Why Ben Affleck Was Hesitant To Rekindle A Relationship With Jennifer Lopez

After splitting with his wife Jennifer Garner in 2015, Ben Affleck rekindled an old relationship with another A-list Jennifer — Jennifer Lopez. While the two went on to rebuild their relationship together, it seems Affleck had some reservations about getting back with his former flame.   

Affleck and Garner made the decision to end their marriage back in 2017, per Insider, but have come a long way since then. They actively co-parent their three children — Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel — and have been photographed out and about together looking friendly. They're close enough, in fact, that Garner believes they will dance together when their children get married. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2021, the actress explained that spending time with Affleck for their kids isn't something that worries her. "When our kids get married, we'll dance, I know that now," she said. "We'll boogaloo and have a great time. I don't worry about that anymore."

These days, Affleck, Garner, and Lopez appear to get along swimmingly. A source close to the three told Hollywood Life that Lopez and Garner have actually grown rather close recently. However, in the early stages of his rekindled romance with Lopez, Affleck worried that it wouldn't go over so well with his kids. 

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez found love again 17 years after breaking up, per Buzzfeed. In a December 2021 interview with Howard Stern, Affleck explained that the spotlight of his children's celebrity parents adds pressure to their lives. This prompted Stern to point out that Lopez "brings even more attention" to both his and his kids' lives, and the radio host asked if fatherhood caused him to hesitate to jump back into the relationship. "It crossed my mind for sure," Affleck admitted, (via People). "My responsibility to my children is the highest responsibility. I don't want to do anything that is painful or destructive to them if I can help it. That being said, I know that my life affects them," he added. 

However, although Affleck had reservations at the beginning, the actor did pursue a relationship with Lopez and the two are still going strong at the time of writing. In fact, the couple's friends reportedly think that wedding bells are on the way. "They are madly in love and Jen totally has Ben's back," a source told Entertainment Tonight. "Things between their children are pretty organic at this point. The families respect each other and also get along, so things are all good and fine on that front. Their friends think they will get engaged eventually and it's only a matter of time," the insider added.