Inside Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s desperate bid to salvage their marriage and shut down divorce speculation – as the REAL reason for their house sale is revealed
According to insiders, Jennifer Lopez is focusing on saving her marriage to Ben Affleck. They claim that the time they have spent apart recently has only confirmed how much they love each other, fueling their determination not to end the relationship.
The couple, who recently put their $60 million family home up for sale, were last pictured together on June 2 and have since spent several important days apart, including Mother’s Day and their second wedding anniversary. Meanwhile, rumors are swirling that their rekindled romance is headed for divorce.
But Lopez, 54, has been extra focused on her blended family and has put work aside to get their relationship back on track.
‘Jennifer is now hoping she can save her marriage to Ben,’ a source exclusively told DailyMail.com.
“She wouldn’t be spending time with his children and taking on the role of mother if she wasn’t going to work things out with him, or at least be on the right path.”
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have come to the conclusion that they still love each other after taking some time apart ‘to think things through’, a source has revealed to DailyMail.com (pictured in February)
The source revealed that the couple put their marital home back on the market because their family didn’t feel “safe” in the Bel Air mansion and were having trouble calling it “home.”
The insider added that the real reason Ben and Jennifer haven’t gotten together this summer was to figure out how much they value their relationship.
“They’ve given each other space to think about it and it’s confirmed that they do love each other,” the source claimed.
“Jennifer has put her work on hold to focus on repairing the damage that has been done. She knows that at times she has let her career and her fame come between her marriage.”
They continued, “She’s just trying to be a good mother and a normal person because she knows that her wealth and fame aren’t everything in the end. She hopes it’s not too late.”
However, the insider added that Affleck had made his own mistakes as well: “The people around her have assured her that it’s not just her fault, because Ben is no piece of cake either.”
DailyMail.com previously revealed that Lopez had even placed her trust in her husband’s ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, who eventually had to step down from her informal mediator role between the two because she no longer wanted to be part of the ‘circus’ surrounding the two.
But she is still in “constant contact” with Garner, who has “helped her tremendously.”
“Jennifer is eternally grateful for her help, even though she’s taken a step back,” the insider said. “But Jen was able to get through to her ex-husband in a way no one else could — not even her.”
Affleck’s eldest daughter Violet, 18, was spotted spending quality time with Lopez in South Hampton, New York over the weekend
A source revealed: ‘Jennifer is just trying to be a good mother and a normal person for now because she knows her wealth and fame mean nothing.’
Affleck and Garner have three children: Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12.
Meanwhile, Lopez has a family with 16-year-old twins Max and Emme, along with her ex-husband Marc Anthony.
It appeared their blended family was falling apart after Affleck moved out of their California mansion into a $100,000-a-month rental near his ex-wife.
Just weeks later, the house was quietly put up for sale for $65 million and the couple began selling the artwork from the home.
However, the source revealed that the couple had a simple reason for putting their marital home back on the market: Their family didn’t feel “safe” in the Bel Air mansion and found it difficult to call it “home.”
“Jennifer and Ben decided to sell their home because neither they nor their children felt at home there,” the insider said.
“It was too big and the openness sometimes made them feel unsafe. There is 24-hour security, but something didn’t feel right.”
The source added that Affleck never really felt comfortable in the mansion, which is likely why he moved his belongings out so quickly last month.
They added: ‘Ben hated the house more than Jennifer did, so when things started to fall apart in their marriage, he was just done with it.
“The utilities alone for that house cost an astronomical amount of money.”
Lopez and Affleck reunited in 2021 and married in a Las Vegas ceremony in July of that year, before having a lavish wedding at his Georgia estate in August 2022 (pictured)
But the duo were spotted on opposite sides of the country as they celebrated their second anniversary apart on July 16 (pictured in May 2023)
The couple’s love story began in 2002 when they dated while filming the movie Jersey Girl. They got engaged the following year, but split in 2004.
Their fans were thrilled when they rekindled their romance in the spring of 2021. In July 2022, they tied the knot in a ceremony in Las Vegas, followed by an extravagant wedding at his Georgia estate a month later.
But the duo were spotted on opposite sides of the country as they appeared to miss out on celebrating their second wedding anniversary on July 16.
A smiling Affleck was spotted in a suit as he arrived at his Los Angeles office, carrying a large iced coffee and a gym bag, while Lopez was in the Hamptons with his 18-year-old daughter Violet.
Whatever happens, the couple still has plans to work together as Lopez is will star in two upcoming films – Unstoppable and Kiss Of The Spider Woman – for Affleck and Matt Damon’s production company, Artists Equity.