Ben Affleck found himself at the center of renewed public scrutiny this week after appearing alongside both Jennifer Garner and Jennifer Lopez at a school event for his 13-year-old son, Samuel, underscoring the fragile balance of relationships following his recent divorce. The appearance, which took place at a Los Angeles playhouse, brought together the actor's former and most recent spouses in a rare and visibly cautious encounter.
Photographs from the evening showed Affleck arriving with Garner while Lopez appeared separately with her longtime manager Benny Medina and her mother, Guadalupe Rodríguez. The encounter unfolded quietly, with observers noting that Affleck and Lopez avoided direct interaction despite sharing the same space only months after finalizing their separation.
The moment highlighted the complicated dynamics surrounding the blended family that formed during Affleck and Lopez's short-lived marriage, which began in July 2022 and ended when Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024. The former couple had reunited after nearly two decades apart, reviving a relationship that first began in the early 2000s and once dominated celebrity culture.
Sources close to the situation described the atmosphere as tense but controlled. Affleck, 53, was seen engaging other parents while maintaining distance from Lopez, 56. Lopez, for her part, appeared focused on supporting the children rather than engaging in any public interaction with her former husband or Garner.
Despite the strained dynamics, witnesses said Lopez spent time warmly interacting with Samuel outside the venue, reinforcing her continued connection to Affleck's children. In recent months, she has been seen accompanying Samuel on outings, including shopping trips, signaling an effort to preserve familial bonds even after the marriage ended.
Affleck and Garner, who divorced in 2018, share three children and have maintained a cooperative co-parenting relationship. Their steady public interactions have often been cited as a contrast to the volatility that followed Affleck's reconciliation and subsequent split with Lopez.
The breakdown of Affleck and Lopez's marriage unfolded quickly. By May 2024, reports began circulating that the couple were living separately, fueling speculation about irreconcilable differences. Lopez formally filed for divorce on Aug. 20, 2024, ending a relationship that had been widely portrayed as a second-chance romance.
In interviews since the separation, Lopez has spoken candidly about the emotional work she has undertaken. Reflecting on her past relationships, she said, "What I learned [is that] it's not that I'm not lovable. It's that they're not capable. They don't have it in them. They need to appreciate the little person inside of them. They need to love them."
She has also described the divorce as transformative, saying it was "the best thing that ever happened to me." Lopez detailed her commitment to personal growth, explaining that she sought support from multiple professionals, including a religious coach, therapist, couples' counselor and addiction coach. "I was like, 'I'm gonna figure this s--- out if it kills me,'" she said.
The scene at the school event illustrated the lingering emotional complexity that surrounds the former couple, even as both attempt to move forward. For Affleck, the evening required navigating relationships with two women who have each played central roles in his personal life. For Lopez, it marked another moment of public composure amid private change.
