Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s highly-publicised split is far from over.
After almost 6 months of their Will they? Won’t they? divorce drama and promises to part amicably, tensions are running high behind the scenes as they struggle to finalise details.
The situation has become so contentious that Affleck has reportedly been spending more time with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner while avoiding his ex at all costs. Their complicated co-parenting scene only adds to the drama, as they both seek a smooth transition for their blended families.
Ben Affleck and J. Lo’s divorce delayed
The Jenny From the Block singer filed for divorce without a lawyer on the couple’s second wedding anniversary. Since then, the two have largely been spending time apart and rarely been seen together, despite their attempts to present a friendly split. A source told In Touch that the situation has grown “increasingly tense and argumentative,” with Affleck choosing to spend more time with his ex-wife rather than addressing the ongoing divorce.
Lopez “feels sidelined and frustrated,” believing Affleck should meet her demands, but he remains resolute believing he has been fair and that Lopez is deliberately prolonging the process.
“It’s been six months since she filed and nothing has been resolved, it doesn’t seem like they’re anywhere close to finalising the divorce,” the source added. The insider continued, “They both said they wanted to do it amicably and have even talked a good game about wanting to consciously uncouple, but that plan seems to be out the window because they can’t agree on how to divide things up, which of course is affecting things.”
The divorce argument makes sense since the couple entered their marriage on uneven footing, with Lopez’s $400 million net worth greatly outweighing Affleck’s $150 million, and no prenup in place. “She’s worth more than twice as much as him so it’s especially hard for him not to see this as her being vindictive and greedy,” the source added. “They both say they’re desperate to avoid more drama, but the longer this drags on, the worse it’s going to get.”
JLO ‘asking’ Affleck to spend more time over co-parenting
On the other hand, the struggle to finalise their divorce seems inevitable as Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck navigate their complex co-parenting situation. Affleck and JLo share five children in total, including Affleck’s three with Garner: Violet, 19, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12, and Lopez’s twins Max and Emme from her marriage to Marc Anthony.
According to reports, Lopez has been encouraging Ben to prioritise their blended family scene, “because the situation is so new, and it’s vital that they all get off to a good start following the divorce, and just establish a pattern.” But the situation remains strained as they work through their differences, with the Accountant 2 star choosing to spend more time with his ex-wife.
However even when the former lovebirds are no longer romantically involved, they were recently spotted spending time with their respective families at school events and family outings. Sources suggest these positive aspects of their relationship are here to stay. “They have every intention of staying connected,” a source told Page Six. To keep their families united, the ex-couple has been attending family-themed events together, like brunches in Beverly Hills. The source emphasized that “they remain close with each other’s children” and consider themselves a blended family in many ways.