Jennifer Lopez reacts to question about Ben Affleck ‘divorce’ rumours

The couple, who have been married since 2022, are facing split speculation

Lydia Spencer-Elliott
Friday 24 May 2024 08:06 BST
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Jennifer Lopez reveals how husband Ben Affleck 'empowers' her

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Jennifer Lopez has avoided answering questions over whether she is planning to divorce her husband Ben Affleck.

Last week, multiple reports claimed the pair are experiencing “issues” in their marriage, while some sources said the Gone Girl star has moved out of their $60m (£47m) home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

Lopez, 54, and Affleck, 51, are yet to publicly comment on the speculation, which has grown significantly online following news that the couple have not been photographed together for two months.

Lopez, who rose to fame in the Nineties as an actor and singer, was asked about her marriage during a press conference for her new Netflix sci-fi film Atlas in Mexico City.

Footage of the event shared on social media shows one reporter asking: “Is your divorce with Ben Affleck real? These rumours?

“What is the truth? Para le press le Mexicana [for the Mexican press], what is the truth of the situation?"

Simu Liu, Lopez’s co-star who is best known for his role as Shang-Chi in Marvel’s 2021 film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, immediately interjected, responding: “Ok, we’re not doing that. Thank you so much guys, we really appreciate it. Thank you.”

He added: “Don’t come in with that energy please.”

Multiple reports have claimed Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are experiencing ‘issues’ in their marriage
Multiple reports have claimed Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are experiencing ‘issues’ in their marriage (Getty Images)

Lopez then leaned forward and looked directly at the reporter, responding: “You know better than that.”

At the end of the press conference, Liu, 35, said: “If I could just end on one thing.

“Jen is a producer on this movie and the reason why I am here and why Sterling [K Brown] was in this beautiful movie is because Jen cares. And Jen cares about things like representation and diversity, and she’s a boss.”

The actor has been promoting her latest film without Affleck by her side and he was notably absent from the Met Gala earlier this month, despite the fact Lopez was a co-chairwoman for the event.

Lopez and Affleck, who were previously engaged before a high profile split in 2004, got married in July 2022.

Lopez and Affleck were previously engaged before a high profile split in 2004 and got married in July 2022
Lopez and Affleck were previously engaged before a high profile split in 2004 and got married in July 2022 (Getty Images,)

The singer, however, was still wearing her engagement ring during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday (20 May).

Speaking with talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, Lopez shared a story about how music legend Barbra Streisand had reacted to the ring.

Although Lopez was keen to tell Streisand what a big fan of hers she had been throughout her career when they met, the Funny Girl star was more interested in Lopez’s jewellery.

“I met her, and I just was like, ‘Oh my god. I love you!” said Lopez. “And she was like, ‘Oh my god!’ and she was kind of like, asking me to look at my engagement ring at the time that Ben had given to me years ago.”

“So that’s the big diamond!” Lopez recalled Streisand exclaiming in response to seeing the ring, to which she responded: “Yes it is!”

Additional reporting by PA

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