Jennifer Lopez has spoken out about her divorce from Ben Affleck for the first time, sharing candid and heartbreaking truths about their relationship.
The "Bennifer" relationship has captivated fans of the two stars for over two decades - making them one of Hollywood's most talked about couples.
The pair first met on the set of their movie Gigli in 2002, sparking a whirlwind romance that quickly made headlines. An engagement in November 2002 swiftly followed.
However, their engagement was called off in January 2004, leaving fans stunned.
Following their split, both Lopez and Affleck went on to marry other people and have children. But fate had other plans and it would seem that Lopez and Affleck would become the ultimate celebrity symbol for second chances.
In 2021, the couple reunited, reigniting their love and surprising fans everywhere. Their second engagement led to their marriage in a small, private ceremony in Las Vegas in July 2022 (followed by a luxurious wedding party in Georgia on August 20, 2022).
And it all seemed like happily ever after.
However, back in August of this year, it was reported that Affleck and Lopez had split once again.
The 'Let's Get Loud' hitmaker reportedly submitted the divorce papers herself in Los Angeles County Superior Court and listed April 26, 2024, as the date of separation, as reported by TMZ.
According to Page Six, 55-year-old Lopez cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for her split, with a source telling PEOPLE: "She tried really hard to make things work, and is heartbroken...
"The kids are a top priority, as they always have been.”
Both parties have been relatively quiet about the split in the public eye - until now.
Speaking out about their breakup in an interview with comedian Nikki Glaser for Interview Magazine, the 'On The Floor' singer went into detail about the couple's rift, and what she hopes will come of their future.
Lopez compared the eventual breakdown of their marriage to a house burning down - and stressed that she is trying to find ways to avoid such heartache in the future.
She said: "When your whole house blows up, you’re standing there in the rubble going, ‘How do I not ever let that happen again?'
“And then you start examining it little by little saying, ‘OK, I did this, this was my part in it, this was what I should have seen early on, this is what I didn’t look at.’ Those things are what really are the lessons."
Opening up about the need to be on her own, Lopez added: "You have to be complete, if you want something that’s more complete. You have to be good on your own.
"I thought I learned that, but I didn’t. And then, this summer, I had to be like, 'I need to go off and be on my own.' I want to prove to myself that I can do that."
"Everything that I’ve done over the past 25, 30 years, being in these different challenging situations, what can I f***king do when it’s just me flying on my own … what if I’m just free?" Lopez asked.
Lopez admitted that she was finding the experience "f***** hard" and "lonely, unfamiliar, scary", but added: "When you sit in those feelings and go, ‘These things are not going to kill me,’ it’s like, ‘Actually, I am capable of joy and happiness all by myself.'"
"Being in a relationship doesn’t define me. I can’t be looking for happiness in other people. I have to have happiness within myself," she continued. "I used to say I’m a happy person, but was still looking for something for somebody else to fill, and it’s just like, ‘No, I’m actually good.’"
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