How Jennifer Lopez Coped During Her Divorce From Marc Anthony
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Jennifer Lopez's second chance romance with Ben Affleck, whom she married in August nearly two decades after they called off their 2003 wedding, per People, has given hope to hopeless romantics everywhere. However, the actor/singer hasn't always had the best luck when it comes to love. Lopez's wedding to Affleck marks her fourth marriage over the course of over two decades. And while Bennifer will probably always be Lopez's most headline-inducing romance, you can't talk about her relationship history without mentioning singer Marc Anthony.
Lopez and Anthony married in 2004, fresh on the heels of their failed relationships with Affleck and Dayanara Torres, respectively. But they first met at a Broadway show and dated briefly in the late '90s (via Insider). Their marriage lasted for a decade and produced their twins, Emme and Maximillian, but the 2014 finalization of their divorce was truly years in the making.
In 2011, both parties issued a joint statement announcing the end of their marriage, per People, though they didn't officially file papers until 2012. It would take more than two years for their divorce to become finalized, during which time each party entered relationships with other people. In the years since their divorce, Lopez and Anthony have proved themselves to be amicable co-parents, friends, and even business partners. However, the divorce was particularly hard on Lopez, who turned to a not-so-surprising outlet to cope.
Jennifer Lopez used her tour to cope with her divorce
After her failed relationship with Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez took Marc Anthony's reemergence in her life as a sign they were meant to be together (via Hola). However, she knew early on in their marriage that things would not work out. "I hung in there for seven years," Lopez shared with W Magazine. "I knew very quickly that it wasn't the right thing." According to the A-lister's 2016 memoir, "True Love," she knew she had to divorce Anthony after a panic attack. "It was one of those moments when you're so scared you can't even scream," wrote Lopez, adding. "In a blur of fear and panic, I looked at [my manager Benny Medina] and my mother and blurted out the words: 'I don't think I can be with Marc anymore.' Then I burst into tears" (via InStyle).
Lopez kicked off her "Dance Again" tour a few months after the couple's initial 2011 divorce announcement. And while such a large commitment would usually topple someone undergoing a stressful divorce, the creative endeavor actually helped Lopez. "It was a hard time and deciding to go on tour really came from the fact that I was in a lot of pain at the time," Lopez shared in an interview with Lorraine Kelly. '"I just needed something else to focus on."
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are on great terms today
Jennifer Lopez once described her divorce from Marc Anthony as the "hardest thing" she's ever been through, partly because of the effect it had on their children, via Independent. However, the exes have come out on the other side way better than they were before. During a 2017 appearance on "The View," Lopez shared an update on the status of her and Anthony's personal and professional relationship. "Marc and I are good how we are right now," said Lopez. "There's a reason we're not together, but we're great friends and we're parents together." Lopez also shared that they were working on a Spanish album together. "That has been even better for us. We met working, and that's where we're really magical, when we're on stage together, and so we leave it there. That's it," (via Yahoo).
As for Anthony, well, he's reportedly been super supportive of Lopez's rekindled romance with Affleck. "They're still extremely close; he's one of her biggest cheerleaders," a source shared with Hollywood Life. "All he wants is for her to be happy, and if Ben makes her happy, then he's all for it." Anthony's support for Lopez's relationships apparently doesn't extend to all of her romantic partners, however. After Instagram account Comments By Celebs posted a screenshot by OK Magazine that claimed Alex Rodriguez was hoping that Lopez would miss him following their 2021 breakup, Anthony replied with five laughing emoji. Enough said.