- Jennifer Lopez, the individual who instilled faith in us that joyful conclusions can manifest even after divorce.
There's been chatter swirling around for a while now. Particularly noteworthy was the massive bash celebrating Jennifer Lopez turning 50 – with the exception of her husband, Ben Affleck. His absence during that July event was seen as the conclusive evidence that their marriage was on its last legs. Now, it's confirmed. It's being reported that the American singer filed for divorce on a Tuesday (local time) at a Los Angeles court, with April 26th marked as the date of separation, according to "Variety" and "TMZ.com".
Oh dear – another disappointing outcome for J.Lo? Especially considering she and Ben Affleck, fondly known as "Bennifer", reconciled after almost two decades of being apart. You remember: The gossip rags' beloved couple were engaged at the turn of the millennium, with Lopez dedicating her 2002 hit album "This is me... then" to her affection for Affleck ("He's the sole inspiration behind every lyric," she mentioned then in an interview).
Their love story took an unexpected turn, both being married elsewhere and divorced again, before they decided to rekindle their relationship in 2021. This time, it was supposed to be for keeps, with the wedding happening in 2022 and Lopez officially taking Affleck's last name.
Their romance symbolized hope beyond the age of 30
A second chance at love that represented more than just the glamourous life of a celebrity, where another divorce wouldn't make much financial impact. "Bennifer" 2.0 embodied hope beyond the age of 30, the certainty that love is worth believing in, the trust that life presents more second chances than one might fear in dark moments. Also, the idea that a highly successful woman and an average guy (or can anyone recall a Ben Affleck movie off the top of their head? Exact same.) can have a harmonious relationship. And now, it seems like it was all just an illusion? How much more heartache does J.Lo need to deal with in her music?
Lopez has been in the entertainment industry for three decades, first as a dancer, then an actress, and eventually a singer. Her theme: love, always. She sang about how love doesn't cost a thing ("Love don't cost a thing"); about how love can so easily crumble ("Qué Hiciste"); about the daily struggles in long-term relationships ("Ain't Your Mama"); and about the joy of finding each other again after many late nights waiting ("To Be Yours").
Jennifer Lopez's life goal: "In love. I want to be in love."
In Jennifer Lopez's music, the message is loud and clear: love is the most important thing in life. At the beginning of her music film "This is me...now", which she released at the beginning of 2024, she narrates off-screen: "My mother told me this story a thousand times. When I was young and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always: in love. I want to be in love."
In love, engaged, married, divorced, and back to square one. Despite her fondness for grand gestures, Jennifer Lopez isn't romantically inclined (even if American celebrity magazines diagnose her with a "love addiction"). Sweat, tears, hard work – these are also themes that run through her artistic work. Jennifer Lopez has always liked to present herself as a woman who has to fight for her big dreams, to whom nothing is handed to her easily.
Her discipline as a dancer has always represented the dedication she brings to every aspect of her life – these muscles aren't developed with a few post-workout yoga sessions. Lopez launched her career from the Bronx, scored hits and flops, played good and cringe-worthy film roles. Now, she's mainly: still here, producing new songs, celebrating life, even when it's not all sunshine. In the behind-the-scenes doc of her music film, she says: "I don't have to do this, but I do it because I want to."
Her fighting spirit, her determination, both in her career and in her personal life, her unwavering belief that everything will be okay if she just keeps trying hard enough, makes Jennifer Lopez relatable. Maybe more so than her famous lyrics from 2002, reminding us that despite her success, she's still "Jenny from the block". And fans feel her pain even more when Jennifer Lopez needs to cancel her eagerly anticipated summer birthday tour due to "personal reasons".
Was the tale of "Bennifer", the couple who finally found each other after numerous twists and turns, too good to be true? Maybe. Life isn't a rom-com with a happy ending and that's it. After the credits, there's more, and it seems that even for Jennifer Lopez, it contains more real-life shades than she sang about in her album celebrating the Bennifer revival – in swooning songs like "Dear Ben, Part II", "Mad in Love" or "This Time Around".
Without confusing the artistic with the real self, let's take another look at J.Lo's musical film. It tells the story of Lopez healing her heart, represented as a beating heart machine, keeping it alive – and ultimately learning to love herself: "Had to heal my heart, but I love who I am lately", it goes in "This is me...now". She's determined not to lose herself in a relationship again. That makes her an even more inspiring lover than any marriage could.
Despite the divorce filing, the media continues to speculate about Jennifer Lopez's love life and song inspirations. Despite numerous heartbreaks, Jennifer Lopez's music often revolves around love, with songs like "Love Don't Cost a Thing" and "In Love."
