'Lucky and proud': Jennifer Lopez opens up on 'second chance' with Ben Affleck

Lopez recently shared that she thinks it is "beautiful" that she and Affleck have given their romance another chance. Photo / Getty Images

It is the rekindled romance we can't get enough of. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez - or Bennifer as we knew and obsessed over them in the early naughties - have made all of our hearts believe in happy endings again with the rekindling of their long ago, but not forgotten, romance.

The 52-year-old pop star originally dated Hollywood actor Ben between 2002 and 2004 but the pair reunited in 2021. While initially very quiet about the rekindled spark, the pair have since appeared on red carpets together and have dropped enough hints that things are going well to have us all believing in true love again.

It is not just the Bennifer fans who are delighted by how the relationship is going this time around. Lopez recently shared that she thinks it is "beautiful" that they have given their romance another chance.

She said: "I've never been better. It's just that we're all in a very beautiful moment I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with [Ben]. It's a beautiful love story that we got a second chance."

Ben Affleck told Adweek in September: "I am in awe of what Jennifer's effect on the world is. Photo / Getty Images

Jennifer then went on to explain that this time round she and Ben - who was married to fellow Hollywood star Jennifer Garner between 2005 and 2018 - have made a conscious decision to keep their relationship private.

She told PEOPLE: "Before we kind of put [our relationship] out there and we were naïve and it got a little trampled. We both were like, 'Wow, we're so happy and we don't want any of that to come into play again.'"

The Jenny from the Block hitmaker - who has twins Emme and Maximilian, 13, from her previous marriage to Marc Anthony, whilst Ben has Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13 and Samuel, nine, with Garner - added that this time around they are more "protective" of how they portray their relationship in the media.

She said: "We're older now, we're smarter, we have more experience, we're at different places in our lives, we have kids now, and we have to be very conscious of those things. We're so protective because it is such a beautiful time for all of us."

Whilst keeping the details of their relationship private, Affleck has also gushed a little about what it is like to be back with Lopez.

The 43-year-old actor told Adweek in September: "I am in awe of what Jennifer's effect on the world is.

"At most, as an artist, I can make movies that move people. Jennifer has inspired a massive group of people to feel they have a seat at the table in this country."

"That is an effect few people throughout history have had, one I will never know and one I can only stand by and admire with respect."

Affleck continued to gush about the impact Lopez has made as a high-profile woman of colour.

"All I can tell you is that I have seen first-hand the difference representation makes because I have seen, over and over and over and over, women of colour approach Jennifer and tell her what her example as a strong woman and a woman succeeding and demanding her fair share in the business world means to them."