The writing was on the wall for months that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s marriage was on the rocks. So, while it was sad when JLo ultimately filed for divorce in August, it was a move many were expecting. One split that fans didn’t necessarily see coming, meanwhile, was Leah Remini’s, as she announced that she and husband Angelo Pagan were ending their marriage of 21 years. As The King of Queens star filed her own paperwork, she followed in the footsteps of her friend in not using a lawyer.
According to US Weekly, court documents show that Leah Remini submitted her divorce papers on August 29, doing so without legal representation, just as her longtime pal Jennifer Lopez had weeks earlier. There were other similarities in the two women’s filings, with both citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their splits. Remini has requested that neither she nor Angelo Pagan receive spousal support, while JLo similarly waived her own right to support and asked that it be denied to Ben Affleck.
Given that the Kevin Can Wait alum and her estranged husband’s daughter is 20 years old, child support won’t play into the proceedings. According to the documents, the longtime couple — who were together for 28 years total — separated on August 1 of this year.
Legal experts said it was “unusual” to file for divorce without a lawyer after Jennifer Lopez did so. The move was seen as a possible message to Ben Affleck that she was ready to move on and wasn’t going to put up a fight that would play out on public record. Presumably the same logic applies to Leah Remini.
The Saved by the Bell alum announced that she and Angelo Pagan were divorcing in a lengthy statement on Instagram alongside throwback and newer photos of the couple together. She said in part:
Well, here we are. After 28 years together and 21 years of marriage, we have decided to file for divorce. This decision came after a lot of thought and care, and as hard as divorce is, we are approaching this with a positive outlook because we know it’s what’s best for us.
She went on to say that they remain best friends, but the roles they play in each other’s lives have evolved. However, don’t called this a “failed marriage,” the Talk alum said, continuing:
We think a marriage that lasted this long and created so many beautiful memories, especially raising our incredible daughter, is something to celebrate. From our perspective, this marriage was a huge success. And now, we’re looking forward to creating even more cherished moments—just in a different way.
Jennifer Lopez and Leah Remini have been besties since 2004, but there were rumors of tension between them when JLo reunited with Ben Affleck because Remini allegedly was not supportive of the relationship. The People Puzzler host ultimately missed Bennifer’s big wedding bash, but that was reportedly because it fell on the same weekend she was moving her daughter to college.
Whether or not the estrangement rumors were true, they reportedly reconnected amid Jennifer Lopez’s split with the Oscar winner, and one has to wonder if they influenced each other’s divorce filing procedures in any way.
