A managing partner at a matrimonial law firm suggests that the 'Hustlers' actress and the 'Pearl Harbor' actor may have already signed papers to end their marriage.
- Jun 26, 2024
AceShowbiz - Is Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's marriage officially over? According to an attorney, the Hollywood power couple may have already signed the papers to separate amid weeks of speculation about their alleged marital woes.
Jacqueline Newman, a managing partner at the matrimonial law firm Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein LLP, has weighed in on the couple's split reports without being involved with them in any way. The attorney believe that the singer/actress and the actor/filmmaker dropped "hints" that they had already signed divorce papers while remaining coy on the status of their relationship.
"It is not looking good for Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck," Jacqueline said in a statement provided to Showbiz Cheat Sheet. "It feels like they are trying to let the public down easy by dropping hints about the marriage ending but not yet officially announcing it."
"If it is, in fact, over, I would bet that the terms are already worked out and the papers are already signed," the attorney continued. "The actual legal part of the divorce will be easy, as they undoubtedly have a tight prenuptial agreement, and it was a short-term marriage. It is the court to public opinion which will be the tougher divorce."
It's unclear if J.Lo and Ben have a prenup. The pair, who tied the knot in 2022, had a reported combined net worth of $550 million at the time of their wedding, with J.Lo's net worth being estimated at $400 million and Ben bringing in $150 million.
According to Heat, the couple considered a postnuptial agreement when they were experiencing tension in 2023, one year after tying the knot. "Jen's got more to lose than Ben, and while she trusts in her gut that he wouldn't try to take her to the cleaners, there's a 'better safe than sorry' vibe, especially with so much on the line," a source told the publication at the time.
"It's not uncommon for couples in Hollywood to arrange these types of formal documents a year or two into their marriage," the source added. "So, they're being sensible, but it still isn't an ideal scenario off the back of so much tension and trouble."
Meanwhile, a so-called insider told In Touch Weekly that J.Lo and Ben are getting "their ducks in a row" for divorce as they're trying to avoid a "messy court battle." The source claimed, "The last thing Ben wants to do is hurt Jen. He still loves and respects her. And, of course, the family situation comes into this heavily, which is why he’s agreed to do this in a civilized and loving way, just like he did with Jennifer Garner."
The source spilled that many people in J.Lo's world treat Ben "like the bad guy" in their relationship. The Oscar winner also allegedly has "J. Lo's mood swings to cope with, phones ringing off the hook, and the press hounding him 24/7."
J.Lo, who has canceled her "This Is Me... Live" tour, was recently spotted on a vacation with friends in Italy, leaving Ben behind in the U.S. The pair have reportedly been living separately for weeks, with the "Gone Girl" actor staying in a rental home in Brentwood.
