Where did it all go wrong for Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck?-Louise Griffin and Laura Harman-Entertainment – Metro

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are getting a divorce after two years of marriage (Picture: Getty Images)

As Jennifer Lopez files for a divorce from her husband Ben Affleck, we take a look back over their relationship timeline and where things started to go sour.

Jennifer, 55, and Ben, 52, are set to split ways after months of speculation about their relationship breakdown.

On August 20, a date that should have been a celebration marking the couple’s second anniversary, Jennifer filed for divorce and papers revealed they separated in April this year.

Fans are heartbroken as the Bennifer chapter which began in 2001, has finally come to a close- but there were clear signs along the way that perhaps this union wasn’t heading for happily ever after.

It has been a bumpy road for the couple with numerous reports in recent months hinting at fractures in their relationship and fans poring over the mounting evidence that the couple was heading towards a split.

Let’s take a look back at Bennifer’s journey…

December 2001 – Jennifer and Ben meet

The 2003 film Gigli gave us Bennifer (Picture: Getty Images)

The couple met over 20 years ago while on the set of the film Gigli which was released in 2003.

While the movie bombed at the box office, no one could have expected the legacy it eventually gave us in the name of Bennifer.

November 2002 – The first engagement

Ben proposed with a pink diamond (Picture: Getty Images)

Less than a year after they met, the pair were engaged.

Ben proposed with a pink diamond, starting a bit of a trend with Hollywood couples.

The same month, the pair starred together in the truly iconic Jenny From The Block music video.

September 2003 -The wedding that never was

Days before they were due to tie the knot, Bennifer called off their wedding.

They said at the time: ‘Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date.

They called off their wedding (Picture: Getty Images)

‘When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate “decoy brides” at three different locations, we realized that something was awry.

‘We began to feel that the spirit of what should have been the happiest day of our lives could be compromised. We felt what should have been a joyful and sacred day could be spoiled for us, our families, and our friends.’

January 2004 – Bennifer is over

They split in 2004 (Picture: Getty Images)

However, a few months later, things were called off for good.

The pair split, with Jennifer’s rep issuing a simple statement: ‘I am confirming the report that Jennifer Lopez has ended her engagement to Ben Affleck. At this difficult time, we ask that you respect her privacy.’

2004-2021 – Other relationships and kids

Jen was married to Marc Anthony (Picture: Getty Images)

A long 17 years passed with the couple going on to begin marriages with other people.

Ben married Jennifer Garner in 2005, with the pair sharing three children, Violet Anne, 18, Seraphina Rose, 15, and Samuel, 12. They split in 2018 but have stayed friends and co-parents.

The actor went on to date Ana de Armas after meeting in early 2020 on the set of Deep Water. However, after a year together, they called it quits, with Ben famously chucking out his cardboard cutout of Ana.

Jennifer got married to Marc Anthony in 2004, with the pair sharing two children, 16-year-old twins Emme Maribel and Max. They split in 2011 but have continued to co-parent together.

Jennifer later started dating Alex Rodriguez in 2017. They got engaged in 2019, but parted ways in 2021.

May 2021 – The reunion

Ben and Jennifer were spotted taking a trip to Montana together in 2021, 17 years after their romance ended, and the world was shocked.

They were then photographed together in Miami, looking happier than ever.

June 2021 – Jennifer and Ben go Instagram official

She finally confirmed their reunion (Picture: Getty Images)

Finally, we got confirmation that Bennifer was officially back on.

Jen shared a sweet snap of the pair of them kissing – following a string of photos of herself looking gorgeous. Priorities.

Captioning the snap, she simply wrote: ’52 … what it do.’

September 2021 – Red carpet debut (round two)

So cute! (Picture: Getty Images)

On the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival, the pair shared a kiss on the red carpet – their first public kiss in years.

They were there promoting Ben’s film The Last Duel and, frankly, no one could take their eyes off them.

Ben looked suave in a tux, Jen wore a stunning white gown – basically, it was everything.

February 2022- Things are different this time around

Jen has been open about how the relationship was different this time around.

She told People: ‘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.

‘It’s a beautiful outcome that this has happened in this way at this time in our lives where we can really appreciate and celebrate each other and respect each other.

‘We always did, but we have even more of an appreciation because we know that life can take you in different directions.’

April 2022 – Engagement 2.0

They’re officially engaged for a second time (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Ben and Jen got engaged for a second time back in April.

JLo revealed details about the romantic proposal, which reportedly occurred during a bubble bath.

In a video message to fans, she said: ‘Did you ever imagine your biggest dream could come true? Saturday night while at my favourite place on earth (in the bubble bath), my beautiful love got on one knee and proposed.

‘I was taken totally off guard and just looked in his eyes smiling and crying at the same time trying hard to get my head around the fact that after 20 years this was happening all over again, I was quite literally speechless and he said, “is that a yes?” I said YES of course that’s a YES.’

July 2022- Vegas Wedding

The pair had a shotgun Las Vegas wedding, tying the knot on Saturday, July 16 in Sin City, three months after he popped the question.

The Marry Me actress shared photos and videos of her dress, while Ben showed off his white tux, with the pair exchanging vows at the Little White Chapel.

August 20, 2022 – A white wedding in Georgia

A couple of months later the pair had a lavish, white wedding ceremony. The superstar couple descended on Georgia on August 20 to make it official, inviting friends and family to celebrate in a ceremony.

Taking place at Ben’s $8.9 million (approx. £7.5 million) Georgia estate, Jennifer wore a stunning white, Ralph Lauren couture gown, while Affleck looked sharp in a matching black and white tuxedo.

Guests all wore white at Ben’s palatial Georgian estate (Picture: SplashNews.com)

The couple were cheered down the aisle after their nuptials by close friends and family, including their children from different marriages.

February 7, 2023 – The couple goes viral for arguing at the Shotgun premiere

Promoting her film Shotgun, there seemed to be trouble in paradise six months on from their wedding day.

The couple were captured talking intently in the corner of the room as Jen sipped her drink and Ben spoke to her and gesticulated with emphasis.

February 16, 2023 – The couple are caught arguing at the Grammys

To make matters worse, just a week later the duo caught the attention of the media again when Ben looked miserable as he sat by his wife at the Grammy Awards

The actor clarified the meme after the moment went viral, and explained that he was perhaps just a little bored at his ‘wife’s work event’ – as he referred to the Awards show.

‘No. I had a good time at the Grammys,’ he vowed to the Hollywood Reporter. ‘My wife was going, and I thought, “Well, there’ll be good music. It might be fun.” At movie award shows, it’s speeches and, like, sound-mixing webinars. But I thought this would be fun.

‘I saw [Trevor approach] and I was like, “Oh, God.” They were framing us in this shot, but I didn’t know they were rolling. I leaned into her and I was like, “As soon they start rolling, I’m going to slide away from you and leave you sitting next to Trevor.” She goes, “You better f**king not leave.” That’s a husband-and-wife thing.

‘I mean, some of it is, I’m like, “All right, who is this act?” Like, I don’t keep up. My wife does, obviously. And yeah, it is your wife’s work event. And I’ve gone to events and been p***ed off. I’ve gone and been bored. I’ve gone to award shows and been drunk, a bunch.’

May 2023 – The couple seem to be arguing again at The Mother premiere

While posing on the red carpet, images of the couple seemed to suggest that they were arguing while having their photo snapped.

The photos didn’t look great, but apparently the couple were just trying to work out the logistics of the event and work out where they needed to be.

Although it may have been innocent enough, the photos went viral as fans were surprised to see the golden couple at odds.

The images of the stars quickly circulated (Picture: Splash/Shutterstock)

Apparently Ben was simply asking about their red carpet route (Picture: Splash/Shutterstock)

May 2023 – Ben slams a car door on Jennifer

In a paparazzi video, Ben was snapped opening a car door for his wife and then slamming it hard as he closed it behind her.

He looked frustrated in the video which quickly circulated on the internet and led fans to believe that there was trouble brewing between the couple.

August 2023 – The couple celebrate their one-year anniversary

In honour of their one-year anniversary, the couple were snapped celebrating in Santa Monica.

The couple sat down for a romantic dinner for two at Giorgio Baldi as they dressed to the nines for this intimate celebration.

February 16, 2024 – Jennifer releases $20million film about their relationship

This is Me…Now: A Love Story was released just after Valentine’s Day this year, and it was certainly something!

The self-funded musical was a camp, star-studded extravaganza that cost the star $20million to create.

The musical focused on her four marriages and the journey that it took her to find Ben Affleck, more than two decades after they first got together.

February 27, 2024 – Ben mocks Jennifer in a documentary about their romance

In a documentary about their love story, Ben commented on the project and said he felt uncomfortable when she shared his private love letters with producers as a backbone of the production.

‘Jen was really inspired by this experience which is how artists do this work. I know as an artist and a director I definitely do the same thing. 

‘But things that are private, I’d always felt are sacred and special because in part they’re private… So this was something of an adjustment for me,’ he said. 

He revealed he put all of his letters and emails into a book for her, which she handed to producers: ‘I came to the house one day and all the producers were round, I went down there and the book I had given her was there. 

‘She was like “I’ve been reading and this is the inspiration, I’ve been showing them the book.” I was like “You’ve been showing all the musicians all those letters?” and they were like “Yeah, we call you Pen Affleck!” I was like “Oh my god…”‘ 

He then mocked the production as he joked: ‘I did really find the beauty and the poetry and the irony in the fact that it’s “the greatest love story never told” and if you’re making a record about it, that seems kind of like telling it!’ 

April 2024 – Reports swirl the couple is divorcing

Split rumours began circling as it was revealed that the couple hadn’t been publically snapped together in some time and were attending events solo.

insider reports and unnamed sources began revealing that the couple was thinking about divorce. It was later suggested that Ben was ‘temporarily insane’ when he married Jennifer.

May 2024 – Jennifer dodges questions about her marriage

While promoting her movie Atlas, the star was asked about her reported marriage troubles, the singer avoided these questions as her co-star stepped in to defend her.

The reporter asked: ‘Is your divorce with Ben Affleck real? These rumors? What is the truth? Para le press le Mexicana [for the Mexican press], what is the truth of the situation?

Jennifer’s co-star Simu Liu quickly addressed the reporter overstepping with the question, saying: ‘Okay we’re not doing that. Thank you so much guys, we really appreciate it. Thank you.’

May 31, 2024- Jennifer cancels her tour

Jennifer cancelled her entire tour just weeks before it was set to begin.

A representative from Live Nation issued a statement earlier today announcing: ‘Jennifer is taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends.’

‘I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down,’ a message from the star read.

‘Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again.

‘I love you all so much. Until next time…’

June 2024 – The couple put their dream home on the market

The couple put the house on the market in July for $68million (£53.386m), just over a year after they bought it in May 2023.

The property boasted 12 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms, a 12-car garage, room for parking 80 cars, a 5,000 square-foot guest penthouse, a caretaker house and a two-bedroom guard house as well as a pool and an indoor sports complex.

July 24, 2024 – Jennifer celebrates her birthday solo

Jennifer celebrated her 55th birthday in the Hamptons with a lavish Bridgerton-themed fancy dress party. Ben wasn’t pictured at this event, which led to further speculation about their relationship status.

Jennifer was surrounded by her friends for her 55th birthday (Picture: Instagram/@jlo)

The star had a gorgeous Birdgerton-themed party (Picture: Instagram/ @jlo)

August 5 2024 – Jennifer faces criticism for her alcohol brand

Although the singer herself doesn’t drink, she has launched an alcohol brand called Dolola.

She has faced criticism for promoting her brand when her husband is an alcoholic, with some insider reports suggesting that Ben found it difficult when she launched an alcohol brand for financial gain.

A source told the MailOnline: ‘Knowing how he lost everything, including the love of his family, knowing that he could possibly relapse, Jen decided to start her own spritzer line for more money, as if she did not have enough.’

‘This was one of the things that broke the camel’s back,’ said an insider: ‘But Ben saved his sobriety’

August 20 2024 – The couple divorce

On their two-year anniversary, it was revealed that Jennifer Lopez had filed for a divorce.

The date of separation is listed as April 26 2024 reports TMZ but the day on which Jennifer, 55, filed for divorce is the second anniversary of the second ceremony – August 20.

A source told People: ‘She’s very disappointed and sad, but Ben hasn’t given her any signs that he wants to continue their marriage. He hasn’t shown any commitment and interest in making their marriage work. It’s gotten to the point that she just needs to look out for herself.

‘She tried really hard to make things work and is heartbroken.’

The source went on to insist the former couple’s blended family is taking priority: ‘The kids are a top priority, as they always have been.’

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