Ben Affleck’s career took an unexpected turn right after his high-profile split with Jennifer Lopez. The breakup, which was a tabloid sensation, sparked more than just media frenzy—it led Affleck to make a dramatic career decision that had fans and insiders talking. Faced with the emotional fallout, he chose to pivot away from Hollywood’s spotlight and into a new chapter.
![Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck in Gigli | Sony Pictures Releasing](https://fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/10005354/gigli.jpg)
Dive into the behind-the-scenes drama of how a personal split led to a major career shift for Affleck, reshaping his trajectory in ways no one saw coming.
Affleck and JLo: How Bennifer’s Drama Nearly Derailed Their Careers
![Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck in Martin Brest's Gigli (2003)](https://fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24003011/jennifer-lopez-gigli-ben-affleck.webp)
You wouldn’t believe it, but Ben Affleck once thought about ditching Hollywood altogether. Yup, the same guy who’s now synonymous with Batman and Oscar wins!
Turns out, his epic love story with Jennifer Lopez was a double-edged sword. Both of their careers took a wild turn in the early 2000s, and being the IT couple, they were blinded by the spotlight. Both the tabloids and the pressure were at an all-time high.
Affleck spilled the beans in a 2012 GQ interview, saying he felt like he was in the crosshairs. After a string of box office bombs and that whole Bennifer drama, Georgia became his escape—a place to regroup and rethink his life. It was a total career time-out, he confessed:
I think I just ran away. You can only handle so much. I moved for a while to this place in Georgia that I have, was able to get away, by and large, from stuff. Come up with a plan for how to do something with my life that doesn’t put me in the crosshairs of this sort of thing.
But hold up; it wasn’t just Ben who was feeling the heat. JLo was contemplating a similar exit strategy too. She told NPR it was a close call—the tabloids, the breakup, the pressure—it all piled on. But Penelope Cruz convinced her to stay in the industry. JLo revealed:
Yeah, we were on a plane together, and we started talking, and I was just like, I just don’t know. And she was like, you are crazy. You have to – no, Jennifer, we all look at you, and we – and I was like, wow.
So, there you have it. Bennifer wasn’t just a love story; it was a career-defining moment for both stars. Affleck hit the pause button, while JLo almost did the same. But they both came back stronger, proving that even the biggest stars need a little downtime to recharge.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Officially Finalize Their Divorce
![Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck in a still from Gigli | Columbia Pictures](https://fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/12232151/gigli.webp)
Bennifer 2.0 is officially over! Sources say these two lovebirds have finalized their divorce papers but are yet to file them. A source told DailyMail,
They finalized the divorce papers with her a month ago, but are waiting for the right time to drop them. Honestly, in the end they could not come to a compromise. What they had before is gone and they have both accepted it.
The couple’s been living separate lives for months, and Affleck’s solo moves—buying a new crib in LA, skipping JLo’s birthday and their second wedding anniversary—have been as subtle as a brick to the face. Friends say it’s been a total heartbreak for Jennifer.