Ben Affleck Spotted Grabbing Dinner With Matt Damon 5 Days After Jennifer Lopez Filed For Divorce
Just days after Lopez initiated divorce proceedings against Affleck in Los Angeles, Affleck chose to spend time with Damon, his childhood friend from Cambridge, Massachusetts. In July, The Daily Mail disclosed that Damon harbored reservations about his friend's rekindled romance with his former flame.
Affleck and Lopez, who had been a high-profile couple in the early 2000s, reunited in 2021 after each had experienced marriages with different partners.
Damon purportedly advised Affleck to concentrate on his career to maintain focus on his professional aspirations amidst his marital strife. "Matt tried to warn Ben when he got back together with JLo that this could happen," an insider dished to the outlet. "Matt was there to help Ben get it together after their first split and he felt like this would happen again."
As reported by the publication, Affleck is said to value his friend Damon's perspective on his relationship, largely because the Jason Bourne star has experienced a happy and enduring marriage with his wife Barroso for more than 18 years. "Matt has had a successful marriage for years and Ben has always been in awe of this," the source went on.
The tipster added: "As things started falling apart, Matt told Ben that he supports whatever choice he makes but wants him to jump in and focus on his work." "Ben spent so much time focusing on JLo's projects just like he did the first time around. He told Ben, "What has she ever done for your career?'" The insider continued: "Matt is the only real guy friend Ben has. He would not let him get back on the bottle and has been on him to make sure of this."
Damon and Affleck, childhood friends who gained fame for penning the acclaimed screenplay of 1997's Good Will Hunting, also ventured into the business world by founding Artists Equity, a production company, together. Lopez famously revealed that she and Affleck were engaged back in November 2002 after the duo met on the set of Gigli. In January 2004, they made headlines after calling off their planned wedding and splitting.
The Marry Me star and Justice League alum reunited in 2021, when Affleck sent Lopez an email. The Gone Girl actor reached out to the "On The Floor" singer, setting off a chain of events that saw the former flames reconnecting in Los Angeles and vacationing in Montana. Their renewed closeness ignited speculation about a rekindled romance. By that July, the couple put the rumors to rest when Lopez posted a photo of them sharing a kiss on her 52nd birthday, confirming their relationship.
Their bond grew rapidly, and by September, they graced their first red carpet together since reuniting. Just two months later, Affleck proposed to Lopez for the second time, an announcement she made in her newsletter. One year later, the couple sealed their love in an intimate Las Vegas ceremony, which Lopez described as the "best night ever." They followed this with a grander celebration in August at Affleck's estate in Georgia, marking their union with family and friends.
On August 20, 2024, Lopez filed for divorce, marking the end of her and Affleck's marriage just two years after their traditional wedding. “She tried really hard to make things work, and is heartbroken,” a source recently told People. “The kids are a top priority, as they always have been,” they noted. Lopez also recently canceled her world tour, citing wanting to spend more time with family as the reason behind her major decision.