Look Back at Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s Decades-Long Relationship Timeline After Their Divorce

December 2001

Sparks flew between Ben and J. Lo when they met on the set of their film Gigli. They went public with their romance a few months later, in the summer.

November 2002

Nearly a year after they met, Ben popped the question. The “On the Floor” singer told ABC News at the time that she “wasn’t expecting” the proposal at all.

September 2003

A few days before Ben and J. Lo were set to walk down the aisle in Santa Barbara, California, the couple announced that they were postponing the wedding.

“Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date,” the statement read. “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

The postponement turned into a full-on cancellation less than three months later. Ben and Jennifer confirmed that they had decided to split in separate statements.

“Jennifer Lopez has ended her engagement to Ben Affleck. At this difficult time, we ask that you respect her privacy,” J. Lo’s rep shared, per People. Meanwhile, Ben’s rep said, “I am not going to confirm anything about his personal life. We don’t want to get dragged into quicksand. Everybody wants a war. It’s not happening from our side.”

November 2014

Jennifer opened up about the heartbreak she experienced from their split in her memoir, True Love, J. “It felt like my heart had been torn out of my chest. People do lots of things to anesthetize themselves in moments like these. Some people do drugs, some drink and some go out and party,” she wrote. “I sought out comfort in another person, tried to find someone who could make me feel loved and wanted in my loneliest hours.”

February 2020

Ben revealed that he was still in contact with his ex and praised her performance in the 2019 film Hustlers in an interview with The New York Times. “She’s the real thing. I keep in touch periodically with her and have a lot of respect for her,” the actor said. “How awesome is it that she had her biggest hit movie at 50? That’s f–king baller.”

May 2021

Fans of Ben and J. Lo were delighted when the two were spotted in Big Sky, Montana, in May 2021. A source told In Touch at the time that they were “having fun and seeing where it goes.” Later that month, though, the two were seen kissing at a gym, and an insider confirmed that they were officially back together.

April 2022

Almost one year later, the Jersey Girl stars got engaged again. J. Lo announced the news on April 8, 2022, via her “On the JLo” newsletter.

“Saturday night while at my favorite place on earth (in the bubble bath), my beautiful love got on one knee and proposed,” she wrote. “I was taken totally off guard and just looked in his eyes smiling and crying at the same time trying hard to get my head around the fact that after 20 years this was happening all over again, I was quite literally speechless and he said, ‘is that a yes?’ I said YES of course that’s a YES.”

July 2022

Ben and J. Lo finally made it down the aisle in a surprise Las Vegas ceremony on July 16, 2022. The couple had a second wedding ceremony the following month surrounded by family and friends at the Air actor’s Georgia estate.

May 2023

After two years of searching for their dream home, the couple purchased a Beverly Hills mansion for just under $61 million, according to multiple reports.

May 2024

Ben and J. Lo were seemingly spending time apart in spring 2024, with the Flash actor noticeably absent from the Met Gala as his wife served as a co-chair for the event. A source told In Touch on May 15, 2024, that the couple was headed for a split after struggling to make the relationship work.

“The writing is on the wall – it’s over,” the insider said. “They’re headed for a divorce – and for once, [Ben’s] not to blame!”

“He’s focusing on his work and his kids now,” the insider continued, referring to his children Violet, Fin and Samuel with ex-wife Jennifer Garner. “Ben already moved out and they’ll likely have to sell the dream house they spent two years searching for. They’ll never stop loving each other, but she can’t control him, and he can’t change her. There’s no way it could have lasted.”

Despite their relationship issues, Ben and J. Lo put on a united front for the first time in 47 days at Fin’s school play in Los Angeles on May 16, 2024, according to photos obtained by In Touch. J. Lo’s child Emme Muniz, whom she shares with ex Marc Anthony, was also at the event, although twin brother Max was not.

“Jen looked super thin and was dressed casual-chic. She didn’t glam up like the last time she came to a school function,” an eyewitness told the outlet. “She seemed more subdued than usual when she greeted Ben as he pulled the car up. Emme was super excited, though, jumping for joy over Fin’s performance.”

A separate insider said that “nothing would have stopped them coming together for the kids.”

August 2024

After Ben and Jen spent summer 2024 apart – including big occasions like birthdays and their two-year Las Vegas wedding anniversary – she filed for divorce on August 20, 2024. The paperwork was filed on the two-year anniversary of the pair’s Georgia wedding, although Jennifer listed the date of separation as April 26, 2024.

January 2025

On January 6, 2025, Life & Style confirmed that Ben and J. Lo’s divorce had been finalized. In their settlement, each of the stars held onto their earnings from various projects performed throughout their marriage. While their $61 million mansion was still on the market at the time of settling, the agreement remained confidential.