New Delhi: Jennifer Lopez has filed for divorce from Ben Affleck as of August 20. With the public and media closely following her love life, let’s take a brief look at her previous marriages.
1. Cuban waiter Ojani Noa (1997-1998)
Jennifer Lopez’s first marriage, which began in February 1997, remains the shortest of her all, ending in January 1998 after just under a year. Despite the brief duration, the marriage was highly publicised and concluded with significant fallout.
The short-lived relationship was followed by a series of legal disputes, as Lopez and her ex faced challenges over privacy issues, particularly when Noa attempted to publish a tell-all book.
2. Cris Judd (2001-2003)
Jennifer Lopez first encountered dancer Cris Judd while filming her music video for ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing’. Their on-set chemistry quickly developed into a romance, and the couple married in 2001. Despite their strong initial connection, the intense pressures and public scrutiny of fame began to take a toll on their relationship. The strain proved too great, leading to their separation in 2002. Their divorce was finalised in 2003, marking the end of her second marriage.
3. Marc Anthony (2004-2014)
Jennifer Lopez’s most high-profile and longest marriage was to singer Marc Anthony. They tied the knot in a private ceremony in June 2004, shortly after Lopez called off her engagement to Ben Affleck. The couple welcomed twins, Max and Emme, in 2008. However, they announced their separation in 2011 and finalized their divorce in 2014. Despite their breakup, Lopez and Anthony have continued to maintain a close friendship and effective co-parenting relationship.
4. Ben Affleck (2022-2024)
Affleck and Lopez have a storied past, first meeting while filming ‘Gigli’ in 2002 and quickly becoming engaged that November. Their highly publicised romance faced challenges, leading them to postpone their wedding in 2003 and break up in 2004. Both went on to marry and have children with others—Affleck with Jennifer Garner and Lopez with Marc Anthony—but rekindled their relationship in 2021, with Lopez’s mother predicting their reunion years earlier. They got engaged in April 2022 and married in July, with Lopez legally changing her last name to Affleck while keeping Lopez professionally. Their families blended smoothly, and Lopez praised Affleck’s role as a stepfather. Their relationship even inspired her album, ‘This Is Me… Now’.
However, Lopez filed for divorce on August 20, 2024, without a prenup or an attorney.
