Jennifer Lopez opens up about Ben Affleck divorce in first comments since split

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce after two years of marriage. Photo / Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez is “excited” to be single following her high-profile divorce from Ben Affleck.

The Love Don’t Cost a Thing singer, 55, opened up about her new singledom in a profile for Interview magazine – the first interview she has given about the divorce.

Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck, 52, on August 20 – the two-year anniversary of their lavish wedding.

The couple first tied the knot in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022, but held a more traditional ceremony in Georgia on August 20 that year.

Jennifer Lopez has given her first interview about the divorce since filing in August. Photo / Getty Images

Speaking to Interview for its fall 2024 cover story, Lopez admitted that while being single can be “lonely” and “scary”, she isn’t “defined” by being in a relationship.

“Everything that I’ve done over the past 25, 30 years, being in these different challenging situations, what can I f***ing do when it’s just me flying on my own … what if I’m just free?” she told writer Nikki Glaser.

“When you sit in those feelings and go, ‘These things are not going to kill me’, it’s like, ‘Actually, I am capable of joy and happiness all by myself’.

“I can’t be looking for happiness in other people,” she continued. “I have to have happiness within myself.”

However, she did not mention Affleck by name in the interview.

The former couple were reportedly packing on the PDA during a family outing in early September. Photo / Getty Images

In May, rumours began swirling that Lopez and Affleck’s marriage was on the rocks, with the couple rumoured to be living apart and spotted without their wedding rings.

The pair didn’t address the speculation, despite spending Lopez’s birthday and their anniversary apart before the divorce papers were filed, citing irreconcilable differences.

The papers listed the date of separation as April 26, 2024.

In June, it was revealed the two were looking to sell their US$60 million ($98.2m) Beverly Hills mansion. Although the couple purchased the 12-bedroom, 24-bathroom California property last year, a source told People they were “still living separately”.

Multiple sources claimed earlier in August that after attempting to save their relationship, the pair had made the call to separate for good. This was followed by reports that J. Lo was also house-hunting after putting the Los Angeles home up for sale.

Despite reports that settlement negotiations had caused their friendship to sour, the two were allegedly spotted kissing and holding hands during a weekend outing with their children in early September.

Lopez was previously married to Ojani Noa, Cris Judd and Marc Anthony. She and Affleck first dated in 2002 and announced their engagement that November, but called time on their whirlwind romance in January 2004.

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez were married for 10 years and share two children. Photo / Getty Images

In July 2021, it was revealed the former couple had rekindled their relationship. They got engaged for a second time in April 2022 and eloped that July.

Affleck was previously married to 13 Going on 30 actress Jennifer Garner from 2005 to 2018. They share three children: Violet, Seraphina and Samuel.

Lopez shares two children, twins Emme and Max, with singer Marc Anthony, to whom she was married from 2004 to 2014. She then dated New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez from February 2017 to early 2021. They became engaged in March 2019, but their ill-fated wedding was postponed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic.