Ben Affleck was seen dining alone at the luxurious Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, California, on May 21, amid growing speculation about his marriage to Jennifer Lopez. The 51-year-old actor's solo outing comes as reports suggest the couple is currently living apart, with Lopez promoting her new film Atlas in Mexico City while Affleck remains in the States.
During his evening out, Affleck was spotted wearing his wedding ring, along with a blue button-up shirt, khaki slacks, and brown combat boots. Despite the breakup rumors, the couple has been photographed wearing their wedding rings and was seen together as recently as May 20, leaving BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.
However, a recent video of the couple engaged in a heated argument has fueled further speculation about the state of their relationship. A TikTok lip reader attempted to decipher the conversation, with Affleck supposedly saying, "I'm pretty nice to them, I just think that that's ..." and Lopez replying, "Yeah but you don't ..." The lip reader suggested that the argument revolved around their friends and movies.
The couple, affectionately known as "Bennifer," has been open about the challenges they've faced maintaining a relationship in the public eye. They initially started dating in 2002 and got engaged before calling off their wedding and relationship a year later. In Jennifer's documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told, Ben explained, "When Jen and I broke up before the catalyst for that was this massive amount of scrutiny around our private life. I had a very firm sense of boundaries initially around the press while Jen I don't think objected to it in the way I did."
After rekindling their romance in 2021 and getting married the following year, the couple has worked on the art of compromise. "We're just two people with kind of different approaches," Ben added. "Things that are private, I had always felt, are sacred and special because in part they're private. So, this was something of an adjustment for me."
Despite their efforts, InTouch Weekly reported on May 15, 2024, that the couple's marriage could be over. An insider claimed, "The writing is on the wall-it's over. They're headed for a divorce-and for once, [Ben's] not to blame!" The report suggested that Affleck had already moved out and that the couple would likely have to sell their dream house.
The insider added, "He's focusing on his work and his kids now. They'll never stop loving each other, but she can't control him, and he can't change her. There's no way it could have lasted."
The couple's relationship has been a topic of public fascination since they first met on the set of the movie Gigli in 2001. They made their red carpet debut as a couple at the premiere of Lopez's film Maid in Manhattan in December 2002 and attended various high-profile events together, including the Academy Awards and the Met Gala.
However, their relationship has also been marked by intense media scrutiny and personal challenges. In September 2003, they postponed their wedding without giving a future date, and in January 2004, they ended their engagement.
Nearly two decades later, the couple rekindled their romance and tied the knot in a surprise ceremony at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas in July 2022. They later enjoyed a post-wedding trip to Paris with Lopez's twins and two of Affleck's children.
