Here’s A Breakdown Of All The Signs Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck Were Heading Toward Divorce After News Broke That They’d Secretly Been Separated For Months

ICYMI: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are officially parting ways.

News broke this week that Jennifer filed for divorce from Ben at the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Aug. 20. Court documents reveal that she listed their date of separation as April 26.

The pair — who tied the knot back in 2022, almost two decades after their first engagement — have seen their relationship subject to public interest and speculation for some time.

Last year, for example, Ben went viral after memorably slamming a car door on Jennifer. Months later, Jen directly addressed the long-swirling discourse around Ben’s so-called "Sad Affleck" appearance.

However, this year alone, there have been instances where Jen and Ben’s marital woes have come to light. While we don't explicitly know why they split, here’s a complete, chronological breakdown of all the signs that Ben and Jen were headed for divorce.

J.Lo’s long-awaited documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, was released on Feb. 27 — and it shed plenty of light on her and Ben’s relationship.

In the film, Ben candidly addressed his and Jen’s different approaches to fame and privacy. “Getting back together, I said, ‘Listen, one of the things I don't want is a relationship on social media,’” he recalled telling Jen. “Then I sort of realized it's not a fair thing to ask. It's sort of like, you're gonna marry a boat captain, and you go, 'Well, I don't like the water.’”

Ben also described himself and Jennifer as “two people with different kinds of approaches,” noting that they were “trying to learn to compromise” regarding their differences.

What’s more, Ben was left “taken aback” at one point in the documentary by Jennifer casually sharing his private love letters with a bunch of her musicians in a bid to inspire them. “I did really find the beauty and the poetry and the irony in the fact that it’s the greatest love story never told. If you’re making a record about it, that seems kind of like telling it,” he said.

J.Lo attended the 2024 Met Gala — where she served as one of the co-chairs — on her own. This prompted heaps of speculation that she and Ben had split, especially when fans noticed that they hadn’t been seen together in over a month. However, Ben’s representative ended up telling E! News that the actor missed the Met Gala because he was simply busy filming The Accountant 2 in LA.

An insider claimed to Entertainment Tonight that Ben and Jen had “had their ups and downs” and were “not always on the same page,” raising eyebrows around their relationship status.

On the same day, J.Lo was caught liking an Instagram post about unhealthy relationships. “You can’t build a relationship with someone who is disconnected from themselves. We can’t expect someone to see us when we can’t even see themselves. Getting in a relationship is the easy part. Nurturing & fostering it is a different story. After all, love is not a feeling, it’s action,” the post read.

Jen attended the LA premiere of her Netflix film, Atlas, on her own.

A day later, a source claimed that Ben felt J.Lo had a “hard time feeling satisfied,” prompting further divorce speculation.

During an Atlas press conference in Mexico, Jen unexpectedly was asked a question about the state of her relationship with Ben. She called out the reporter who posed the question, saying, “You know better than that." 

A week later, it was reported that Ben and Jen were living apart.

By the end of May, J.Lo suddenly canceled her tour to spend time with her “children, family, and close friends.” She wrote on her website, “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary.”

When June rolled around, Jen was quick to share a cryptic message about negativity with readers of her newsletter, On the J.Lo. “It may seem like there’s a lot of negativity out in the world right now…but don’t let the voices of a few drown out that there is soooo much love out there,” she wrote.

Reports surfaced days later claiming that Ben and J.Lo were quietly trying to sell the $60-million mansion.

Toward the end of June, Ben was seen without his wedding ring in LA, while J.Lo vacationed solo in Italy.

Days later, reports claimed that Jennifer and Ben were living separate lives — and that the Gone Girl actor had moved out of their home entirely.

Eagle-eyed fans noticed that J.Lo — uncharacteristically — didn’t post about her and Ben’s wedding anniversary on July 16.

Days later, an insider claimed that there were “deeper issues” in Ben and J.Lo’s marriage than Jen's fame.

Ben notably wasn’t seen at Jen’s massive Bridgerton-themed birthday bash toward the end of July.

About a week later, reports claimed that Ben had purchased a $20-million estate in LA.

Ben was spotted without his wedding ring on — again — at the start of August.

When Ben’s birthday rolled around, fans noticed that J.Lo didn’t post anything about it on social media.

Jennifer officially filed for divorce — exactly two years after their 2022 formal wedding ceremony in Georgia.

We’ll keep you posted on what happens next. Sending love to both Jennifer and Ben.