IT was the ultimate Hollywood fairytale.
Almost two decades after calling off their engagement in 2004, much-loved celeb couple Bennifer – AKA Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck – delighted fans by reuniting and getting married in Las Vegas.
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But just two years on from their wedding, rumours are swirling of trouble in paradise, with insiders saying “there is no way this is going to work”.
The couple have been seen on several occasions exchanging tense words and slamming car doors in public rows – with Ben looking utterly miserable in all but a few pap photos since tying the knot.
Earlier, in May, a source close to Ben told Page Six: “If there was a way to divorce on grounds of temporary insanity, he would.
“He feels like the last two years was just a fever dream and he’s come to his senses now and understands there is just no way this is going to work.”
While the couple have yet to make a public announcement about the state of their marriage, Jen was forced to shut down reporters who questioned her on divorce rumours during a promo tour for her new sci-fi film, Atlas, last month.
It comes as the On the Floor singer was forced to cancel her This Is Me Tour amid rampant speculation that she and Ben had finally called it quits.
Addressing fans via her On the Jlo newsletter, the 54-year-old star wrote: “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down.”
“Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary.
“I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…”
But whilst the LA-based singer and actress claimed she was ”taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends”, the comeback tour ”had been plagued by reports of low sales”.
In fact, as reported by Forbes, if Jennifer was to embark on the tour, the singer would be performing ” to predominantly empty rooms in some cities”.
The tour was originally intended to support her latest album – however, compared to her previous mega hits, the tracks saw barely any interest, selling a mere 14,000 copies in its debut week.
But PR expert Edward Hopkins reckons the abrupt cancellation ”is a significant indicator of her current struggles” – and there are a few, ranging from a marriage falling apart to a self-funded documentary that’s been dubbed ”revolting” by critics.
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So is the star – whose humble beginnings in the Bronx saw her dubbed ‘Jenny from the Block’ – seeing the crumbling of her empire, or is this just a bump in the road?
Triple-threat Jen blasted as ‘one big scam’
J-Lo, born Jennifer Lynn Lopez, made her first appearance on the big screen in the 1995 action-thriller Money Train.
She went on to find international fame with her first-ever leading role in the biographical film Selena in 1997.
From there, Jennifer began venturing into the world of music, with the release of her debut studio album On the 6 in 1999.
Her second album, J.Lo., which she released in 2001, was deemed a great commercial success, seeing the young singer flog an astronomical eight million copies worldwide.
She was quickly dubbed a ‘triple-threat’ – a star who could dance, sing and act.
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But the majority of the tunes she’s dropped in the past ten years have been a far cry from her noughties success – and latterly, fans have begun speculating that J-Lo doesn’t sing some of her own songs.
Although the Latino star has an input in all of her songs, it’s been said that many of aren’t entirely sung by Jennifer herself – with fellow musicians like Christina Milian and Ashanti often listed on the vocal credits.
In 2014, Ashanti revealed it was she who had actually written J Lo’s hit Ain’t It Funny.
”I demoed the record for her before I was signed to Murder Inc, and they kept my hook, and some of the backgrounds and ad libs, and stuff like that,” she said.
J-Lo and Ben are at a critical stage in their marriage. I’m not a psychic but the next few weeks will be pivotal as to whether they make it work or part ways…
Jo Hemmings
”It was bittersweet because I was really excited that it was J. Lo, but I was so mad [at not being able to have the record for herself].”
In 2020, actress Ayo Edebiri described Jenny’s career as “one long scam” adding: ” She thinks she’s on multiple tracks, but it’s not her.”
She later apologised for the comments but the internet was already ablaze with conspiracies.
‘Self-indulgent & lacking substance’
When Jennifer appeared on the stage with fellow star Shakira in 2020, their spectacular show was quickly dubbed as one of the best Super Bowl halftime performances of all times.
Millions of fans across the globe tuned into the show, which was a medley of their top hits.
However, the same cannot be said about J-Lo’s latest album or her documentary This is Me… Now, which the actress allegedly had to self-fund herself, after she was struggling to find anyone willing to finance the ambitious project.
Despite investing an astronomical $20millon – £16million – of her own money, her appearance in the documentary saw the star getting mocked for being ”out of touch” and ”delusional” by harsh critics.
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One moment in particular was scrutinised by both fans and trolls who’d watched the multimedia project, currently sitting at a mere 4.2/10 star rating on IMDb.
Here, the star was playing with her messy locks whilst looking back at her childhood in the Bronx – an area in New York famous for being working-class.
Checking herself out in the mirror, the mum-of-two said: ”I like taking my hair out like this.
”It reminds me, like, when I was 16 in the Bronx, running up and down the block.
”Crazy little girl who used to f***ing be wild and no limits, all dreams.”
‘Bombastic ode to love and herself’
The clip went viral for all the wrong reasons when one TikTok user, who claimed to have gone to the same school as the singer, said J-Lo was never ”running up and down the block”.
It’s not social media users who mocked the documentary – the self-funded project was also met with criticism in the world of media.
One UK newspaper rated the documentary with a shockingly low 2/5 stars, dubbing it a ”bombastic ode to love and herself”.
Sharing her thoughts on the downfall of the singer, PR expert Edward says: ”Her self-funded documentary, intended to be a heartfelt glimpse into her life and career, was in my opinion another misstep.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s relationship timeline
JLo and Ben were first linked together in 2002 and became engaged later that year. However, they called off the wedding just two years later. They rekindled their romance in 2021 and finally got hitched in 2022. Here is a timeline of their love story:
- June 2002 – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck met on the set of Gigli and JLo divorced from her second husband Cris Judd
- November 2002 – Ben proposed to JLo with a six-carat pink diamond ring
- September 2003 – JLo and Ben called off their wedding and blamed it on ‘excessive media attention’
- January 2004 – The celebrity couple announce they are heading separate ways
- July 2021 – JLo posts an intimate photo of herself beside Ben and they begin dating again
- April 2022 – Ben proposes to JLo for a second time
- July 2022 – The celebrity couple officially celebrated their nuptials in a Las Vegas, Nevada, ceremony
- August 2022 – Ben and JLo have a second A-list wedding at their $8.9million George estate
”Critics panned it, calling it self-indulgent and lacking substance.
”What was meant to endear her to audiences instead seemed to push them further away, reinforcing a perception of disconnect between her and the average fan.”
‘The next few weeks are pivotal’
Back in 2021, when Jennifer rekindled the relationship with her former partner, actor Ben Affleck, fans were sent into a frenzy, hoping that the launch of Bennifer 2.0. would be the ultimate fairy tale ending everyone had hoped for.
The two lovebirds first started dating around 2002 and the couple were seeing each other for two years until 2004.
After getting back together after the pandemic in 2021, the stars tied the knot – not once but twice, first in Las Vegas and second at Ben’s $7million Georgia mansion.
But fast-forward to 2024, and there’s trouble in paradise, with the couple’s marriage on the rocks.
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Edward says: ”Speculations about her marriage troubles have not helped her case.
”High-profile relationships come with intense media scrutiny, and rumours of a potential divorce can overshadow professional achievements.”
Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings, who has analysed their relationship, says: “J-Lo and Ben are at a critical stage in their marriage. I’m not a psychic but the next few weeks will be pivotal as to whether they make it work or part ways.
“Like a lot of couples who get back together for a second time, their relationship’s survival depends on them setting boundaries, reminding themselves of those boundaries and maintaining them.
“They are at a fragile point in their relationship where it can be salvaged but one of the keys to doing this will be not posting anything on social media that hints or misdirects people about the state of their marriage.”
‘Talking to people like peasants’
It seems that May was a particularly challenging time for J Lo in both her private and professional life and she was plagued by another scandal which took place at the star-studded Met Gala.
On Wednesday, USA Today Senior News Editor Anika Reed posted a now-viral TikTok video of the 54-year-old giving her a very blunt response to her asking what designer J-Lo was wearing that evening.
”Schiaparelli,” the glamorous mum-of-two curtly answered as she walked up the steps in the sparkly gown.
The short incident, which has racked up close to a staggering 20million views so far, has been scrutinised by many critics, who reckoned J-Lo was replying to the friendly reporter like ”peasant’.’
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”The up & down stare is crazyyyy,” one TikTok user wrote.
A second joked: ”’Her kindness radiates through the screen. I’m deaddd.”
”Eww why she have the attitude,” someone else wondered.
Sharing his expertise, the celebrity guru Edward said: ”J-Lo’s reputation has also taken a hit on social media.
”Videos on TikTok depicting her in an unflattering light – appearing rude to fans and strangers – have gone viral.
”In today’s digital age, where every action can be captured and shared globally, maintaining a positive image is more challenging, but very crucial.
”Such incidents can quickly cancel people.”
Bouncing back from disaster?
Despite these setbacks, it’s premature to say J Lo risk losing it all, says Edward.
He adds: ”Her career has been marked by resilience and reinvention. To stage a comeback, she could focus on embracing a more authentic and humble public persona, which can help repair her image.
”Acknowledging mistakes and showing genuine appreciation for her fans might rekindle the public’s affection.
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”Shifting focus to fewer, higher-quality projects could rebuild her reputation. Whether it’s a high profile Hollywood film role or a standout musical project, delivering excellence can re-establish her credibility.”
There is also lots of opportunity on social media – as long as she knows how to use the tool properly.
”Leveraging social media to connect positively and personally with fans can counteract the negative perceptions.
”Live Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes content, and charity involvement can showcase a more relatable and compassionate side.”