Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's Relationship Timeline

Since it began in 2002, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s roller coaster love story has spanned over two decades, with proposals, breakups, and marriages to other people in between. 

Before the couple found their way back to each other in 2021, Lopez and Affleck were linked to other people. From 2004 to 2014, Lopez was married to singer Marc Anthony – with whom she shares twins Emme and Max – and later dated Casper Smart and Alex Rodriguez. Meanwhile, Affleck was married to Jennifer Garner from 2005 to 2018, and shares Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel with the Alias actress. He was then romantically tied to SNL’s Lindsey Shookus and Ana de Armas.

From their first meeting and engagement to their initial split, the early years of Bennifer’s whirlwind romance were plagued with intense tabloid attention, and they called it quits in 2004. Decades later the Hustlers actress and Justice League star reconnected, getting back together officially in 2021. After going public with a PDA-packed Instagram post, got engaged for the second time and tied the knot in July 2022. 

Here’s a look back at J.Lo and Affleck’s relationship timeline, from their infamous meeting on the set of Gigli to their second engagement, and everything they’ve said about each other in between.

Early 2002: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck meet on the set of Gigli

When the co-stars were introduced, it was sparks at first sight for Lopez. "I really felt like when I met Ben, 'Okay, this is it,’” she told People in a 2016 interview. Lopez filed for divorce from her husband at the time, Cris Judd, in 2002, and she and Affleck began stepping out together shortly after. 

“You can’t pinpoint it,” Lopez told Access Hollywood in a 2003 interview about when the couple first fell in love. “We became friends first. That is the honest to God truth.”

While Gigli bombed at the box office, with critics citing a perceived lack of chemistry between the pair, their relationship only heated up in real life – and “Bennifer” quickly became one of the most talked-about couples of the moment.

November 2002: Affleck proposes to Lopez with a 6-carat pink diamond ring

The Gone Girl star popped the question with a custom pink ring from Harry Winston just months later, and Lopez couldn’t stop gushing how “very, very beautiful” the moment was. 

In a 2002 interview with Diane Sawyer, Lopez said the proposal was "traditional, but also [done] in a very spectacular way, as of course Ben would do it.” Piling the praise on her then-fiance, whom she called “brilliantly smart … loving, charming, affectionate,” the “On The Floor” singer also clapped back against critics who questioned the pair’s compatibility.

“We're probably more alike and from the same kind of background and, you know, same kind of upbringing and same kind of family and same kind of house,” she said of their similar roots.

November 2002: The “Jenny From The Block” music video premieres

Affleck and Lopez poked fun at the media attention surrounding their relationship with the PDA-packed “Jenny From the Block” music video. In it, the couple made out on yachts, a hotel balcony, and while pumping gas – all while paparazzi snapped secret photos of them.

2003: Affleck and Lopez start filming Jersey Girl together

The movie, which featured Affleck as a New York publicist and Lopez as his wife who dies in childbirth, was also panned by critics when it was released.

September 2003: Affleck and Lopez delay their wedding, citing tabloid attention

"Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date," the couple said in a statement that was released just days before their planned wedding date, per People. "When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate decoy brides at three different locations, we realized that something was awry."

They added, "We felt what should have been a joyful and sacred day could be spoiled for us, our families and our friends.”

According to People, the couple briefly split, but then quickly rekindled their romance – and engagement – shortly after. 

2004: Lopez and Affleck break up again

Both of the actors’ publicists confirmed Bennifer’s engagement was off in separate statements on January 22, shortly before the couple was expected to attend the Golden Globes together. The announcement came just days after the actor was spotted solo at the Sundance Film Festival, during which he told reporters, “Everything’s going along fine. We’re good,” per People.

Lopez later opened up about how hard it was to cope with the “painful” breakup in a November 2022 interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. 

"Once we called off that wedding 20 years ago, it was the biggest heartbreak of my life,” she said. “I honestly felt like I was going to die. It sent me on a spiral for the next 18 years where I just couldn't get it right.”

2016: Lopez reflects that there was “genuine love” between her and Affleck

The Selena star later told People in a 2016 interview that their split felt like an issue of timing, and that there was “genuine love” between the couple. “I think [a] different time, different thing, who knows what could’ve happened,” she said.

She also slammed tabloids for creating “a lot of pressure” in their romance. “We didn’t try to have a public relationship,” she said. “We just happened to be together at the birth of the tabloids, and it was like ‘Oh my God.’”

2020: Affleck reveals he keeps in touch with his ex while showing support

The Suicide Squad star was all praise when talking about Lopez’s acting abilities in a 2020 interview with The New York Times, even arguing that his ex should have gotten an Oscar nod for her role in Hustlers. 

"She should have been nominated. She's the real thing," Affleck said in an unused clip from the interview, per New York Times reporter Brooks Barnes. "I keep in touch periodically with her and have a lot of respect for her. How awesome is it that she had her biggest hit movie at 50? That's f*cking baller."

January 2021: Affleck reflects on the tabloid pressure of dating Lopez 

The next year, Affleck talked about his ex during another interview, this time looking back on the treatment she’d endured from critics and the media.

"People were so f*cking mean about her — sexist, racist,” he told The Hollywood Reporter during a podcast interview. “Ugly, vicious sh*t was written about her in ways that if you wrote it now you would literally be fired for saying those things.”

Again, he didn’t hold back the praise, arguing, “I would say you have a better shot, coming from the Bronx, of ending up as like [Sonia] Sotomayor on the Supreme Court than you do of having Jennifer Lopez's career and being who she is at 50 years old today."

April 5, 2021: Affleck calls his ex the “hardest-working person” in the business

In an April InStyle cover story featuring Lopez, the publication tapped the musician’s exes as well as stars like Michelle Obama, Lili Reinhart, Matthew McConaughey, and Affleck to talk about the multi-hyphenate. Affleck once again had nothing but good things to say about his former flame. 

“I thought I had a good work ethic, but I was completely humbled and blown away by what she was committed to doing day in and day out, the seriousness in which she took her work, the quiet and dedicated way she went about accomplishing her goals, and then how she would go back and redouble her efforts," he told the publication.

He added, “She has great talent, but she has also worked very hard for her success, and I’m so happy for her that she seems, at long last, to be getting the credit she deserves.”

The Last Duel star also quipped about Lopez’s ageless appearance, adding, “Where are you keeping the fountain of youth? Why do you look the same as you did in 2003 and it kind of looks like I’m in my 40s...at best?" 

Lopez returned the compliment, responding, "Ben is funny. He still looks pretty good too."

April 30, 2021: J.Lo and Affleck start hanging out again

Just weeks later, rumors began to swirl that Lopez and Affleck were hanging out again in LA. While sources told People that they were just “friends” at the time, romantic speculation heated up when the couple was spotted taking a trip to Montana together. 

July 24, 2021: Lopez and Affleck become Instagram official

Following months of hangouts and PDA-packed sightings, Bennifer confirmed that they were back together with a social media hard launch. Lopez rang in her 52nd birthday with a sizzling Instagram carousel of her posing in a patterned bikini on a yacht in Monaco. The final image showed J.Lo locking lips with Affleck, who had his arms around the star in a passionate embrace.

“5 2 … what it do …” she captioned the post.

September 10, 2021: Lopez and Affleck walk their first red carpet since rekindling their romance

Lopez and Affleck had fans feeling like it was 2003 again when they made their first red carpet appearance together since the premiere of Gigli. Their PDA-filled appearance at the Venice Film Festival showed the couple was going strong. Lopez, who wore a white mermaid-cut gown by Georges Hobeika that sparkled with Swarovoski crystal embellishments, was all smiles as she made out with her black tux-clad boyfriend on the red carpet.

September 13, 2021: Bennifer stuns in matching Ralph Lauren ‘fits at the Met Gala

The lovebirds stopped to share a kiss through their black masks while walking the red carpet at their first Met Gala together.

September 20, 2021: Affleck raves about how inspiring his girlfriend is

After J.Lo was named Adweek's 2021 Brand Visionary, The Flash actor told the publication he’s “in awe of [Lopez’s] effect on the world.”

“At most, as an artist, I can make movies that move people,” he said. “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.”

October 2021: Lopez and Affleck attend The Last Duel premiere

Bennifer made everyone else feel single at the New York premiere of Affleck’s film, The Last Duel, gazing into each other’s eyes while posing for pictures. Lopez showed off her toned abs in a cropped sparkly brown Hervé Léger co-ord skirt set, and pulled her hair back into a sleek half up.

February 7, 2022: Lopez opens up about her “second chance at real love” with Affleck

In an interview with Rolling Stone that took place in December 2021, the JLo Beauty founder told the publication “the game has changed” dating each other for the second time. 

"I won't talk about it a lot. We've both grown. We're the same, and we're different. And that's what's nice,” she said. “We learned a lot. We know what’s real, what’s not real.”

Lopez also hinted that she saw the couple working out long term. "I don't think we would have got back together if we thought [a breakup] was where it was headed," she said. "We feel like what we found again is so much more important, and how we protect that and how we live our lives — what to share, what not to share — is the balance that we have now, the benefit of experience and the wisdom that we gained over the years."

February 8, 2022: Lopez and Affleck attend the premiere of Marry Me

The Maid in Manhattan actress looked bridal at the premiere for her rom-com, in which she starred opposite Owen Wilson. Lopez wore an actual wedding dress – a white mini tulip gown with long lace sleeves from Giambattista Valli – while posing with Affleck on the red carpet.

"It's a great date night. We're super happy," the singer told ET at the event. "What can I tell you? We're just having a good time."

April 2022: Lopez and Affleck get engaged for the second time

Lopez shared the news that Affleck had popped the question for the second time on April 2 in her On The JLo newsletter. The first post, a video message that was sent to her fans, showed Lopez showing off her “perfect” green engagement ring. 

In a second newsletter post, she told fans how the moment had happened. "Saturday night while at my favorite place on earth (in the bubble bath), my beautiful love got on one knee and proposed," she wrote. 

"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,” she continued. “I was quite literally speechless and he said, 'is that a yes?’ I said YES of course that’s a YES."

July 2022: Lopez and Affleck get married in a “super small” ceremony in Las Vegas

The couple tied the knot at midnight in Las Vegas shortly after obtaining a marriage license. Lopez confirmed in a July 17 On The JLo newsletter post that the couple’s children were in attendance as “the best witnesses.”

Lopez later said they made the decision to tie the knot in Vegas due to a “little PTSD” she had about their wedding falling through. 

“It kind of all fell apart [when we were supposed to get married in 2004] and this time, I absolutely had a little PTSD and I was like, ‘Is this happening?’” she said in a January 2023 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Appearance.

“We were so happy, but I just felt the wedding was so stressful. And one day Ben just said, ‘F*ck it, let’s just go to Vegas and get married tonight.’”

August 2022: Bennifer have a Savannah, Georgia wedding ceremony before jetting off on their Italian honeymoon

Lopez wore a stunning Ralph Lauren wedding dress while exchanging vows with Affleck in a star-studded ceremony on August 20 at his Savannah property.

The actress later reflected on the “full-circle” ceremony in an On The JLo newsletter post, writing, “Some old wounds were healed that day and the weight of the past finally lifted off our shoulders.”

"When he saw me appear at the top of the stairs, that moment, it both made absolute sense while seeming still impossibly hard to believe, like the best dream, where all you want is never to awaken," she gushed.

December 2022: Lopez calls taking Affleck’s last name a “power move”

In her December 2022 cover interview with Vogue, the entertainer revealed she’d legally changed her name to “Mrs. Affleck.”

"We're husband and wife. I'm proud of that. I don't think that's a problem," she said, adding, “If you want to know how I feel about it, I just feel like it’s romantic.”

Lopez, who called the decision a “power move,” said, "It still carries tradition and romance to me, and maybe I'm just that kind of girl."

Christmas 2022: The couple have their first Christmas as a “blended family”

In an On the JLo" newsletter, Lopez wrote about holiday festivities with both her and Affleck’s kids. “We have blended families, doubled the people, doubled the fun, doubled the love, doubled the presents, and tripled the chaos,” she wrote.

Later during a May 2023 interview with Today, the singer raved that Affleck is a “wonderful, wonderful father.”

“[He’s a] father figure to [Max and Emme] as well, because he has his own three beautiful children, and then there's us,” she added, praising her husband for stepping “up to the challenge of what that is.”

 “They love him. And they appreciate him, and so do I,” she said.

February 5, 2023: Affleck looking bored at the Grammy Awards becomes a meme

The Air star quickly went viral for his facial expression at the Grammys. The actress, who presented an award at the show, also got in on the trend, sharing a trailer of a grim-looking Affleck from his movie Air with the tongue-in-cheek caption on Instagram, “My husband’s happy face.”

February 14, 2023: Lopez and Affleck get tattoos together

The couple rang in Valentine’s Day by getting ink inspired by their commitment to each other. In an Instagram post shared on February 14, the star showed off an infinity sign tattoo on her rib cage. The mirror selfie also appeared to show ink with their names written in cursive and an arrow.

Affleck’s version of the tattoo had the letters “J” and “B” around two arrows crossing each other.

"Commitment,” Lopez wrote. "Happy Valentine's Day my love."

March 2023: Affleck says Lopez encourages him to be more vulnerable

The Air actor revealed that his wife’s advice had made him rethink his reserved demeanor and opening up in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 

“She tells me today, 'Relax, be yourself. Have fun. You’re a fun guy who is real and genuine and you just seem so serious,’” the actor told the publication, sharing that his “guarded” personality during interviews was due to concerns about his words being taken out of context.

“Do I seem serious? But as in many things, she’s right. And she loves me. She’s looking out for me. She’s trying to help me. So, it’s like, maybe I ought to f*cking listen to her,” he said.

April 21, 2023: Affleck calls “superhuman” Lopez the "most gorgeous woman in the world"

Affleck revealed that his wife doesn’t have to make much of an effort to look, well, how she looks, during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show.

"Let me tell you something that's gonna upset you," Affleck told Barrymore when asked if the couple had a cheat day drawer for snacks. "Jennifer just eats whatever she wants. Whatever she wants. She eats cookies, ice cream, everything.”

“She works out. I work out too, but I don't magically appear to be 20 years old, you know what I mean, with perfect skin and the whole thing,” he added when Barrymore asked about J.Lo’s fitness routine.

“She’s the most gorgeous woman in the world,” Affleck gushed about his “superhuman” SO. “She looks spectacular.”

June 2023: J.Lo and Affleck make out at The Flash premiere in LA

It was another day, another PDA-packed premiere for Bennifer. Wearing a two-toned Gucci gown with a black structured bodice and peach skirt, Lopez exchanged a kiss with Affleck while walking the red carpet for his latest film.

August 2023: Lopez sings a song on Instagram for Affleck’s birthday

"Dear Ben … Happy Birthday. I love you!" she captioned her celebratory Instagram video, which showed her and Affleck riding in a car and singing along to Sam Cooke's “(What a) Wonderful World.”

February 8, 2024: Lopez says Affleck encouraged her writing in her documentary This Is Me... Now: A Love Story

The singer said that her husband gave her the push she needed to finish the visual companion to her latest album This Is Me… Now when she was doubting her abilities.

“I was like, ‘I don’t write, I don’t do this,’” Lopez recalled during a February 8 press conference, per People. “He was like, ‘You do, you write, you direct, you produce, you choreograph, you do all the things. Start stepping into that, start owning a little bit of who you are.’”

February 11, 2024: Bennifer make a surprise appearance in a Dunkin’ Super Bowl Commercial

Lopez and Affleck poked fun at the Boston-born actor’s love of Dunkin’ by appearing in a Super Bowl spot for the coffee brand. In the hilarious ad, the “Dun-kings” – led by Affleck, Matt Damon, Tom Brady, Jack Harlow, and Fat Joe – perform a rap number and dance in front of a less-than-impressed Lopez.

February 27, 2024: Lopez’s The Greatest Love Story Never Told documentary is released on Amazon Prime

The film, which followed Lopez’s journey to self love, also included footage of the couple’s romance through the decades such as personal emails and love letters. Affleck can also be seen in scenes in the documentary, as well in portions where he’s interviewing his wife.

The Greatest Love Story Never Told also marked the first time the couple had officially worked together since Jersey Girl and Gigli. It was the first documentary produced by Affleck and Matt Damon’s production house, Arts Equity.