According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have officially ended their marriage. The decision came almost 20 weeks after Lopez, the actress renowned for her role in "Unstoppable," initiated divorce proceedings on August 20th.
The couple, who reignited their love story in 2021, tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Las Vegas in July 2022. They subsequently celebrated their union with a grand affair in front of friends and family in Georgia, also on August 20th, 2022.
Exactly two years after their Georgia wedding, Lopez filed for divorce, citing April 26th as their date of separation and irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split. She submitted the paperwork at the Los Angeles County Superior Court without legal representation, requesting no spousal support for either party, an equal division of attorneys' fees, and acknowledging that the "precise nature" of their shared, quasi-community assets, as well as individual properties and obligations, remained "unknown" and "yet to be determined."
A week after her filing, Lopez appeared "relieved," according to a source close to the star, who added that despite the move, "She didn't want a divorce. She was hopeful for a resolution. They deeply care for each other. Jennifer isn't the type to easily surrender." Meanwhile, another source revealed that Affleck seemed "resilient and highly focused" following the divorce filing: "He thrives with work projects and has been fantastic with the kids. He's living exactly as he desires. He seems genuinely content."
Hints of marital discord emerged in May, following weeks of absence from public appearances together after being spotted in New York City on March 30th. While Lopez was busy promoting her film "Atlas" and attending the Met Gala solo, they were later seen together in Los Angeles and reunited for Affleck's daughter Violet's graduation ceremony.
Lopez is the mother of twins Max and Emme, aged 16, with her ex-husband Marc Anthony. Affleck, previously married to Jennifer Garner, shares three children with her: Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12. However, as summer approached, the former couple found themselves on opposite coasts.
Lopez embarked on a European vacation before spending time in the Hamptons and celebrating events like the Fourth of July and her birthday without Affleck's presence. Meanwhile, Affleck dedicated most of his summer to working on "The Accountant 2" in Los Angeles.
The actress recently returned from the Toronto International Film Festival, where she made her first public appearance since filing for divorce at the premiere of "Unstoppable" on September 6th. Notably absent was Affleck, who co-produced the film. On September 16th, however, Affleck and Lopez enjoyed a family lunch with their children at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel.
In December, Lopez posted a video montage on Instagram, reflecting on her year filled with memorable moments, including her dazzling appearance at the 2024 Met Gala, the red carpet premiere of her movie "Atlas," clips from "Unstoppable," and "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story." "I am incredibly proud of how I've navigated through everything. Absolutely everything," she said in an interview snippet included in the video, adding in another clip, "In my darkest hours, I've learned to embrace my emotions and then let them pass."
