Jennifer Lopez says her divorce from Ben Affleck profoundly reshaped her life, and that she intentionally stopped everything to process the end of their second attempt at a relationship.
On March 11, 2026, the 56-year-old singer and actress told “Good Morning America” that after filing for divorce from Affleck in August 2024, she took an unprecedented year away from work and canceled a planned summer tour to focus on healing and self-reflection.
In a preview of her “Nightline” interview with Juju Chang that aired Wednesday, Lopez said she paused her whole career. She said she canceled tours and “just decided to be home and sit in what had happened” instead of escaping the pain through work or a new relationship.
The choice was a marked change for the always-busy performer, who in May 2024 had announced the cancellation of her “This Is Me… Live” tour to spend time with her children, family, and close friends.
Lopez is the mother of 18-year-old twins Maximilian David and Emme Maribel Muñiz with ex-husband Marc Anthony. The teens, known as Max and Emme, turned 18 in February and are heading to college, which Lopez said made them her primary focus during this turbulent time. She told Chang she “needed to be home” with them, calling them her “priority at that time.”
The break gave Lopez room to examine long-standing patterns in her adult life. She admitted she had rarely been truly single, often moving from one relationship to the next without taking time to learn who she was. She said she reached a point of questioning and realized she couldn’t blame others because “that’s not where the lesson is.”
Lopez and Affleck, 53, married in Las Vegas in July 2022, nearly 20 years after their first high-profile engagement ended in January 2004. They rekindled their relationship in 2021, which had raised hopes that the second time might be different.
Their divorce was finalized in January 2025, ending their two-year marriage.. Affleck had been married to Jennifer Garner from 2005 until their divorce in October 2018, and he has three children with Garner: Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.
In a September 2025 interview with “CBS News Sunday Morning,” Lopez described the divorce as “the best thing that ever happened to me.” She said working on “Kiss of the Spider Woman” during the breakup highlighted the contrast between professional fulfillment and personal difficulty.
Affleck was an executive producer on the film via his company Artists Equity. Lopez credited him with supporting the project, saying he financed it after she told him it was the role she was born to play.
The film, directed by Bill Condon, stars Diego Luna as political prisoner Valentin Arregui and newcomer Tonatiuh as his cellmate Molina, with Lopez portraying classic screen actress Ingrid Luna.
Now embracing being single, Lopez told Chang she isn’t interested in dating. When asked if she was “dating up a storm,” she laughed and dismissed it, saying she didn’t want to “ruin anything” because things feel so good right now.
The comment represents a big change from her past. Lopez acknowledged she had “always had a boyfriend” and said being single once scared her. She admitted she wasn’t sure she could handle being alone and had been afraid to try.
Lopez now describes herself as happy, healthy, and grateful. She balances roles as a mother preparing to send her children to college, performer, actress, and entrepreneur. She recently announced a new Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace as she returns to work.
“I am happy, and I am healthy, and I’m grateful. That’s who I am today. And I’m surrounded by love, which is the best part,” Lopez said.
Affleck addressed the split in a March 2025 interview with GQ, calling it “pretty adult” despite sensational coverage. He said there was “no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue,” describing the reality of their breakup as “much more quotidian” than people might expect, and expressed he has “nothing but respect” for Lopez.
He noted the real story behind their split would likely be unexciting for most, missing the drama tabloids suggested.
Lopez’s experience with divorce reshaped her views on relationships, success, and self-worth. The year of reflection helped her build trust in herself and develop self-appreciation instead of constant self-criticism.