An event as seismic as Bennifer 2.0 can only end in a PR showdown. After months of breakup rumours, Real Estate NewsAnd a canceled tour, Jennifer Lopez finally Filed for divorce from her husband Ben Affleck on Aug. 20, citing “irreconcilable differences.” That date also marks the second anniversary of their lavish wedding ceremony in Georgia. It looks like this breakup is not only a sad affair but also a bitter one.
Their hatred in the press says so. If you pay attention to how celebrities use the tabloid press and their own lore to shape public opinion, several narratives are emerging. already have Numerous reports From unnamed sources Affleck’s cold demeanor On to Lopez, acting distant towards him as they supposedly tried to work through their problems. Meanwhile, Affleck has remained mostly quiet, with sources claiming he wants a more “civilized” divorce. Given the public perception of Lopez as the more attention-seeking partner in their marriage, this is likely a PR ploy in its own right.
From a promotional standpoint, it looks like Lopez has more to lose. For a singer whose image oscillates wildly between Hollywood icon and celebrity laughingstock, divorcing the so-called love of his life — also, the subject of his recent musical stint, which turned out to be an epic failure — puts him in a vulnerable position yet again. Considering the former couple were married without a prenuptial agreement, we didn’t get to the inevitable fight over money. if guess throw around Their net worth is true — and if you can’t trust CelebrityNetWorth.com, who can you? — Lopez has significantly more to lose than Affleck. He’s also forgoing legal representation, which seems like a worse decision than a self-financed $20 million film.
As with most celebrity divorces, mudslinging and tabloid leaks are baked into the process. Still, for two seasoned A-listers who have already faced personal and professional challenges in the limelight, another media circus seems like a waste of energy. Beyond entertaining the masses, there is no new twist. Beniffa’s drama forces us to ask the question: Does anyone win in a celebrity divorce?
What do Affleck and Lopez say about each other?
So far, neither party has commented directly on the divorce (although Affleck’s rep Stop rumours that he was dating Kik Kennedy, daughter of RFK Jr.). Instead, it appears they are letting anonymous reports and photographed outings create the narrative for them. Most of the “sources” seem to work in Lopez’s favor, which isn’t surprising given that she initiated the divorce and seems to, well, disappointed. It’s also notable that several of these exclusives are coming from People, a tabloid with a reputation for working directly with celebrities and their publicists. Meanwhile, Affleck is seemingly trying to avoid the “most divorced man” look, which he acquired after his 2015 split with Jennifer Garner. Days after Lopez filed for divorce, she was photographed delivering a Jack in the Box to her new delivery. L.A. Home, a throwback to his days picking up Dunkin Donuts during the pandemic is where his relatable father figure really took shape.
These accounts suggest that Lopez neglected Affleck at the wedding and did her best to make things work, a narrative that echoes the ending of their first outing in 2001. Her “any sign that she wants their marriage to continue.” (Court documents reveal that the couple has been separated since April.) Similarly, a source close to Lopez told the magazine that the singer “spent a lot of time making sure Ben was happy” despite being an actor.moody and dark”
Another narrative that seems to be taking shape is Lopez making more of an effort to manage their blended family amid the current chaos. These include Lopez’s twins Max and Imme, from her previous marriage to singer Marc Anthony, and Affleck’s three children, Violet, Finn and Samuel, with his ex-wife Garner, who all live together in their former mansion.
Last was Lopetegui and Affleck Seen together It was at Affleck’s son Samuel’s graduation in June that the breakup rumors first began to surface. Since then, Lopez has not been seen or photographed Several outings With Max and Violet, a 4th of July Trip Near Hampton. (People noted that Affleck was back in L.A. at the time.) More recently, magazine Report That Affleck “wasn’t in touch” with Lopez’s children.
While we haven’t been bombarded with Lopez’s part in the death or his demands to be photographed with his children, Affleck’s not saying much, while allowing Lopez to show more outside of their divorce, seems to be its own strategy, too.
The Greatest Love Story Never Told This PR predicts chaos
Since their first breakup, Affleck has given the public the impression that Lopez was more comfortable in the limelight than he was. It’s something he reiterates throughout Lopez’s Prime documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told which premiered in February. The actor joked about Lopez’s urge to publicize everything – including a stack of love letters he sent her ahead of their 2021 reunion – but claimed he was now willing to give up his privacy to be with her.
Similarly, Lopez is portrayed as more in need of public attention, while Affleck is reluctant to participate in his projects and public antics. The sheer volume of paparazzi photos of Affleck would immediately dispel that claim, including that famous pap walk with his ex-girlfriend Ana de Armas during the pandemic. The day after the divorce, people Multiple sources said on condition of anonymity told the publication that Affleck, whose production company artist Equity produced Lopez’s documentary, had creative control over the project.
Looking back at the film through this lens, you can see how dedicated they both are to preserving their image, even if it seems a bit clumsy. documentary, which follows the behind-the-scenes creation of Lopez’s visual album This is me… nowFull of humiliating and awkward (but extremely funny) moments that the average pop star these days wouldn’t dream of airing. At the time, the documentary seemed like a saving grace for Lopez during an era of misfires, including an under-performing visual album and a canceled tour. Still, memes about Lopez — including a scene in which she brings up the myth of her childhood hair — are in addition to random clips of Lopez showing diva behavior.
While Lopez struggled to get the public to care about her new music, she invested people in her personal life with Affleck. The odd-couple dynamic they portrayed in the film was sweet and adorable. Lopez was portrayed as the outgoing partner with unrealistic ambitions, while Affleck appeared as a pragmatic but loving husband who supported his wife’s dreams. A memorable scene in the documentary shows Affleck boosting Lopez’s confidence when she feels doubt during the filming process. Now, it’s hard not to wonder how much this documentary factors into Affleck’s apparent escape plan.
Do both sides have something to gain?
With new exclusives about their relationship details coming out every day, it looks like the couple might be fighting a battle that could damage both of their reputations a bit. For now, though, the media circus feels mostly absurd. But it’s a humiliating custom that these two ’90s celebrities will default to.
For one thing, this isn’t the kind of explosive divorce that immediately prompts fans to take sides. something social media users already have calling B.S In the narrative that Lopez was too public for Affleck. But for the most part, Lopez and Affleck are two sometimes-beloved-sometimes-hated celebrities whose fame is constantly in flux. At this point, it doesn’t seem like the public is jumping to demonize either of them. Their romantic history is known Seems riddled with dysfunction which makes them easy to relate to and root for.
The declaration of divorce itself does not appear to be controversial. While the details currently being revealed aren’t explosive, there are suggestions as well as Affleck’s commitment issues. It’s certainly nothing like the years-long fallout between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie following their divorce, which has included allegations of domestic and child abuse and left a dent in Pitt’s image — even if he’s still booked and busy in Hollywood.
It’s hard to imagine Affleck’s image-altering consequences for walking away from the marriage, even if the split was as frosty as some glossy celebrity weeklies portrayed it. And best of all, after all the breakups and career hits Lopez has experienced in the public eye, she’s proven to be one of our most invincible celebrities. It’s all very predictable and not entirely surprising – just like they decided to get back together 20 years from now.
