how it affected him emotionally. In hindsight, he regretted his 2002 engagement with Jennifer Lopez. Despite the early 2000s not being in their favor, fate ultimately brought Lopez and Affleck together decades later. As Lopez returned the iconic 8.5-carat Humongous pink diamond ring to him in 2004, regret nibbled at Affleck, reminding him of what could have been. In an interview with Now Magazine, Affleck revealed,
Jennifer Lopez reflected on her past engagement and how she regrets going down that path. She thought she wanted certain things but ultimately felt lost and suffocated, leading her to question her life choices. The extensive media scrutiny surrounding their relationship caused both individuals to doubt their instincts and eventually led to the dissolution of their engagement. Despite wanting to keep her private emotions away from the public eye, Lopez chose to be more open during their reunion.
Although it appeared that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck had moved on from the 2004 disaster, dealing with it was very difficult for both of them. Especially for pop star JL. In a 2022 interview with Apple Music, she claimed it was the greatest heartbreak she ever had to experience. She said, “It was so painful after we broke up. Once we called off that wedding 20 years ago, it was the biggest heartbreak of my life. I honestly felt like I was going to die. It sent me on a spiral for the next 18 years where I just couldn’t get it right. But now, 20 years later, it does have a happy ending. It has the most ‘would never happen in Hollywood’ ending.”
The concept of Lopez and Affleck’s affection after such a massive gap was difficult to imagine, even for themselves. However, reports suggest that everything aligned in their favor this time. Having led rich and fulfilling lives individually, Lopez and Affleck were now finally able to direct their undivided attention to each other. Thus, this time around, the pair did not take any chances and married each other twice in 2022. After all, their love story was twenty years in the making!
