Ben Affleck Is Reportedly Taking Steps That Might Indicate Where He Stands With Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have the world guessing as to what is happening in their marriage, but sources close to the Oscar winner are pointing out signs that he might be done with their relationship. The 51-year-old actor has appeared stressed out whenever he’s in the public eye — it could be the paparazzi, or it could be something more serious.

A pal in Affleck’s inner circle is telling In Touch that he’s delicately making moves to end their two-year marriage. “The last thing Ben wants to do is hurt Jen. He still loves and respects her,” the insider shared. “And, of course, the family situation comes into this heavily, which is why he’s agreed to do this in a civilized and loving way, just like he did with Jennifer Garner.” We are not exactly sure Affleck handled his exit from his first marriage gracefully since he was struggling with his sobriety and allegedly had an affair with the family’s nanny. It was Garner who was his rock during that challenging time. 

This time around, Affleck and Lopez may not be endgame, so that’s why they are reportedly “going to get all their ducks in a row” to try and avoid a “messy court battle.” They’ve also been prioritizing their blended family by making sure they are present at the children’s end-of-the-year events — even if they aren’t attending together. It’s a page taken from Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s 2016 divorce and their “conscious uncoupling” approach. 

Celebrity family law attorney at Wasser, Cooperman & Mandles, P.C. Laura Nasser explained to SheKnows earlier this year that Hollywood has been proactive in taking away the stigma of a breakup. “I’m coming up on 30 years doing this,” she explained. “It has changed… the way people approach divorce is a little bit less taboo. [There’s] a little bit less of, ‘Oh, I’ve had a failed marriage.’ It’s more about, ‘No, this is my next chapter and I’m moving on.’” She even took Paltrow and Martin’s philosophy a step further. “And particularly if you’ve got children, you’re going to know each other for the rest of your lives,” she notes, “Conscious uncoupling, or I think another one that I heard was ‘gracefully separating,’ makes more sense.”

That might be what Lopez and Affleck are trying to here, even though they haven’t even confirmed their separation. The In Touch source claimed that Affleck is “not backing down” in his approach and is “100 percent committed” to winding things down with Lopez. The Argo star is reportedly “looking forward to the next chapter” of his life — which seems to be without Lopez.

Before you go, click here to see a complete timeline of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s relationship.