A lot of life has happened since Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were the celebrity “It” couple of the early aughts. Both have had a few kids, gone through divorces and suffered a few breakups along the way, but their acting careers only continue to impress audiences. Now, they're back together again after nearly two decades apart, and Affleck opened up a bit about rekindling their romance at this stage of his life.
The Last Duel writer/actor was asked point-blank about getting back together with his ex-fiancée Jennifer Lopez, during an interview with the Wall Street Journal. He said that one of the major lessons he has learned is not to “share everything with the world” because they are, rightfully, “private and intimate.” However, the actor still seems to be just as giddy about Bennifer 2.0 as the rest of us. He revealed:
I can say that it's definitely beautiful to me. And, you know, one of the things I really value across all facets of my life now is that it was handled in a way that reflected that.
The couple had broken off their engagement in 2004 – allegedly because Ben Affleck wasn't ready yet to fully commit and didn’t like the intense scrutiny surrounding them at the time. Yet earlier this year, not long after Jennifer Lopez’s own breakup with fiancé Alex Rodriguez, she and Affleck were seen rekindling their former relationship. And it seems to only be getting more serious by the day. This being his second chance with the Hustlers actress apparently isn't lost on Affleck, either. The Good Will Hunting star continued:
My life now reflects not just the person that I want to be, but the person that I really feel like I am—which is not perfect, but somebody who tries very hard and cares very much about being honest and authentic and accountable. … It is a good story. It's a great story. And, you know, maybe one day I'll tell it. I'll write it all out. And then I'll light it on fire.
While they're busy nurturing their real-life second chance, the concept of difficult pasts and forgiveness have also ironically been manifesting in their work of late. The actor/director is currently promoting his latest film, The Tender Bar, which is about a young boy abandoned by his father who finds guidance from other male figures at a local bar. The stsar told the WSJ that making the movie brought him a lot of clarity about his own relationship with his father and how he wants to live his life nowadays.
Meanwhile, one of Jennifer Lopez’s next films, Shotgun Wedding, (in which she stars alongside Josh Duhamel) is about a couple struggling to get along amidst the chaos of their destination wedding. The Tender Bar and Shotgun Wedding are slated for releases on December 22, 2021 and June 22, 2022, respectively – and there's a good chance Bennifer 2.0 will show up for each other again on the red carpet premieres.
Ben Affleck did in fact tell the outlet that along with hoping to be a good father and good man, he also is hoping to one day be “a good husband.” And I can think of one person who has said they would be down for that.
