Rekindling in 2021?
It’s because of these two recent sightings of each other vacationing together that we’re all feeling very emotional and ready to take a walk down Bennifer’s memory lane.
Fans with sharp eyes and photographers were ecstatic to see Jennifer and Ben in Montana. They were lodging at J. Lo’s opulent condo and making an effort—albeit unsuccessfully—to stay out of the cameras and prying eyes. There are indications that these two could be reuniting; however, perhaps we are getting ahead of ourselves.
So why did they break up in the first place?
But why did it end after just two years, if these two were so ideal and obviously meant to be together? For one or two reasons, the answer to that question is a little more nuanced than what can be encapsulated in a sentence or two.
In order to completely comprehend why these two ended their intense two-year relationship, we must go back to the beginning. A lot happened over those two intense years of dating.
Instant chemistry
It wasn’t long after filming of Gigli had started before rumours about the two leads began swirling. Which was much due to pictures like these.
Jennifer and Ben seemed unable to keep their hands and eyes off of each other in between takes, and it was pretty obvious to anyone around them that they were totally smitten with one another. Even though both vehemently denied any cheating was going on, the timelines don’t quite add up.
Secret’s out
Jennifer met Ben while she was married to Chris Judd, as we’ve already mentioned. Ben, on the other hand, had no girlfriend because he had broken up with Gwyneth Paltrow in 2000. Thus, Jennifer was aware that he wasn’t just having fun.
The actual deal was more than welcome for him. And J.Lo found him much more alluring as a result. She filed for divorce from Chris in June 2002, and soon after—to the astonishment of everyone—she and Ben went public.
Inseparable lovebirds
The announcement sent fans and media worldwide into a frenzy. Bennifer became the talk of the town and the subject of tabloids and magazines in no time.
Their entire life appeared to be captured on video, including their romantic dinners at upscale restaurants, strolls down Park Avenue, and basketball games attended. The operative word here is “seemed,” as Ben and Jennifer appeared to be completely unaware of the media interest surrounding them.
Stars of the red carpets
Additionally, Jennifer and Ben were known to regularly attend red-carpet events together, and if they did, other celebrities were automatically shunned.
Because of their brilliance and beauty, casting directors and fans loved Jennifer and Ben, so their timing for marriage couldn’t have been more ideal. Some even went as far as stating the entire relationship was primarily a media setup created to boost both of their careers. (however, we doubt their powerful chemistry is something anyone could fake!)
That controversial music video
Even though everyone adored the cute couple, J.Lo and Ben soon came under fire for what some saw as unusual parts of their relationship, as well as their constant PDA. Furthermore, the controversial Jenny From the Block music video sparked further conversation.
Ben is the main star of the song video, which revolves around Jennifer and Ben’s well-known romance and includes paparazzi shots of the couple enjoying a boat holiday. Ben may be seen kissing and massaging Jennifer’s behind in the video clips. Many thought that this was totally inappropriate.
Bad for Ben’s career?
Ben admitted years later he regretted starring in the music video and agreeing to use highly personal footage. And many believed it even harmed his career at the time. Playing the boy toy (because that’s how he came across) to a superstar singer made him look like the less successful one of the two.
Ben and Jennifer also got backlash for giving off the impression they were complaining about their very privileged lifestyle simply because the press wouldn’t leave them alone. For a song about never forgetting your humble beginnings, that rang a bit false to people.
Dishing about the exes
The press was also made aware of additional information regarding Jennifer and Ben’s ex-partners, which sparked questions about their connection. Jennifer acknowledged in interviews that Ben had been more than open about his thoughts about his previous loves and that the two of them had had the “ex conversation” far too rapidly.
Bashing your ex-girlfriends to your new one is hardly suitable, and most women would even see it as a red flag. However, when Ben informed Jennifer about his past girlfriends and how he had said a lot of hurtful things, Jennifer practically giggled and said it was “fun.”
The paparazzi taking a toll.
In Ben and Jennifer’s relationship, oversharing seems to be the operative word between them and the outside world. However, as much as they appeared to have welcomed, or at least not objected to, the attention from the media, it quickly became taxing.
Years later, in 2010, J. Lo acknowledged that the media had put a lot of strain on her and Ben’s relationship. Every week, they adorned the cover of every magazine, and their every action was closely watched and dissected. Even though they were both accustomed to celebrity, nothing had ever prepared them for that degree of attention.
Getting engaged..
Jennifer and Ben loved each other too much to let the difficulties in their relationship get in the way of their happiness. The couple dated for about a year before getting engaged in 2003. And that caused Hollywood to raise even more eyebrows.
In an interview with Diane Sawyer, Jennifer revealed the news, beaming as she flashed her enormous engagement ring—which Ben allegedly spent $2.5 million on. For millions of dollars, nothing quite says “true Hollywood love” like a rock! However, there was one small problem with this engagement.
..while still married
Yes, Jennifer and Chris Judd were still married. Talk about uncomfortable situationsShe had filed for divorce the year before, but it had not yet been formalized (there are rumors that they couldn’t agree on the financial aspects).
Chris and Jennifer had only been married for a year when Ben entered her life, and Chris didn’t have much of a chance. The issue was that Jennifer wouldn’t let her happy ever after with Ben wait until January 2003 for the divorce to become permanent.
Unusual engagement gift
Not only did Ben gift Jennifer an incredibly expensive ring, but there were also reports at the time that he gave her something even more extravagant—albeit far less traditional—because of her passion for luxury.
When certain tabloids began reporting in April 2003 that Ben had also given his fiancé a blinged-out toilet seat, many people rolled their eyes at the already extravagant pair who were showing off their opulent and seemingly ideal life together. The toilet seat, reportedly designed by Ben himself and cost $105,000, was claimed to contain sapphires and diamonds. Strange, huh?
That cheating rumor
The fact that Ben was allegedly having an affair only a few months after asking the big question added to the intrigue surrounding this engagement.
After meeting Ben at a club, Tammy Morris, a dancer, informed the media she had spent the night with him. Naturally, Ben refuted the charges, and the story has always been word for word. However, many do believe that this played a little role in the subsequent events.
Not your average prenup
Ben and Jennifer, as you are undoubtedly aware, never made it to the altar. However, even though they still intended to, their prenuptial agreement also made news.
No matter how much in love they are, two A-list celebrities with wealth and prestige have teams of attorneys who do not believe their clients’ sentiments. These attorneys will always strive to draft an impenetrable prenuptial agreement that safeguards their clients’ interests and net them a small fortune should the marriage fail—that is, when it does, not if it does.
The cheating clause
According to sources, Jennifer and Ben agreed to a marriage contract that included several terms guaranteeing their continued commitment to the union. In particular, Jennifer had insisted on a clause about cheating, which said she could demand his money if he ever betrayed her. Whoa.
The fact that this sentence seemed to solely apply to him and not to her is very intriguing. Maybe that reveals something about their relationship and Jennifer’s subconscious knowing something that she herself wasn’t aware of yet.
Daredevil controversy
Even though Ben and Jennifer’s engagement was somewhat rocky due to Jennifer’s divorce, infidelity allegations, and a strict prenuptial agreement, it appeared that they were still deeply in love and still intended to tie the knot.
And perhaps they would have if Daredevil hadn’t been a small film. Ben filmed this film in 2002, just before getting engaged. Additionally, he got to know the stunning Jennifer Garner during filming.
In love with another woman?
Though accounts of the specific events of the Daredevil filming vary, it’s clear in reflection that Ben experienced a slight deja vu. He fell hard and fast for Jennifer on the Daredevil set, much as he had for J.Lo on the Gigli set.
Actually, it was during their time together at Pear Harbour that they had first met. However, the two played romantic interests and collaborated much more closely on this film. It produced the ideal setting for their bonding.
A complicated situation
Ben later acknowledged that he and Garner fell in love while watching Daredevil. However, they both battled and attempted to fight it at the moment. After all, Garner was married to actor Scott Foley, and Ben was engaged to J. Lo.
Stated differently, it was not optimal for these two to be in a romantic relationship. And poor J. Lo ended up getting engaged to a man who was emotionally cheating on her, at least to some extent.
A flopped movie, and a canceled wedding
Gigli and Daredevil both had their 2003 premieres, however Daredevil was a big hit at the box office whereas Gigli was a total bust. This felt a bit like a prophecy that Jennifer would eventually win Ben over.
September of that year, only one month after Gigli debuted in theaters, J. Lo and Ben were scheduled to tie the knot. The couple stunned everyone by announcing in a statement that the wedding was off, just one day before the planned ceremony.
‘It all became too much’
J. Lo and Ben said in a joint statement that they realized they couldn’t enjoy the perfect day they wanted because of all the focus on them as a result of the media circus surrounding them.
They recognized how ridiculous things had gone to the point where, in a frantic attempt to protect their privacy during such a private occasion, they had even entertained the idea of hiring fictitious brides. They had decided to reschedule the wedding because they didn’t want the most memorable day of their lives to be spent running from the photographers.
More issues bubbling underneath the surface
The pair did not disclose the new date for the wedding, but they also avoided announcing their breakup. Nevertheless, many people began to assume that the paparazzi did not just stress the reason for the canceled or postponed wedding.
Subsequently, Ben acknowledged that other variables had a role in their relationship’s eventual breakdown. However, he asserted that one of them was the racism and classism present in the story the media told about him and J. Lo.
Stormy weather ahead
Although it’s simple to suggest that society and other people shouldn’t have an impact on our relationships, the truth is that they do. For fear of being judged, the majority of us are hesitant to date someone who is “too” different from us.
Tabloids were far more vicious in the early 2000s than they are now. Additionally, Ben claims that their assessment of his and Jennifer’s relationship had a negative impact on them. Who knows, perhaps their relatives and friends weren’t fans either, compounding the damage.
Another bad movie project
Ben and Jennifer featured in Jersey Girl, another critically panned film, in 2003. Additionally, it had even more allusive references to their actual relationship, with J.Lo portraying Ben’s deceased wife.Put differently, it could be argued that their marriage had already “died” before it actually did.
People also seemed to have grown tired of Bennifer by this point, and the once-popular A-List duo started to get made fun of for their (lack of) chemistry on television.
It’s over
Four months after the postponed marriage, in January 2004, the rumored news—that Bennifer was officially over—was verified. The news was released by J.Lo’s representative, who also mentioned that Jennifer and Ben requested privacy “during this difficult time.”
There was no doubt that J. Lo appeared to be far more devastated by the breakup than Ben, which made many feel awful for her. This is understandable given that he was obviously already in love with Jennifer Garner.
So who got cold feet?
There is a lot of rumor that Ben ended things because he changed his mind. It must have hurt to lose the guy of her dreams in this manner, as the most popular Latina pop diva in America does not shield one from heartache.
Ten years later, J.Lo wrote in her memoir True Love that the split “felt like my heart had been torn out of my chest.” We can all identify with that feeling, and it doesn’t exactly help to experience it while everyone is staring at you.
Moving on, as fast as possible
As previously noted, Ben and Jennifer Garner had a somewhat romantic relationship prior to their formal split. Therefore, when the two became formal in October 2004 (having been unofficial for months before), nobody was very shocked.
It’s obvious that J. Lo didn’t want to be the loser of the split—that is, the one left alone while the other person moves on happily—which may have contributed to her hasty decision to get back together with her ex-colleague and partner Marc Anthony.
Are you happy now?
It was difficult to avoid drawing comparisons between the intense “meant to be” love she had with Ben and the union, which many thought to be quite surprising. In contrast, she and Marc appeared pretty…lukewarm.
It almost seemed as though Ben and J. Lo were eager to forget about each other as they both advanced with their new companions so swiftly. Six months after J. Lo and Ben broke up, J. Lo married Marc. By late 2005, Ben and Garner were married and had their first child.
Staying in touch with J.Lo’s mom
J. Lo gave birth to her twins in 2008, and Ben and Garner welcomed their second daughter the following year. From the outside, it appeared that the once-fervent lovers had moved on and were content with their separate family lives. Beyond the fact that they constantly spoke of each other with affection in public, there were other subtle signs that they remained connected and had never completely moved on.
The most peculiar aspect is presumably that Ben kept communication with Guadalupe Rodríguez, his previous quasi-mother-in-law. It seems like they got along well all the time.
Divorcing yet again
2011 saw J. Lo announce her split from Marc Anthony, while 2018 saw the end of Ben and Garner’s marriage, which had lasted an exceptionally long time for Hollywood. However, fans of Bennifer would have to wait a few more years to realize their desire of seeing their beloved pair united.
Because in 2017, J.Lo had once again discovered true love, this time with baseball player Alex Rodriguez, following a couple years of flirtatious relationships with her former backup dancer Casper Smart.
Jennifer on a roll
Following her split from Marc Anthony—a union that J. Lo subsequently acknowledged she hurried into due to social pressures—her return to true love was heralded by both the tabloids and her fans.
People couldn’t get enough of the adorable power couple and their blended family, making her and A-Rod the new it couple on the red carpet. Since Jennifer was clearly happy, any notions of a potential reunion with her long-lost boyfriend Ben seemed absurd.
Another canceled wedding
In March 2019, J. Lo and her A-Rod announced their engagement after two years of courting, but the pandemic intervened. The couple’s circumstances evidently changed during the year of Covid since they were forced to postpone their wedding twice.
Before long, stories began to circulate regarding their relationship’s decline and his alleged infidelity. And word leaked out in April of this year that the two had permanently called it quits.
Still in touch almost two decades later
Before the J.Lo-A-Rod breakup was even officially revealed, Bennifer was once again in the public eye. Over the years, the two had maintained contact and, to varied degrees, been on good terms. None of this was new to anyone.
However, all of a sudden, the two were spotted in the same spots, traveling there by plane, entering and exiting the same vehicles, and generally seeming friendlier than just ex-partners getting along.
Is Bennifer 2.0 really happening?
Word on the street is While Jennifer was still with A-Rod, they became closer, exchanging frequent texts and emails. That’s probably not the reason why the two broke up, but it’s safe to assume that A-Rod wasn’t happy that his fiancée’s long-lost boyfriend was starting to play such a significant role in her life.
Although Jennifer has allegedly acknowledged communicating with Ben, she continues to maintain that her split with A-Rod has nothing to do with her connection with her former partner.
A picture is worth more than a thousand words
It will take time to determine whether Bennifer 2.0 will actually occur or is currently in progress. Ben and Jennifer have been quite reticent and coy about any potential relationship thus far. Maybe they’re afraid of making the same mistake with the media as they did previously. However, the images kind of speak for themselves.
Given that they have been sighted together on a private trip in Montana, it appears that the two ex-couples are much more than just cordial acquaintances these days.
Perhaps just a media ploy
However, people may rush to become excited before fully understanding what’s happening. Because it’s possible that the photos being taken are far more planned than J.Lo would have us believe.
Jennifer Lopez is not your typical pop sensation; she is an astute businesswoman in complete control of her story and professional trajectory. Additionally, she has a history of using the paparazzi to suit her needs and project the image she desires to the public. Thus, it could just be a huge publicity stunt.
Aging Anxiety
According to certain reports, Jennifer is anxious about her age. She may be beautiful and appears much younger than her actual age, but 51 is still a very old age in Hollywood. In addition, Ben Affleck, 48, recently broke up with his girlfriend of a year, Ana de Armas, and is experiencing the burden of growing older in Hollywood.
According to others, Ben and Jennifer are merely staging a media hoax to maintain their relevance and desirability in the Hollywood dating scene.
