When Bennifer reunited in 2021, it felt like the celebs finally got the fairytale ending that they deserved. Only two years later, in 2023, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Loper are officially a married couple. The journey took a total of 20 years and two engagements, but they finally made it.
Ben and Jen’s love story began in 2002 after co-starring in the romcom “Gigli.” Although Ben Affleck proposed to J.Lo, they sadly broke up in 2004. When they went their separate ways, they married other people, had children, and got divorced. Since their divorces, they have dated other people. Only a month after her breakup with A-Rod, Lopez was said to be seeing Affleck, so it seems as though they’ve remained on each other’s minds over the past two decades. By the summer of 2022, they had celebrated being newlyweds.
Here’s everything to know about Affleck and Lopez’s relationship, from the first moment they met to their reunion a whopping 19 years later.
Early 2002
After meeting on the set of “Gigli”, sparks flew. At the time, Lopez was married to her second husband, Cris Judd.
July 2002
By this point, J.Lo and Judd separated. The singer and actress was seen kissing Affleck at her 32nd birthday party, and she filed for divorce from Judd two days later. This was their first-ever PDA moment caught in public and on camera.
November 2022
Affleck showed up in the “Jenny from the Block” music video that came out, revealing the superstar’s issues with paparazzi when you’re in a highly scrutinized relationship. In one scene of the music video, he caresses the star’s booty. In 2008, he said the video made him look “ungentlemanly” and like a “petulant fool.” That month, Affleck proposed to Lopez when she met her family in Boston. The engagement ring was a $2.5 million, 6.1-carat pink diamond.
July 2003
The couple walked the red carpet for “Gigli” and showed off Jen’s engagement ring.
September 2023
Just a day before they were set to get married, they decided to postpone the ceremony with a shocking joint statement that said it was due to the “excessive media attention” and felt the happiest day of their lives would be spoiled by the paparazzi.
January 2004
Only four months later, the couple was officially over and broken up.
June 2004
Jen moved on fast with Latin music star Marc Anthony, who she married only six months later. They had two kids (twins Emme and Max) born in 2008. After separating in 2011, they got a divorce in 2014.
October 2004
After Lopez moved on with her new marriage, Affleck was seen with Jennifer Garner at the Cardinals vs. Red Sox World Series game. Although they met on the “Pearl Harbour” set, they became closer after filming the movie “Daredevil” in 2003. This was their first romantic appearance, publicly.
June 2005
A year after Lopez wed Anthony, Affleck married Garner. They lasted for many years until 2018, when their heavily documented breakup occurred. The former couple shares three children: Sam, Violet, and Seraphina.
April 2021
In a lengthy story for InStyle, J.Lo’s entire history was detailed, including Affleck. He only had kind things to say about her, calling her the hardest-working person he’s ever met. Around the same time, Page Six reported that Affleck was seen en route to Jennifer Lopez’s home in California just weeks after her breakup with Alex Rodriguez, and he spent several hours there.
May 2021
In early May, the couple went on a romantic trip to Montana for several days. Before meeting up in person, the former exes were in contact for a few months, writing emails to each other starting in February. By the end of May, it was official that the couple had a bi-coastal relationship. On May 26, Us Weekly made Bennifer fans very happy when they revealed that the couple was officially back in a relationship.
June 2021
Bennifer was in full swing at this point, with sources saying Jennifer was crazy about her new beau and that he “spoils her with love.” The two began to see their relationship in more of a long-term way, and Lopez finally moved from Miami to LA, looking at schools for her children. Jen is close with her mom, Guadalupe, and so is Ben, who even gave her a cameo in one of Affleck’s recent projects.
July 2021
At the beginning of July, the couple was seen at Universal Studios Hollywood as a new blended family with their children. In a mid-July interview on Apple Music 1, she spoke about her breakup with A-Rod, and soon after, Lopez and Affleck made their Instagram debut when Leah Remini posted images from her birthday party. On July 24th, Ben made it onto Jen’s grid in a photo of them kissing on her birthday on a yacht in St. Tropez.
September 2021
Lopez and Affleck made their first red carpet appearance together at the 2021 Venice Film Festival’s “Last Dune” premiere.
April 2022
For the second time, news broke that Ben and Jen were engaged, per J.Lo’s rep confirming with People. The diamond he got her was similar to the first ring, but rather than a pink diamond, this one was green. The significance? Green has always been Jen’s lucky color.
July/August 2022
On July 16, Lopez and Affleck obtained a marriage license in Clark County, Nevada and were officially newlyweds for the second time. They spent their first hours as a married couple in Paris with tier families. To follow up with the Vegas ceremony, they threw a lavish party weekend and wedding at Ben Affleck’s Georgia estate.
December 2022
Lopez spoke in a Vogue interview with Jennifer Garner, calling her an “amazing co-parent”. She called herself and Affleck allies to each other’s kids.
February 2023
Despite being happily married, memes of Ben looking miserable at the 2023 Grammys circulated. Apparently, Ben knew and wasn’t fazed by the internet comments. Ben was apparently just tired from his many projects. Additionally, the star is more of a homebody than his wife.
April 2023
J.Lo released her album “This Is Me…Now” with a tribute to her hubby. In the original album, “this Is Me…Then” she wrote “Dear Ben” for him, and in “This Is Me…Now” she wrote “Dear Ben Pt. II” for her lover, years later.
November 2023
In November, Jennifer and Ben hosted a Las Vegas poker game to celebrate the Formula 1 Grand Prix race. Money that was raised went to Ben Affleck’s non-profit Eastern Congo Initiative. The couple looked happy as ever on the red carpet. Bennifer also hosted a Thanksgiving dinner at their Beverly Hills mansion, and Jen was seen on the 24th doing a post-holiday workout at Tracy Anderson’s LA gym.
