Going strong! Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were the power couple of the early 2000s, and nearly 20 years later, they’re making headlines once again for their rekindled romance.
After the songstress split from now-ex-fiancé Alex Rodriguez in April 2021, she reunited with the Way Back actor. The two were seen on multiple dates and occasions with one another’s respective children throughout 2021. And it seems they began 2022 on a high note as well, since they attended J. Lo’s premiere for her movie Marry Me together that February.
Ben and Jennifer first met in 2002 while filming their movie Gigli and started dating that same year. The Good Will Hunting actor got down on one knee in November 2002. The following year, while doing press for their film, Jennifer spoke briefly about their relationship during an interview with NBC. “We became friends first,” she explained. “That is the honest to God truth.”
The couple was set to walk down the aisle in September 2003 but called off the wedding days before exchanging their vows. “Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date,” the couple shared in a joint statement at the time. “When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate ‘decoy brides’ at three different locations, we realized that something was awry.”
Ben and J. Lo never rescheduled their impending nuptials and announced their split months later in January 2004. Jennifer moved on and married Marc Anthony in June 2004, while Ben and Jennifer Garner tied the knot in June 2005. Despite their split, there was no bad blood between them, which likely led to their reunion 17 years later.
By January 2022, the Tender Bar star and the Marry Me actress became so serious that their engagement was expected to be “imminent,” a source exclusively told In Touch that month.
“There’s no question that Jen and Ben will be engaged,” the insider said. “He’s told pretty much everyone that he lost Jen once before, and he’s not going to let that happen again. It’s meant to be, and if you see them together, there’s no doubt about it.”
The Good Will Hunting screenwriter even “wanted to propose on [J. Lo’s] birthday in July,” the source added, before adding that he’d “probably do it in early spring when they have plans to go away.”
“It took a while for Jen and Ben to find each other again,” the insider continued. “There were many naysayers. They thought there was no way this second chance at love would work, but it has. A proposal is imminent. Followed by a fabulous wedding, probably this summer. This is the real deal.”
Scroll through our gallery for a look back at Ben and Jennifer’s complete relationship timeline.