J.Lo & Ben Affleck's Behavior Amid Violet's Graduation Doesn't Help Fractured Marriage Rumors
It could have been a glimmer of hope for Bennifer fans who have been listening to "Dear Ben, Pt. II" on repeat and crying into their cold, cold Dunkin' brew. But the latest chapter in "The Greatest Love Story Never Told" had a telling ending — and now it's hard to ignore the signs that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's marriage might not be the happy ending fans dreamed of.
Amid rumors that all was not well between the "Atlas" and "Air" stars, the pair attended the graduation of Ben's daughter Violet Affleck on May 30, 2024, per TMZ. They were photographed holding hands but their demeanor was a bit frosty — there wasn't a smile or smooch to be seen.
Later that day, the pair arrived at the graduation party together, according to the Daily Mail. This initially seemed like a positive sign, especially since the bash was being held at the home of Affleck's ex-wife, Jennifer Garner. It's always nice when the adults in a blended family can be mature and civil for the sake of the kids. Jennifer Lopez and Violet Affleck have also developed a close relationship, so it was sweet of her to show up for her stepdaughter. However, Lopez and Affleck reportedly stayed at the party for only an hour before making an exit with Ben's mother. This is where things started getting messy.
Jennifer Lopez reportedly left Ben Affleck's abode in a hurry
According to the Daily Mail, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck left the party in the same vehicle, which was good, but what happened next is not going to extinguish the speculation that some lyrics from Lopez' song "He'll Be Back" are about to be all too relevant: "Thought it would last but there's no forever."
One big clue that there's trouble on Bennifer's block is that Affleck has reportedly left it entirely. According to Hello!, he's been renting a place just down the road from Jennifer Garner's home. This is where he, his mom, and Lopez went after the party. However, Lopez didn't stick around. She was reportedly spotted being driven away by her assistant soon after the trio's arrival. When all of this went down, almost two weeks had gone by without a Bennifer sighting. According to the Daily Mail, Garner was also present for the family outing on May 19, 2024 at the Aero Theatre in Brentwood where Affleck and JLo were last seen together.
One source told Us Weekly that Garner is actually rooting for Bennifer like the rest of us. "Jennifer Garner is encouraging Ben to work on his marriage to Jen," said the insider. "She fully supports their relationship and wants nothing more than for him to be happy." Garner may also have a vested interest in the pair staying together: the happiness of one of her kids.
Jennifer Lopez's sudden tour cancellation could be sad news for Emme
A 47-day-long drought of seeing Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez out in public together ended on May 16, 2024, when they were photographed at the school of Ben's teen child, Fin Affleck. The group was joined by one of Lopez's twins, Emme Muñiz. According to In Touch, Muñiz and Fin have developed a close bond since becoming stepsiblings. "Jen showed up with Emme to support Fin. Emme's super attached to Fin, so it's only natural that Jen, no matter what she's going through with Ben, was there," a source said.
From the sounds of it, the kids might be the glue holding them together. "Nothing would have stopped them coming together for the kids. All the marriage drama comes second," the insider added.
The rumored divorce drama in Bennifer-land started at what was likely a stressful time for the entire family. According to Us Weekly, Lopez was preparing for her "This Is Me ... Live" tour when she and Affleck began having relationship problems. On May 31, 2024, TMZ reported that Lopez had suddenly decided to pull the plug on the tour, which was set to start in June. A source said her reason for doing so was to take some "time off to be with her children, family and close friends." Fin and Emme's future as stepsiblings — and the chance of spotting more Bennifer PDA displays — is not looking good.