A Timeline Of Ben Affleck And Jennifer Lopez's Most Tense Moments

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's love story is truly one for the books. Having reunited two decades after their initial romance, Affleck and Lopez have continually proven how committed they are to one another. During a December 2022 interview with Vogue, Lopez discussed her decision to take her husband's surname, saying, "People are still going to call me Jennifer Lopez. But my legal name will be Mrs. Affleck because we're joined together. We're husband and wife. I'm proud of that."

Even the singer's mom is on board with the relationship. During an appearance on "Today" in May 2023, J.Lo's mother Guadalupe Rodríguez revealed, "I knew that you would always get back together because I prayed for 20 years." Despite having the support of the most important people in their lives, the general public hasn't always been kind to Lopez and Affleck. In fact, the pair have even attributed their 2004 split to the intense tabloid culture they were placed at the center of. Here, we explore the most tense moments from Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's relationship so far, from that viral Grammys moment to intense conversations caught on camera.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck first met on the set of "Gigli," which was filmed between late 2001 and early 2002. At the time, Lopez was married to Cris Judd, but she would file for divorce in July 2002. It wasn't long before Lopez and Affleck went public with their romance, announcing their engagement in November of the same year. However, the film that brought them together quickly became a difficult topic in their relationship, as critics universally panned 2003's "Gigli," leading to an embarrassingly low Rotten Tomatoes score of just 6%. 

In 2016, Affleck addressed the furore created by "Gigli," and the fact that the film's two leading stars were engaged in real life. Speaking to Times Talk (via Daily Mail), Affleck explained, "It could have been a bad movie no one cared about. Angelina Jolie had a bad movie that year and nobody cared." He continued, "But because I was dating Jennifer Lopez that made it a big f***ing deal, you know? And not only is it a bad movie but, 'They're dating each other in the bad movie!'" Affleck's perspective reveals that the couple was caught up in a media circus following the release of "Gigli." Because the media was seemingly obsessed with the failure of their first film together, Affleck and Lopez faced a constant onslaught of criticism and scrutiny, which can't have been easy to deal with so early in their relationship.

After announcing their engagement in November 2002, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez quickly began planning their wedding. However, by September 2003, the couple had put their wedding on hold, suggesting that the glare of the media spotlight was simply too much for them to cope with. In a statement released by their publicist to The Age, Affleck and Lopez explained the decision, saying, "When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate 'decoy brides' at three different locations, we realized that something was awry." They continued, "We began to feel that the spirit of what should have been the happiest day of our lives could be compromised." At the time, the wedding had been set to take place in Santa Barbara, California, and preparations had reportedly already been underway to set up for the event.

During an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe in November 2022, Lopez addressed the way in which tabloid culture and negative press affected her relationship with Affleck the first time around, saying, "It destroyed us. That was part of what destroyed us, was the outside energy that was coming at us. And we loved each other, it was hard. It felt at times unfair." Unfortunately, the "Marry Me" star's relationship with Affleck seemingly crumbled because of the pressure they both faced from the media and the general public, putting them in an extremely tense situation that affected their romance in a terrible way.

After postponing their wedding in September 2003, it wasn't long before Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez officially decided to call their relationship quits. In January 2004, ABC News confirmed the split, with J.Lo's representative telling the outlet, "I am confirming the report that Jennifer Lopez has ended her engagement to Ben Affleck. At this difficult time, we ask that you respect her privacy." 

Rumors swirled regarding the reason for their breakup, but it wasn't until years later that they finally addressed how awful the separation had been. Speaking to Apple Music's Zane Lowe, Lopez revealed, "It was the biggest heartbreak of my life. And I honestly felt like I was gonna die. And it sent me on a spiral for the next 18 years." During an appearance on "The Howard Stern Show" in 2021, Affleck revealed his own feelings on the split, saying, "I got f***ing hurt and angry, and felt like a fool."

Lopez quickly moved on from Affleck, marrying fellow singer Marc Anthony in June 2004.  They welcomed twins in 2008, but split in July 2011. Meanwhile, Affleck went public with his relationship with "Daredevil" co-star Jennifer Garner in October 2004, and the couple announced their engagement in April 2005. They tied the knot two months later in June 2005, and also revealed that they were expecting their first baby together. Affleck and Garner would welcome three children together, before announcing their plans to divorce in 2015.

In April 2021, the news broke that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez had been spending time together again, and the relationship moved pretty quickly from there. Exactly one year after reuniting, the pair got engaged for a second time. In July 2022, they tied the knot in Las Vegas, and it wasn't long before they headed off on their honeymoon, stopping first in Paris, France. A second, grander wedding followed at Affleck's estate in Georgia in August 2022, where the couple were surrounded by their family and friends to celebrate their relationship.

However, reports of discord between the pair started to reignite, with the Daily Mail reporting on an allegedly tense conversation that took place at Lake Como's Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Northern Italy. Of course, these reports were completely unfounded, and based purely on paparazzi photographs and videos obtained without Affleck and Lopez's knowledge. While it's unclear exactly what the pair might have been discussing at the time, it remains unknown if they were actually fighting. Perhaps they were simply stressed out because they were being stalked by photographers while on their honeymoon.

Ben Affleck went viral for all the wrong reasons in February 2023 on account of the exceedingly sullen expressions he was seen making while attending the Grammy Awards with his wife, Jennifer Lopez. As a result, Affleck became the subject of oodles of memes, all of which made fun of just how sad and nonplussed he looked throughout the glamorous awards ceremony. It was even suggested that Lopez and Affleck were caught bickering during the show, when it looked as though the "I'm Real" singer was telling off her husband for looking so downcast. On the night itself, the interactions between the pair certainly seemed to suggest there was some tension.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Affleck later addressed his visage at the Grammys, saying, "I leaned into her and I was like, 'As soon they start rolling, I'm going to slide away from you and leave you sitting next to Trevor [Noah].' She goes, 'You better f***ing not leave.' That's a husband-and-wife thing." Basically, the Afflecks were engaging in some gentle teasing during the Grammy Awards, and the world blew it out of proportion. Affleck also pointed out that he only attended the ceremony to support Lopez, saying, "And yeah, it is your wife's work event." It would seem that the "Justice League" star simply has a resting b**** face, and that's not something he can necessarily control just because he's at the Grammys.

In December 2021, Ben Affleck appeared on SiriusXM's "The Howard Stern Show," and got candid about everything, including his split from Jennifer Garner and his experience with alcoholism. During the interview, Affleck explained, "I was like, 'I can't leave because of my kids, but I'm not happy, what do I do?' And what I did was [I] drank a bottle of scotch and fell asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution." Affleck's words were reportedly interpreted to mean that he blamed Garner, in part, for his alcoholism, and Lopez was allegedly livid with her partner about the interview. However, the truth is perhaps a little more straightforward.

During his wide-ranging interview with The Hollywood Reporter in March 2023, Affleck addressed the clickbait reports that had spun his words, saying, "It didn't matter how many times I said ... 'I'm telling you, I don't blame my ex-wife for my alcoholism.'" Basically, once the story was out there, Affleck found it impossible to set right. As for how current wife Lopez reacted to the story, Affleck suggested that she was nothing but supportive, even if there was occasionally some friction between them. "She's looking out for me," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "She's trying to help me. So it's like, maybe I ought to f***ing listen to her." Hopefully everything has since been smoothed over.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

As Jennifer Garner started dating Ben Affleck fairly soon after he split from Jennifer Lopez in 2004, it's understandable that some might wonder if there's tension between the two women. In April 2023, tabloid reports suggested that Lopez and Garner weren't exactly friendly with one another following the reunion between J.Lo and Affleck. In fact, it was even alleged that Garner had made a not-so-subtle dig at the new couple during an interview with Australian magazine Stellar in April 2023. 

"I really work hard not to see either of us in the press," Garner told the publication of her ex-husband. "It doesn't make me feel good, even if it's something nice about one of us." Basically, Garner has apparently been avoiding any and all coverage of her ex's rekindled romance with the "Jenny from the Block" singer, which is more than understandable. The "13 Going on 30" star also addressed the moment Affleck went viral at the Grammys, saying, "I don't need to see anyone in my family made into a meme. Although I'm sure he's quite meme-worthy, yes!" Whether or not she intended her words as a diss is anyone's guess, but some reports have suggested that Lopez is less than pleased about Garner's comments. Without any concrete proof of a feud, it's extremely possible that Garner meant no harm when she joked about her ex-husband, and only time will tell if there's any real beef here.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez hit the headlines once more in May 2023 when video emerged of the couple getting into a car, and things looked a little tense. In video footage acquired by paparazzi, Lopez was seen getting into a car, and her husband subsequently slammed the car door on her, making it look as though he might be angry about something. He was then seen walking around to the drivers' side of the car, while looking seriously annoyed.

Photos accompanying the viral moment showed the couple walking hand-in-hand down the street before reaching the car, by all accounts looking pretty loved up and happy. It would seem that when Lopez got into the car, Affleck wasn't expressing any sort of anger or upset at his wife. Instead, it seems safe to assume that he was getting irate with the photographers that had followed them down the street, who then stood filming the couple as they tried to get into their car. Affleck and J.Lo's entire relationship has featured so many awkward moments with the paparazzi and press, and it would seem that the car door slamming is another one to add to the long list.

In May 2023, Jennifer Lopez debuted her Netflix action film "The Mother," and husband Ben Affleck accompanied her to the premiere at Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. While the couple put on a loved-up display on the red carpet, they were also caught having an animated conversation, which led some to speculate that they were having a disagreement. 

Photos of the allegedly tense moment showed Affleck looking irritated and gesturing wildly with his hands. However, video footage of the very same incident dispelled suggestions of an argument, and showed that the couple was simply having a normal conversation. It would seem that Affleck can't help having a very expressive face, which makes sense as he is an actor, after all. Unfortunately, Affleck's facial expressions have been the subject of way too many think pieces, leading people to speculate about the state of Lopez's marriage with the actor. Perhaps it's time we just leave Affleck and his face alone.

Also in May 2023, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were photographed while sitting at a stop light in their car. According to the Daily Mail, Affleck and Lopez were spotted having a conversation in the car, with the "Air" director speaking very passionately, and waving his hands around. The tabloid reported that onlookers thought the couple were engaged in an argument, alleging that Affleck looked like the aggressor in the situation. However, judging by the facial expressions and hand gestures Affleck makes anytime he's in public, it seems safe to assume that the married couple was simply having a normal conversation while out on a drive. Still, the moment was enough for some to wonder if there was tension between Affleck and Lopez for the zillionth time.

Unfortunately, Affleck and Lopez have been forced to live their lives in a global spotlight, which had a detrimental effect on their relationship in the past. Hopefully now they're able to block out all of the noise suggesting that they're having yet another argument when, in reality, they're most likely not.