Inside Ben Affleck and Kick Kennedy’s budding romance: From first hook-up to fears of being labeled a ‘mistress’ amid Jennifer Lopez divorce

Ben Affleck previously had a brief affair with Kathleen ‘Kick’ Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., before rekindling his relationship with his now-estranged wife Jennifer Lopez, sources have revealed.

The news comes after it was revealed that Ben and Kick, 36, have been spotted together in recent weeks following his split from the Love Don’t Cost a Thing singer.

The Oscar winner’s relationship status was finally confirmed last week after Jennifer, 55, officially filed for divorce. She revealed that the couple split in April of this year.

Now insiders have revealed to DailyMail.com that Kick and Ben, 52, are ‘enjoying their time together’, but the writer is keeping her ‘mouth shut’ about their relationship because she doesn’t want to be seen as a ‘mistress’.

“Ben and Kick had a fling before he got back together with JLo,” the source began. “They met because Ben is from Boston and if you live in Boston, the Kennedy family is royalty.”

The insider continued, “So when he started hanging out with Kick, he really thought he was in the Kennedy family. But she was too young and not ready for anything serious.”

The source stressed that the couple’s romance never overlapped with the actor’s newfound relationship with Jennifer. They continued, “They didn’t have an affair during his marriage, but it’s interesting to Kick’s friends that once the divorce was finalized, Ben suddenly found himself hanging out with an old friend whose family he considers royalty.”

As for how Kick views the actor, the insider said, “She thinks he’s intelligent and totally her style, but she’s extremely reserved because she doesn’t want to be seen as a mistress.

“She’s not a mistress. She’s not like JLo at all and she likes to keep her private life private.”

The source explained that Kick isn’t too worried about what Jennifer might think of Ben’s decision to reconnect. They added, “Kick is crazy about Ben and honestly doesn’t care what JLo thinks.

“When they started dating, he and JLo were separated. He made that very clear to her. JLo calling it quits as April only confirmed it.”

The source continued, “They’re both taking it day by day, but so far she’s enjoying spending time with him. They’re hanging out at the Beverly Hills Hotel because it offers a level of celebrity privacy that you can’t find anywhere else.

“The fact that people say she looks like Jen Garner is flattering to her because she thinks Jen is beautiful.”

Meanwhile, a second source confirmed that the two just want to get to know each other better. They stated: ‘Ben has been spending time with Kick, but nothing has happened yet.

“They’re friends and they enjoy hanging out together and it’s true that she doesn’t really know what JLo would think about her spending time with Ben. He’s a great guy and they’re getting to know each other better.”

DailyMail.com has reached out to Ben Affleck and Kick Kennedy for comment.

While it’s also unclear how Ben and Kick met, RFK Jr.’s daughter has an interest in the entertainment industry.

Kick, born Kathleen Alexandra, is an actress who has had small roles in several TV shows and films, including Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring opposite her stepmother Cheryl Hines, 58.

Her most recent role was as a “lazy tourist” in 2021’s Fear and Loathing in Aspen.

She studied history and theater at Stanford University in California.

The actress is active on social media and has 17,100 followers on Instagram. However, she has not posted anything there since August 24, 2023, when she appeared with a Saker Falcon.

She has been in contact with other celebrities, such as Taylor Swift, who dated her brother Conor in 2012.

According to her IMDB pageshe is an actress and writer, but also a philanthropist and activist.

Her stepmother — who married RFK Jr. in 2014 — is actress Cheryl Hines, also known for her role in Curb Your Enthusiasm. Kick’s mother is Emily Ruth Black, who was married to RFK Jr. from 1982 to 1994.

He later married Mary Richardson in 1994 until their divorce in 2010. Two years later, Mary committed suicide. Kick has five other siblings.

After months of rumors of a divorce, Jennifer officially called the plug on her marriage to Ben when she filed for divorce on August 20.

She cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split and named April 26, 2024 as the date of separation.

Ben and the The Wedding Planner actress first started dating in 2002 after bonding on the set of the film Gigli. They soon became engaged.

But in 2004, just before they were to become husband and wife, they called it quits.

They both married others – she tied the knot with Marc Anthony in 2004, while Ben tied the knot with Jennifer Garner in 2005 – but after splitting, they reunited in 2021.

The superstar couple first tied the knot in July 2022 at a Las Vegas chapel, followed by a larger and lavish ceremony the following month at his Georgia estate on August 20.

It was recently revealed that Ben and Jennifer had already ‘planned’ their divorce before Jennifer officially filed for it.

The insider told Us Weekly that the estranged couple had previously worked through “all the details” of their divorce.

“They had already agreed to these terms before she filed the case,” the insider continued to the newspaper.

The Hustlers actress “ultimately pulled the trigger because she had agreed that she would press charges, and she was the one who ultimately made the decision.”

One financial issue related to their divorce is the couple’s lavish Beverly Hills home, which they purchased last year for $60 million.

After renovations to the spacious property, the home was put on the market in July for $68 million.

The source explained: ‘There’s really nothing else to divide. Neither wants more than the other. They both came with their own considerable assets.’

Jennifer has refused to ask for spousal support and has also asked Ben not to ask for alimony.

The hitmaker has a net worth of $400 million, while the actor has a net worth of $150 million.

Although rumors of a split had already started a few months earlier in May, when the couple had not been seen together for over a month, problems reportedly arose during their honeymoon in Italy in 2022.

A source recently said Page Six“When they weren’t in front of the cameras. They barely spoke to each other during what should have been the happiest time of their lives.”

“He tried to convince her that he was a changed man, and that only lasted a very short time,” the insider said.

It was also alleged that Ben, ‘began to crave more privacy, and he could no longer handle Jennifer’s level of fame. He doesn’t want [the entourage] and all the drama that brings to his home.’

Next month, on September 6, Jennifer will appear at the premiere of their film Unstoppable, but her ex will not be there.

The couple was last pictured together on March 30, after which they spent the summer apart, with Jennifer largely staying on the East Coast while Ben remained home in Los Angeles.