Bennifer, were regarded as the “it couple” during the early 2000s after the two first started their highly publicized relationship in 2001 having met on the set of “Gigli.” The relationship seemed to continue from strength to strength with Affleck proposing to the ‘Jenny from the Block’ singer in November of 2002. Unfortunately, the engagement didn’t last long, with the romance fizzling out by September 2003 leading to Affleck and Lopez’s eventual split in January 2004 — before the couple could even make it down the aisle. RELATED: Ben Affleck & Jennifer Lopez Are The 2000s Comeback Story We’ve All Been Waiting For The two stars moved on pretty quickly after separating, with Affleck proposing to Jennifer Garner in April 2005 and Lopez marrying Marc Anthony in June 2004. But, for those who held out hope, Bennifer 2.0 proved true love does exist by marrying in a Las Vegas ceremony over the weekend. However, even though we were clearly right to romanticize their relationship for all these years, it’s easy to forget some of the more unusual details about their relationship.
Here are 7 strange details about Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s relationship.
1. Jennifer Lopez was married to someone else when she got engaged to Ben Affleck.
According to PEOPLE magazine, Lopez had been set to marry dancer Cris Judd after getting engaged in September 2001. The two filed for divorce in July 2002 after separating the month prior. Affleck proposed to Lopez in November 2002, but her divorce from Judd wasn’t going to be finalized until January 2003. Affleck even spoke about the overlap in an interview with Vanity Fair in 2003. “At first, because she was married, there was no thought of a romantic relationship, so that created the opportunity to get to know each other without any of the falseness that goes with courtship because you’re trying to make a good impression,” he explained.
2. Ben Affleck reportedly gifted Jennifer Lopez a toilet seat.
According to the National Enquirer, Affleck apparently purchased a blinged-out toilet seat for Lopez which was “designed by Affleck himself.” It reportedly cost him $105,000 because of the “rubies, sapphires, pearls, and a diamond” embedded in the plastic seat. RELATED: 8 Strict Rules Jennifer Lopez Allegedly Makes Her Boyfriends And Husband Follow During an appearance on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ in 2003 Affleck spoke about the toilet seat he’d gifted Lopez for Christmas. “I was in the gulf for Christmas and then flew back right at the end and — just in time to pick up a toilet seat for my girlfriend,” he said.
3. There were rumors of a bizarre prenup between Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck.
According to the Daily Mail in 2003, Lopez reportedly put a “no cheating” clause in the supposed prenup, stating that she was “entitled to go after his money” if he cheated on her. Another report had surfaced claiming that if Affleck ever cheated on Lopez he would have to pay her $5 million for each indiscretion. There were also additional bizarre “rules” in the prenup that stated Affleck and Lopez would have to have intercourse “four times week.” Although, during his interview with Vanity Fair in 2003, Affleck denied the prenup rumors and allegations of a “no cheating” clause. “You can’t legislate behavior. You’ve got to believe in the person and believe you can meet the challenges you face,” Affleck clarified. “Neither of us are stupid or naïve. It would be nice if you could have ‘The Rules,’ but you just can’t write it down.”
4. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez called off their engagement days before the wedding.
In September 2003, just days before they were set to tie the knot, Affleck and Lopez released a statement detailing the end of their relationship. “Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date. When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate ‘decoy brides’ at three different locations, we realized that something was awry,” the statement read. RELATED: 6 Rules Leonardo DiCaprio’s Girlfriends Allegedly Have To Follow While Dating Him A source for PEOPLE magazine blamed Affleck for the breakup, citing that “reality had set in that this might not be the right person for him” and that he had “started getting scared.”
5. Ben Affleck once said dating Jennifer Lopez was “bad for [his] career.”
During an interview with Details, which has since been removed, Affleck admitted that dating Lopez “was probably bad for my career.” According to Cosmopolitan, Affleck revealed that he had “felt suffocated, miserable, and gross” while dating Lopez because of all the attention the media had given their relationship. “I was no longer in control of my life. I thought I wanted certain things, but I didn’t. I got lost,” he added.
6. Ben Affleck stayed in contact with Jennifer Lopez’s mother after their split.
According to US Weekly, seven years after Affleck and Lopez broke up, Lopez’s mother, Guadalupe Rodríguez, would email Affleck for advice about her daughter. Rodríguez apparently wanted help with Lopez after she split from Marc Anthony, and that she “always liked and trusted” Affleck.
7. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were reportedly in touch while Lopez was still dating Alex Rodriguez.
A source told TMZ that Lopez and Affleck had started emailing each other in early February 2021, which is two months before Lopez and Rodriguez officially announced their split. According to the source Lopez and Affleck were in “very regular contact” and Afflecks messages were allegedly “more loving and longing.” A source clarified with People magazine that Lopez “didn’t see Ben until it was all over with Alex” admitting that the two had been in contact but weren’t planning to date behind Rodriguez’s back. RELATED: Did JLo Cheat On A-Rod? Sources Claim Ben Affleck Sent Love Letters Before They Officially Broke Up Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.
