Jennifer Lopez Reflects on Ben Affleck Divorce: “It Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me”

Jennifer Lopez is opening up about one of the most emotional and transformative periods of her life — her recent divorce from Ben Affleck. In a candid interview on CBS News Sunday Morning (September 28), the 56-year-old singer and actress described the split as “the best thing that ever happened to me,” revealing how the experience ultimately led to personal growth and self-discovery.

“It changed me,” Lopez said. “It helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow.”

The conversation comes as Affleck, 53, serves as executive producer on Lopez’s latest film project, Kiss of the Spider Woman, a musical that premiered at Sundance in January — the same month their divorce was finalized.

Lopez admitted that balancing the emotional weight of the divorce while working on the film was incredibly difficult. “It was a really tough time,” she shared. “Every moment on set, I was so happy. And then, back home, it was not great. I just kept asking myself, ‘How do I work inside of this?’”

The couple’s relationship has spanned decades. Lopez and Affleck first met in 2002 and were famously engaged before splitting in 2004. They each went on to marry and start families with other partners. Lopez shares twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony, while Affleck has three children — Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel — with ex-wife Jennifer Garner.

Nearly two decades later, Lopez and Affleck rekindled their romance in 2021 and married in Las Vegas in July 2022, followed by a larger celebration in Georgia. But two years later, Lopez filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

Despite the breakup, Lopez has remained focused on her career. A source told People in August that she’s in a good place, feeling “very happy and just grateful for her life.”

Kiss of the Spider Woman, which Lopez says is deeply connected to her childhood love of musicals, co-stars Diego Luna and Tonatiuh and will open in theaters on October 10.