Ever since 2002, the beginning of the Bennifer saga, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s (J. Lo’s) relationship was put under a microscope to be either idolized or criticized. In 2022, J. Lo and Affleck tied the knot twice once in Las Vegas in July and another in Georgia in August. These two have been an OTP (one true pairing) ever since the 2000s, so when they rekindled their love the media knew they were meant for each other once and for all. The world found out J. Lo legally changed her last name when she signed off as Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck on her wedding edition of the On the J.Lo newsletter.
The Timeline
J.Lo and Ben Affleck first sparked romance rumors in 2002 when they were co-stars in Gigli. Affleck then proceeded to speak on J. Lo in his trade magazine interview in 2002 which did not come off to the media that they were just friends. Later on, that same year they were seen kissing at a birthday party and quite quickly after Lopez’s divorce from then-husband Cris Judd was made public. Then in November 2002, the “Jenny From the Block” music video was released which broke the internet. This music video was the epitome of the Y2K look everyone was trying to achieve. In the music video, there is a scene when Affleck and J. Lo are on a yacht and he kisses her butt. Affleck later expressed that he regretted that scene as that marked the beginning of the idolization of their relationship which caused the media and paparazzi to be more invested.
That same month they announced their engagement, which had many shocked as J.Lo had just recently come out of a divorce. In 2003 Affleck received criticism because people rumored, he acted on his feelings toward J. Lo before her separation, and apparently during the filming of one of his movies he cheated on her at a strip club. These details are important because soon after that their relationship started to fizzle out as the premier of Gigli was as expected and people believed the romance between them was no longer. In September 2003 they postponed their wedding as they felt all the media attention their wedding was receiving was ruining the spirits of what should be the best day of their life. Later in January 2004, it was announced that Lopez had broken off the engagement. This timeline is necessary to capture the essence of the history behind their iconic relationship.
The Saga Continues…
In 2021 they were seen out together after years of being broken up and being in their own personal relationships. Later in 2022 J. Lo announced in her newsletter that she was now engaged to Affleck.
That same year they had two weddings and this time they were private. When J. Lo made it clear to the public that she was now Mrs. Affleck she received mixed statements from the public. The biggest headline was one from The New York Times claiming her taking his last name was a “fraught moment for feminism in America.” J. Lo seemed to not be bothered by the hate as she claimed on Vogue that “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. I don’t think that’s a problem.” J. Lo claims that the changing of her last name has nothing to do with feminism; she does it for the tradition and romance behind the sentiment.
The Bennifer saga continues and J. Lo is unbothered by the criticism as she stands strongly behind her decision to legally change her last name.
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