As Jennifer Lopez has often said about herself, Ben Affleck hasn't given up on love either and is considering dating again.
But the 52-year-old actor, director and producer allegedly has a strict requirement for his next spouse: she should be sober or in recovery.
Affleck, known for his struggles with alcohol addiction and his recent attempts to remain sober, has just endured a “tough” few years along with his high-flying romance with Lopez, 55, and the spectacular collapse of their two-year marriage, an insider told the Daily Mail. This turmoil taught him the importance of staying sober and healthy.
“Ben hasn't given up on relationships and finally feels ready to move on and start dating again,” the source told the Daily Mail. “He won't do anything serious until the divorce is finalized, but that doesn't mean he can't date someone.”
But in the long run, Affleck “only wants to date someone who is sober or in recovery,” the source said. “The last two years have been tough for Ben and as he begins to heal, one thing becomes very clear: his recovery is his priority. He’s not going to jeopardize his sobriety.”
After Affleck moved out of the $68 million mansion he bought with Lopez during their temporary marriage and returned to bachelor life in his own rental home, friends feared he would relapse and relapse under the strain of their very public breakup might start drinking.
However, Affleck reportedly remained sober and was upset by reports of his friends' fears. “Ben tries to avoid reading the news, but it upset him that people thought he had relapsed because he hadn't,” the source said.
To a certain extent, Lopez met Affleck's standards for a sober partner. The singer, actress and entrepreneur has long claimed that she abstains from alcohol for health and wonder reasons.
But in 2023, fans sent very mixed messages about her support for her husband's sober lifestyle by associating her name with an alcohol brand, Delola, which sells ready-to-drink spritzes of vodka, tequila or amaro.
Fans raised the alarm because Lopez was newly married to a “sober partner”; Her fourth husband had been to rehab several times and had spoken openly about how his alcohol abuse affected his first marriage to Jennifer Garner and caused serious damage to his profession as an actor and director. In Lopez's Instagram post announcing her latest brand partnership with Delola, her followers accused her of being disrespectful to Affleck and attempting to earn money and “stay relevant.”
“J-Lo, you don't drink,” one person said in her Instagram post announcing her latest Delola partnership. “This is something that is known and has been pointed out several times. I mean…. I understand – a coin is a coin – but Mom, you don’t drink alcohol.”
It's likely that Affleck's commitment to sobriety means greater than just not drinking. As recovery experts will say, sobriety also means a each day commitment to a brand new lifestyle, a give attention to self-care, and sometimes painful self-examination to rework self-destructive behaviors and attitudes into positive, healthy behaviors.
“Like any alcoholic, Ben wakes up with a goal in mind. To stay sober that day,” the source said.
According to the Daily Mail, Affleck first attempted to quit drinking in 1997. “I just wanted to quit,” he told a reporter in 1998. He sought treatment for alcohol addiction in 2001 and entered rehab in 2017 and 2018 when his marriage to Garner fell apart. In 2018, Garner was photographed by paparazzi arriving at her estranged husband's home and driving him to rehab. Despite their split, Garner stays friends with Affleck and has publicly advocated for helping him stay healthy so he might be an energetic co-parent in raising their three children.
Affleck reportedly convinced Lopez to “be a changed man” after they began dating in spring 2021. As is understood, they were first together from 2002 to 2004 when each were a rising young star within the entertainment world. They almost got married, but called off their engagement and separated, largely on account of intense media scrutiny.
But intense media scrutiny was inevitable as Affleck and Lopez began seeing one another again in 2021. At the time, he was “just sober,” a source previously told Page Six. “He was in a vulnerable state, and whatever their chemistry contributed to it… He was in this frantic, excited state.”
But the whirlwind romance quickly faded after their marriage, a source told Page Six. Affleck began to crave more privacy and he could not tolerate Lopez's level of fame, the source said. “He doesn’t want (the entourage) and all the drama that comes with it in his house,” the source said.
According to 1 report, Affleck was the one who pushed for the divorce. A source told In Touch Weekly in June that a “sober, healthy” Affleck is “looking forward to the next chapter.” He wants a lifetime of serenity and peace, and escaping this roller coaster ride might be a relief.”
Affleck publicly disagreed with the extent to which his wife desired to share features of her private life with the general public. He said as much in “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” the Amazon Prime documentary she released in February that chronicled their rekindled romance.
Affleck and Lopez officially separated in April and Lopez filed for divorce in August, on the second anniversary of their lavish wedding ceremony at his Georgia estate.
There have been mixed reports about whether Affleck had a temporary “affair” with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s daughter, Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy, 36, after their split. Page Six reported that Affleck and Kick Kennedy, a socialite and occasional actor, were seen lounging around and getting cozy on the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills. But a source told Daily Mail that Affleck's “affair” with Kick Kennedy happened before he got back along with Lopez.
Lopez also found the past 12 months to be torturous she recently told Interview magazine. “It was like my whole world exploded,” Lopez said. She said she spent the summer feeling “lonely,” “sad” and even “desperate,” but she also realized that “being in a relationship doesn't define me.” I can't seek my happiness from other people. I actually have to have the happiness inside myself.”
Lopez emphasized in an interview with comedian Nikki Glaser that she wasn't necessarily in a rush to get into one other relationship. “I’m not looking for anyone.”
Originally published:
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