Ben Affleck Calls Estranged Wife Jennifer Lopez 'Spectacular' Amid Their Divorce
By Favour Adegoke on November 4, 2024 at 10:15 AM EST
Ben Affleck has lavished praise on his estranged wife, Jennifer Lopez, for her performance in their new movie "Unstoppable."
The pair were involved in heavy speculations about the troubled state of their marriage earlier this year before the "Let's Get Loud" singer finally filed for divorce on August 20.
Since their split, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have reportedly been mediating with a famous lawyer to settle their divorce quickly.
Ben Affleck Praises Jennifer Lopez's Performance In Upcoming Film
In a Sunday interview with Entertainment Tonight, Affleck raved about Lopez's performance in the film "Unstoppable," for which he serves as the producer.
He told the news outlet that "Jennifer is spectacular" in her role of Judy Robles in the sports drama, which is set to hit theaters on December 6 and features a cast including Lopez, Jharrel Jerome, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, and Don Cheadle.
"'Unstoppable' is a very different movie than this, but in a way, it's similarly rooted in the passion of really talented artists," Affleck said. "Goldenberg and Jennifer and Don Cheadle and Jharrel, and Bobby Cannavale - all were really passionate about this film."
The Oscar winner appeared in the interview with his longtime friend and Artists Equity production partner, Matt Damon, and reigning Best Actor Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, who stars in another movie AE is releasing soon, titled "Small Things Like These."
Ben Affleck Enjoyed Working With Jennifer Lopez
"Unstoppable" follows the life of Anthony Robles, played by Jharrel Jerome, who was born with one leg and had to defy the odds to become a champion wrestler in college, competing against the very school that rejected him.
Affleck said that the William Goldenberg-directed movie "is another example of" the kind of films that he and Damon are "really really proud of" and "believed in the right people" in collaborating with.
In a March 2023 chat with CBS Sunday Morning, the "Air" actor shared that it was a pleasure to work closely with Lopez on the movie.
"What fun, what a joy to do something with her, see her be great, go to work with your wife, go to work with your best friend," he said at the time. "If you don't like who you're working with, and if you have difficulty or trouble at work, I think it's one of the things that can really cause depression, anxiety, and pain for people."
"And conversely, [if] you love the people at work, you probably have a pretty good life, you know?" he continued, adding that he "Can't make it look like she's doing it as a favor to me, but actually she is."
Ben Affleck And Jennifer Lopez's Marriage Fell Apart
Affleck and Lopez have worked on several projects together, including "Gigli" in 2003 and the 2004 Kevin Smith film "Jersey Girl" since the beginning of their romance.
They first began dating in 2002 after meeting on the set of "Gigli" before getting engaged some months later. The then-couple delayed their planned 2003 wedding before calling it quits in 2004 over the intense media scrutiny they faced.
According to People Magazine, they rekindled their relationship more than a decade later and tied the knot in July 2022. The pair called their wedding night the "best night ever" and indicated that their children were "the best witnesses."
Affleck and Lopez's relationship took a turn for the worst at some point as the singer filed for divorce without a lawyer on the second anniversary of their Georgia wedding ceremony.
"She tried really hard to make things work and is heartbroken," a source shared.
Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck Remain Friends
The pair have seemingly kept a cordial relationship since their split, with a source sharing that they remain friends.
In a recent InterviewMagazine conversation with Nikki Glaser, the "Ain't Your Mama" singer was asked if she had any regrets that came as a result of her split from Affleck.
"Not one second," Lopez said. "That doesn't mean it didn't almost take me out for good. It almost did. But now, on the other side of it, I think to myself, 'F-ck, that is exactly what I needed. Thank you, God. I'm sorry it took me so long. I'm sorry that you had to do this to me so many times."
Jennifer Lopez Is Ready To Move Forward With Her Life
The singer also weighed in on how she has been handling the latest chapter in her life, especially as regards her relationships and career.
"I think my whole life I've just been trying to say I'm good enough, until where I am now, when I know," Lopez said. "I'm giving myself credit. I'm telling that little girl that grew up in the Bronx, 'You've done really good for yourself.' I didn't do that for so many years."
"And now I think, with everything that's happened in my life and in my relationships and even in my career, it's like, give yourself a bit of comfort and love," she added.