When Jennifer Lopez Revealed That She And Ben Affleck Still Have PTSD From Their First Relationship

In the process of creating her This Is Me... Now album and its accompanying film, Jennifer Lopez faced resistance from some within her circle regarding the decision to chronicle her relationship with her husband Ben Affleck. Serving as a sequel to her 2002 release, This Is Me... Then, the project, directed by Dave Meyers, saw its companion short film distributed by Amazon MGM Studios. Despite her enthusiasm, Lopez harbored reservations about exposing her and Affleck's personal life, citing concerns about reliving the media scrutiny that led to their previous relationship's struggles.

Opening up on Page Six, Lopez shared that both of them still have PTSD from their earlier relationship. However, she also stated, “But we’re older now. We’re wiser. We also know what’s important, what’s really important in life, and it’s not so much what other people think. It’s about being true to who you are.” “As artists, we have to follow our heart and this is me following my heart and doing something that maybe everybody didn’t think was the best idea, but I had to do it,” she added. 

Moving forward, when queried about the nature of the film—whether it leans toward a scripted narrative or a documentary style—Lopez explained, “You have to see it and you’ll have to experience it to understand it. That’s why I call it a ‘musical experience.’ Because there’s music, you can see it, you can hear it and then you’ll get to live it.” Additionally, as reported by Variety, while attending the premiere of her romantic comedy Shotgun Wedding, Lopez expressed her keen interest in collaborating on-screen once more with Affleck. Their previous on-screen collaboration was seen in the infamous film Gigli from 2003, which faced harsh criticism and commercial disappointment as well.

For those who don't know, Affleck and Lopez first dated more than two decades ago, marking the inception of one of Hollywood's most prominent romantic tales. Their initial two-year relationship ignited a frenzy in tabloids, capturing the public's fascination. However, by 2004, the scenario took a turn as Lopez and Affleck parted ways, veering away from their relationship.

Post-breakup, both Lopez and Affleck embarked on separate romantic journeys, diving into new relationships and building families of their own. Lopez entered into marriage with Marc Anthony from 2004 to 2014, fostering a family dynamic as parents to twins Max and Emme. In contrast, Affleck's romantic journey unfolded as he entered into a marriage with Jennifer Garner, lasting from 2005 to 2018, as outlined by People. Within this marital bond, they had a sweet family, blessed with the presence of three children.

However, a significant turn of events emerged in 2021 when Lopez and Affleck's paths intertwined once more after more than a decade apart, generating whispers of a reignited romance. Subsequently, confirming the speculations, they publicly acknowledged their revived relationship, culminating in a joyous marriage as they exchanged vows in July 2022 before reportedly heading down splitsville in 2024.

This article originally appeared on 12.21.23.