And the tabloids loved them. But the feeling wasn’t mutual. Back in 2016, Lopez told People: “We didn’t try to have a public relationship. We just happened to be together at the birth of the tabloids, and it was like ‘Oh my God.’ It was just a lot of pressure.”
Despite all that, the couple seemed to be thriving and in November 2002, they thrilled fans by announcing their engagement. Back then, Affleck had proposed to Lopez with a custom-made Harry Winston pink-diamond solitaire ring that he had picked himself.
2003:
The duo starred in another movie together: Jersey Girl, where Lopez played the dead wife of Affleck’s character. The dramedy, which also starred Liv Tyler, was slated for a 2003 release but got pushed back by a year. It also underperformed at the box office, pulling in only $36 million.
In September that year, days before they were to tie the knot, the couple announced that they were going to postpone their wedding due to excessive media attention.
“Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date. When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate ‘decoy brides’ at three different locations, we realized that something was awry. We began to feel that the spirit of what should have been the happiest day of our lives could be compromised. We felt what should have been a joyful and sacred day could be spoiled for us, our families and our friends.”
2004:
On January 22, 2004, Affleck and Lopez ended their engagement, shocking Bennifer fans everywhere. At the time, the duo did not offer more details than to the reason behind the split.
In June, Lopez found love with longtime friend, Marc Anthony. In her 2014 book True Love, Lopez wrote: “I sought out comfort in another person, tried to find someone who could make me feel loved and wanted in my loneliest hour. … Marc came back into my life three days after I should have been at the altar saying ‘I do’ to another man.”
2005:
The following year, Affleck married Jennifer Garner and over the course of their marriage, which ended in 2018, they birthed three children.
2006 to 2020:
Despite their history, Lopez and Affleck seemed to remain friends through these years, often talking up the other and their work through talk shows and interviews.
2021:
When rumors of Affleck and Lopez ‘hanging out’ started doing the rounds in April 2021, Bennifer fans were hopeful and social media soon filled with posts about “second chances”. The tabloids reported that the duo was seen meeting in Lopez’s Los Angeles house on numerous counts. In May, the couple took off on a weeklong vacation to Montana. In June, they were spotted getting cozy in West Hollywood and then Malibu. In July, they went Instagram official.
2022:
After months of rekindling their romance, the duo, in April, announced that they were engaged (again!). In her newsletter, Lopez shared that Affleck had proposed to her in the sweetest way.
