Nairobi News

International singer and Hollywood actress Jennifer Lopez has finally opened up about her past relationship with her current husband Ben Affleck, shedding light on the ups and downs they faced during their initial courtship.

In an interview with Zane Lowe, Lopez delves into the tumultuous history of their romance to coincide with the release of her upcoming album.

Their love story began in the early 2000s, culminating in an engagement and plans for a September 2003 wedding. However, the couple shocked the world when they called off the ceremony the day before, citing overwhelming media attention. In a joint statement, they expressed concerns about the intrusion of paparazzi and the potential compromise of what should have been a joyous occasion.

Despite the postponement, Lopez and Affleck didn’t immediately part ways. Instead, their relationship unraveled gradually over the following months, as doubts crept in about the future of their union. Lopez revealed to Lowe that while she deeply loved Affleck and envisioned a lifelong commitment, uncertainty loomed large. The couple struggled to navigate the complexities of their relationship, grappling with emotional immaturity and an inability to confront their issues head-on.

“We didn’t break up right at that moment, it happened over the series of the next few months,” she said. “Because what it did was it cast doubt in me, and both of us, about what our relationship was, and where it was going, I think. And I knew in my heart that I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life, I knew that. But it didn’t feel like we were going to make it. And so, it scared me.”

The breakup, when it eventually occurred, was a painful and somber moment for Lopez. She described it as the agonizing act of letting go of someone she cherished deeply but couldn’t quite make it work with at the time. Both she and Affleck embarked on separate paths, forming new connections and starting families of their own.

“It was very hard, it was a very sad moment of letting go of somebody that you truly love because you just can’t figure it out. You just don’t have the capacity and the ability at that moment, emotionally, to figure it out. We just weren’t mature enough in that way. Even though he was in his late twenties, I was in my early thirties, it still, it wasn’t…We weren’t ready to deal with and look at each other and go, what we have is real, we need to buckle down, we need to do some work. We just weren’t there yet. And so, we go, ‘Oh, this is what people do, they break up when things get hard, and we’re going to go our separate ways.’ And we went, and we both tried, and found other people, and had beautiful children, and had other families, and then even had other relationships after that,” said Lopez.

However, it wasn’t until years later, after considerable personal growth and introspection, that Lopez and Affleck found themselves reconnected. Lopez emphasized that she had reached a place of contentment and self-assurance in her life, where she was fulfilled by her career, her children, and her friendships. It was then that Affleck reentered her life, having undergone a similar journey of self-discovery.

“And it wasn’t until both of us had done, I know for me, a lot of work, and got into a place where I was like, you know what? I’m totally good on my own. I’m chill, I love my life, I have this amazing career that I’ve built for myself, I have these amazing children…I have great friends, that’s when he showed back up,” she revealed.

Their reunion, Lopez noted, was marked by a shared understanding of the challenges they had faced individually and a newfound appreciation for the bond they once shared. In a twist of fate, both Lopez and Affleck had come to realize that their connection was indeed genuine and worth fighting for, culminating in their reconciliation.

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