After months of speculation about the state of the relationship between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, this week Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce. The move had been expected for months as rumors only grew that the two were splitting up. The couple spent the summer solo, and it’s unclear why the paperwork has taken this long. It may have had to do with the one issue that Jlo reportedly worried most about, how the kids were going to take it.
Affleck and Lopez have five kids between them. Lopez has a pair of 16-year-old twins from her marriage to Marc Anthony, while Affleck had three kids with Jennifer Garner, between 18 and 12. When the couple rekindled their romance, the kids became part of the equation and reportedly became close over the last two years their parents have been married. Page Six says that Lopez was concerned about how their kids would handle a split, but the kids are doing just fine according to sources.
Lopez And Affleck's Kids Have Reportedly Gotten Close Over The Last Two Years
The kids are reportedly close with each other, and the couple has reportedly grown close to the kids. While Jennifer Lopez hasn’t been seen with her soon-to-be ex-husband this summer, she has been seen with two of Affleck’s kids on separate occasions. Lopez and Affleck’s oldest daughter are reportedly especially close.
Of course, the parents splitting doesn’t mean the kids won’t be able to see each other or that they won’t be able to continue to hang out with their former stepmom if they so choose. One of the kids is already legally an adult, and the others will be before too long. It will be interesting to see if the Lopez/Affleck marriage ends up keeping the two stars close even though they have officially split.
Lopez filed for divorce on the second anniversary of the couple's lavish wedding in Georgia. The pair had gotten married in Las Vegas the month prior. At the time it seemed like a fairy tale ending for the couple, who had nearly gotten married once before, but split up instead.
How The Kids Handle The Legal Side Of Things Remains To Be Seen
The kids may have no issues with the divorce itself, but that doesn't mean things will be easy in the coming months. Lopez filed without an attorney, which may be a sign that there is little expectation for conflict during the separation, but only time will tell. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are still battling over their property years after the two split. Channing Tatum is about to get remarried to Zoe Kravitz, but his divorce from Jenna Dewan is still not finalized.
Even if the divorce itself is relatively painless for those involved, it will still take time simply to move through the court system. At least now, the steps toward the end have begun, which will ultimately be a good thing for all involved, including the kids, who no longer have to wonder what the future holds for their parents.
