In 2004, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck made headlines with the announcement of their split, citing the overwhelming media focus on their relationship as a contributing factor. It appears that despite the reunion that made so many swoon and believe in second chances, the two have not learned their lesson.
The reason behind their split is increasingly hinted as the real reason by the present divorce buzz. It does not help that ever since their reunion, Affleck has been quite vocal that he's still not into a public relationship.
In a conversation with the Daily Mail in February, Affleck confessed, "Getting back together, I said, 'Listen, one of the things I don't want is a relationship on social media."
Over time, he started to believe it was unjust to demand this from the "Jenny from the Block" singer. A significant portion of her existence was purposefully spent in the public spotlight.
"Then I sort of realized it's not a fair thing to ask. It's sort of like, you're gonna marry a boat captain and you go, 'Well, I don't like the water.' We're just two people with different kinds of approaches trying to learn to compromise."
However, for her part, Lopez has generally refrained from sharing about Affleck on her social media profiles.
The Batman v. Superman actor's hesitancy toward a public relationship is again, nothing new.
In 2003, the pair suddenly decided to cancel their wedding and a few months later, they revealed that their relationship had come to an end.
Their joint statement stated during that time, "Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date."
"When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate 'decoy brides' at three different locations, we realized that something was awry."
In hindsight, Affleck reflected that an excessive and intense amount of focus on their romance contributed significantly to their relationship's end.
The dad-of-three said that about 50% of the media attention is what "destroyed" their relationship.
"The idea that people hate you and they hate you together and that being together is poison and ugly and toxic and the thing none of us want to be part of."
"And 'who the f--k would want to have them to dinner?' And 'what the f--k are they doing together?'"
Despite being an actor and his achievements of being so, Affleck has always shied away from the spotlight. He confessed that it brings more challenges than benefits, acknowledging that fame is an inevitable part of his profession
The actor said being famous has never appealed to him, and he further reflected on how it has occasionally helped him escape a few traffic violations and secure restaurant reservations. But Affleck emphasized that his main focus has always been on pursuing his passion for acting, questioning the true value of fame beyond that purpose.
However, it appears that finding common ground on various matters proved challenging for both Lopez and Affleck. Speculation about their divorce intensified in May, as the Atlas actress inadvertently added fuel to the fire by engaging in a social media post discussing toxic relationships.
Lopez even "liked" a post that said, "You can't build a relationship with someone who is disconnected from themselves," a clear indication of the role social media played in their relationship dynamics.
According to insiders close to Affleck, it was strongly emphasized that he was the first in the marriage who had finally seen the light.
They told Page Six, "He feels like the last two years was just a fever dream, and he's come to his senses now and understands there is just no way this is going to work."
