17 Years Later, J. Lo and Ben Affleck Are Back Together. Is It True Love This Time?

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When I first saw the news (rumors really) that J. Lo (Jennifer Lopez) and Ben Affleck (Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt) were spending time together, I shrugged. We’ve heard it before, as part of the roller-coaster ride of celebrity hook-ups and break-ups. Called “Bennifer,” they appeared to be one of those epic Hollywood romances, a hot celebrity couple who seemed destined to last.  

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The History of Bennifer

J. Lo and Ben first met in 2001 when they were filming Gigli, a mobster comedy. In the movie, Ben played Larry, a mobster who pairs up with Ricki/Rochelle (J. Lo), another independent contractor. They team up to abduct the prosecutor’s brother in true mobster fashion. As the trailer will tell you: “The more they resist it…the longer they fake it…the stronger it becomes.”

For this goof of a fellow, she’s a “beautiful, sexy, unattainable girl,” but he still tells her, “I’ve got a confession. I think we belong together.” He allowed the seeds of “cruel hope” to sprout, something she warned him about. But he also admits that he had a crush on her way back when he first met her. In true rom-com fashion, some couples just belong together.  

 

Who can really sort out fact from fiction? With all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, most celebrity romances seem fated for a short shelf life. As if to prove the point, J. Lo and Ben only lasted 18 months as a couple the first time around. Back then, J. Lo was showing off her six-carat pink diamond ring, but then they postponed their wedding just days before tying the knot, and then they finally just called it quits.  

Probably not a huge surprise, the reported cause for the break-up was “excessive media attention,” with reports that the tabloids had destroyed the relationship. In her 2014 book, True Love, J. Lo called Ben her “First Big Heartbreak.” 

In her interview with Maria Shriver that year, she said, “It was probably my first big heartbreak, and to have one of my best friends who I’d known for years who I actually love and did have chemistry with come into my life and say, ‘I’m here.’ What you need to know is, nobody can save you or heal you. Only you can do that for you.”  

Even back then, J. Lo said that she was open to love. But she’s not had the romantic fairy tale relationships she might have hoped for. She was married twice before meeting Ben, and she married Marc Anthony right after her split with Ben. She’s also been in long-term relationships with Casper Smart and, most recently, Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod). She and A-Rod just ended their engagement in March of this year.  

Her break-up with A-Rod might have been a long time coming, but it might have also been inevitable, given that her trust was “broken.” They share business and projects, but the statement says that they are “better off as friends.” She was “heartbroken” when they delayed their wedding plans during the pandemic.  


Bennifer 2.0

But, now, it’s time for Bennifer 2.0. The romance was reignited in February of this year by Ben’s love letters, sent via email to J. Lo while she’s been shooting a film in the Dominican Republic. Those first missives were full of love and longing, which leads to where we’re at today. Perhaps it could be said that the couple is older and wiser this time around.  

Ben and J. Lo reportedly planned out the announcement of their rekindled relationship, because “It’s all about timing with her.” The news of their reunion didn’t come out quite the way they’d planned, but they didn’t appear to skip a beat. Oh, what a difference two decades can make in life and in love! Even the pressure of paparazzi and the glare of publicity don’t appear to be changing anything for them.  

There really is no hiding for Ben and J. Lo, even if they wanted to. But they also seem authentically happy and excited about the relationship. Perhaps for each of them, they’ve found that one who got away. Time will tell, but we can all hope that Bennifer 2.0 isn’t just a figment of paparazzi buzz and our own overactive imagination. 

It could be, too, that I’m just a hopeless romantic. I’d love to believe that they’ve found true love (or the closest thing to it…). Is there such a thing as a REAL storybook romance? Or is this really just another larger-than-life showmance, Hollywood style? 

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Have you been following Bennifer 2.0?! What are your thoughts on their rekindled romance? Let us know what you think about it below in the comments!


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One thought on “17 Years Later, J. Lo and Ben Affleck Are Back Together. Is It True Love This Time?

  1. Dude this makes me so happy. I just ended a relationship and im still madly in love With him. OuR timing isnt right, Right now. This gives me hope we can come back together Some daY.