Jennifer Lopez calls divorce from Ben Affleck 'best thing' ever
What's the story
Hollywood star Jennifer Lopez has called her divorce from actor Ben Affleck "the best thing that ever happened" to her. The 56-year-old singer-actor, who married Affleck (53) in 2022, split from him in 2024 after two years of marriage. Speaking to CBS Sunday Morning, she said the break-up helped her "grow" and become "more self-aware." She also credited Affleck for his contribution to her upcoming film, Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Personal growth
'I learned to find joy in life'
Lopez, who finalized her divorce from Affleck in January 2025, said, "But you get through it and...it was the best thing that ever happened to me because it changed me." "It helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow...become more self-aware. I'm a different person now than I was last year." "The hard times are the lessons, and you have to understand that. I feel like, if that [the divorce] hadn't happened, I wouldn't understand that."
Professional impact
Lopez thanks ex-husband for support during 'Spider Woman' production
Lopez expressed her gratitude to Affleck and Matt Damon's production company, Artists Equity. She said, "The movie wouldn't have been made if it wasn't for him and Artists Equity. I will always give him that credit." "It was hard not to think about stuff, but it was, like, the best and the worst of times. Every moment on set...I was so happy." "And then...back home, it was not great."
Affleck's view
Earlier, Affleck said there was no scandal behind their split
Earlier, Affleck spoke about their separation in an interview with GQ magazine. He said there was "no scandal" behind the breakdown of their marriage and called it a normal story. "There's no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue [about the divorce]." "The truth is when you talk to somebody: 'Hey what happened?' Well there is no: 'This is what happened.'" Meanwhile, Lopez's Kiss of the Spider Woman will hit theaters on October 10.