Jennifer Lopez has spoken about how her split from Ben Affleck deeply affected her, saying she intentionally stopped all activity to process the end of their second attempt at marriage.
On March 11, 2026, the 56-year-old singer and actress told “Good Morning America” anchor Juju Chang that after filing for divorce from Affleck in August 2024, she took a year-long break from work and cancelled a planned summer tour to concentrate on healing and self-reflection.
A clip from her “Nightline” interview that aired Wednesday showed Lopez saying she put her entire career on hold. She noted she cancelled performances and “just decided to be home and sit in what had happened” instead of avoiding the pain by working or entering another relationship.
The choice was a stark change for the constantly busy star, who had announced in May 2024 that she would call off her “This Is Me… Live” tour to spend time with her children, family, and close friends.
Lopez is the mother of 18-year-old twins Maximilian David and Emme Maribel Muñiz with ex-husband Marc Anthony. The teens, known as Max and Emme, turned 18 in February and are preparing for college, which Lopez said made them her main focus during this difficult time. She told Chang she “needed to be home” with them, calling them her “priority at that time.”
The break gave Lopez space to examine patterns she had repeated throughout adulthood. She admitted she had rarely been truly single, often moving from one relationship into the next without taking time to learn about herself. She said she reached a moment of questioning and realized she couldn’t place the blame elsewhere because “that’s not where the lesson is.”
Lopez and Affleck, 53, wed in Las Vegas in July 2022, nearly 20 years after their initial high-profile engagement ended in January 2004. They rekindled their relationship in 2021, raising hopes among fans for a different outcome the second time.
Their divorce was finalized in February 2025, ending their two-year marriage. Affleck was previously married to Jennifer Garner from 2005 until their divorce was finalized in October 2018, and he has three children with Garner: Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.
In a September 2025 interview with “CBS News Sunday Morning,” Lopez described the divorce as “the best thing that ever happened to me.” She said working on “Kiss of the Spider Woman” during the split highlighted the contrast between professional satisfaction and personal turmoil.
Affleck acted as an executive producer on the film through his company Artists Equity. Lopez credited him for enabling the project, saying he backed the movie after she told him it was the role she was meant to play.
The film, directed by Bill Condon, stars Diego Luna as political prisoner Valentin Arregui and newcomer Tonatiuh as his cellmate Molina, with Lopez portraying classic screen actress Ingrid Luna.
Embracing her single life, Lopez told Chang she is not interested in dating. When asked if she was “dating up a storm,” she laughed and dismissed the idea, saying she didn’t want to “ruin anything” because things feel very good at the moment.
The remark signals a big change from her former patterns. Lopez acknowledged she had “always had a boyfriend” and said being single once frightened her. She admitted she did not know if she could handle solitude and had been reluctant to try.
Lopez now says she is happy, healthy, and grateful. She juggles roles as a mother preparing to send her children to college, an entertainer, actress, and businesswoman. She recently announced a new Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace as she begins working again.
“I am happy, and I am healthy, and I’m grateful. That’s who I am today. And I’m surrounded by love, which is the best part,” Lopez said.
Affleck commented on the breakup in a March 2025 interview with GQ, calling the situation “pretty adult” despite sensational press. He said there was “no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue,” describing their split as far more ordinary than some reports suggested, and expressed that he has “nothing but respect” for Lopez.
He noted that the reality behind their separation would likely be uninteresting to most, lacking the drama tabloids implied.
Lopez’s experience with the divorce changed how she views relationships, achievement, and self-worth. The year of reflection helped her build trust in herself and cultivate self-appreciation instead of constant self-criticism. She said she now truly trusts and appreciates herself more, rather than being so hard on herself all the time.
