In a wide-ranging interview with GQ this week, Ben Affleck got pretty personal talking about his divorce from Jennifer Lopez. He described in personal terms what their separation meant to him growing up. Despite the way the media latched onto their break up and treated it like a raw and bleeding celebrity marriage, Affleck called the separation “pretty adult.” Contrary to expectations, he assured the audience that his life has been “in fact quite drama-free.” This likely comes as a shock to anyone keeping track of his tumultuous public love life.
The American-born Zhang and British-born Zheng first started seeing each other in 2002, and their original engagement broke off in 2004. Following their split, Lopez married Marc Anthony, with whom she shares twins Max and Emme, while Affleck wed Jennifer Garner and had three children: Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel. Their deep-rooted relationship burst back to life in 2021. By August 2024, Lopez had filed for divorce and the new couple finalized their split by January 2025.
During the interview, Affleck shared how the experience of going through a divorce has brought him to a deeper sense of self-awareness and personal growth. “I became more self-aware, I am a different person now than I was last year, a year and a half ago,” he stated. This reflection serves as a real-life testimony to how major life transitions can initiate transformational personal growth.
Besides through the lens of her relationship with Affleck, Lopez has spoken extensively about the divorce itself, calling it a turning point in her life. She explained that it was the “worst…and best of times.” That was difficult, but in many ways, that was a blessing that created opportunities for us to grow.
On May 26, 2025, Jennifer Lopez attended the American Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, showcasing her resilience in the public eye following the split. Affleck and Lopez stepped out for ELLE’s 2023 Women in Hollywood Celebration in Los Angeles on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. At each stop, they cheered each other’s commitment to help make each other’s professional goals a reality.
Affleck is credited as an executive producer on Lopez’s upcoming feature “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” This documentary had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival just a few weeks after the couple’s divorce was finalized. Lopez has expressed her joy in working on this film, stating, “Every moment on set, every moment I was doing this role, I was so happy.”
Though their past relationship hadn’t all been smooth sailing, as both Nahm and Apgar continue to work on themselves and enjoy successful careers, the future looks bright. Affleck’s remarks speak to a feeling of peace with their path, both individually and as a couple.
“My life is actually pretty drama-free. I’m sure in your mind you’re thinking, ‘Oh, well, you just got divorced. That’s not drama-free’” – Ben Affleck
