This is what Ben Affleck was doing the same day Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are set to divorce after two years of marriage (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni)

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have ended their two-year marriage, a split that has captured media attention after months of speculation. On August 20, what would have been the second anniversary of their wedding, the singer and actress filed for divorce in the Superior Court of Los Angeles, United States.

While the “Jenny from the Block” singer was making this decision, Affleck was on the other side of the country at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, helping his eldest daughter, Violet Affleck, get settled in for her first year of studies at the private institution.

Ben Affleck helped his daughter Violet Anne settle into Yale University on the same day JLo filed for divorce (Kamil Sumer/Getty Images)

The Justice League actor was spotted alongside his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, with whom he also shares Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12. Affleck was later photographed landing back in Los Angeles after saying goodbye to Violet at college.

According to a source who told NBC News, the stars “did not have a prenuptial agreement,” meaning that any money earned by the couple since their 2022 wedding is considered community property. Lopez set a separation date of April 26, just days before rumors of marital strife began at the 2024 Met Gala.

Jennifer Lopez was invited to the 2024 Met Gala as a co-host, although she was not accompanied by Ben Affleck (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)

Speculation about their split had been rife for months, fueled by the duo’s frequent absences from public events and the failure to wear their wedding rings when caught by paparazzi. In addition, last June, they put their Beverly Hills mansion up for sale for $68 million.

Despite these signs of estrangement, Lopez and Affleck briefly reunited on August 15, the actor’s 51st birthday, when JLo was spotted visiting his rental home in Brentwood, California. Although this reunion gave some signs of hope, the final decision to divorce seems to have been inevitable.

Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck on the anniversary of their second wedding (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Jennifer Lopez, 54, has been through three previous marriages so far. Her first nuptials were to Ojani Noa between 1997 and 1998, followed by dancer Cris Judd, to whom she was married from 2001 to 2003.

She later tied the knot with singer Marc Anthony in 2004, with whom she remained for a decade, and shares 14-year-old twin sons. In 2017, she began dating former baseball player Alex Rodriguez, but the couple called off their engagement in 2021.

Jennifer Lopez has been through four divorces so far. Before Affleck, her last one was with Marc Anthony (Photo by James Devaney/WireImage)

Over the past few years, Lopez has provided several details to the press about her relationship with Affleck. Earlier this year, when asked if she was judged more harshly because of the public attention their relationships received, she confirmed. “Oh, yes. 100%. It has made me doubt myself at times and feel bad. At times, I have thought about giving up,” she told The Associated Press.

She added: “But in the end, I feel like you have to learn how to deal with it. You take what can be constructive and you use it, and the rest you discard, like the hates and other things like that, and you just say, ‘It doesn’t matter. I know who I am, I know what I want to do.’”

The actors had a romance between 2002 and 2004 after meeting on the set of the film “A Dangerous Liaison.” In 2021, they resumed their love story, which was cut short again in 2024 (Credits: Columbia Pictures)

Affleck has also expressed admiration for the way Lopez handles herself in the entertainment industry, admitting last year that he agreed with the idea that Hollywood didn’t know how to make the most of her talents.

“I think he’s at the top of his game,” Affleck told the AP. “He’s doing an extraordinary job largely because he’s taken control of what he’s doing instead of just accepting what’s offered to him.”

The “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer reflected on her renewed — and now ended — love affair with Affleck in her latest album and its accompanying film, This Is Me… Now, as well as in the documentary The Greatest Love Story Ever Told. Both films are available to stream on Prime Video.