Bennifer proves that superstar divorces are a shedding recreation

An occasion as seismic as Bennifer 2.0 might solely finish in a PR showdown. After months of breakup rumors, real-estate information, and a canceled tour, Jennifer Lopez lastly filed for divorce from her husband Ben Affleck on August 20, citing “irreconcilable variations.” That date additionally marks the second anniversary of their lavish marriage ceremony ceremony in Georgia. It looks like this breakup isn’t only a unhappy affair however a bitter one, too.

Their antics within the press say as a lot. When you take note of how celebrities use the tabloid press and their very own lore to form public opinion, a few narratives are forming. There are already quite a few studies from unnamed sources alleging Affleck’s chilly habits towards Lopez, appearing distant towards her whereas they supposedly tried to work by way of their points. In the meantime, Affleck has remained principally quiet, with sources claiming he desires a extra “civilized” divorce. Given the general public’s notion of Lopez because the extra attention-seeking associate of their marriage, that is most certainly a PR technique of its personal.

From a publicity angle, it appears like Lopez has extra to lose. For a singer whose picture violently swings between Hollywood icon and superstar laughingstock, divorcing the so-called love of her life — additionally, the topic of her newest musical period, which become an epic failure — places her in a susceptible place but once more. We haven’t even gotten to the inevitable battle over cash, contemplating the previous couple wed reportedly and not using a prenuptial settlement. If the estimates tossed round for his or her web worths are true — and when you can’t belief CelebrityNetWorth.com, who are you able to belief? — Lopez has considerably extra to lose than Affleck. She’s additionally forgoing authorized illustration, which looks like a worse determination than a self-funded $20 million film.

Like most superstar divorces, mudslinging and tabloid leaks are baked into the method. Nonetheless, for 2 seasoned A-listers who’ve already skilled private {and professional} challenges within the limelight, one other media circus looks like a waste of vitality. Past perhaps entertaining the general public, there aren’t any new stakes. The Bennifer drama forces us to ask the query: Does anybody win in a celeb divorce?

To this point, neither celebration has commented instantly on the divorce (though a rep for Affleck shut down rumors that he was courting RFK Jr.’s daughter Kick Kennedy). As an alternative, it seems that they’re letting anonymously sourced studies and photographed outings create narratives for them. Many of the “sources” appear to be engaged on Lopez’s behalf, which isn’t a shock on condition that she initiated the divorce and appears, nicely, annoyed. It’s additionally notable that a number of of those exclusives are coming from Individuals, a tabloid with a status for working instantly with celebrities and their publicists. In the meantime, Affleck is seemingly making an attempt to keep away from wanting just like the “most divorced man,” a title he earned after his break up with Jennifer Garner in 2015. Days after Lopez’s divorce submitting, he was photographed selecting up a Jack within the Field supply at his new LA house, a throwback to his days selecting up Dunkin’ Donuts throughout the pandemic the place his relatable dad persona actually took form.

These accounts recommend that Lopez was uncared for by Affleck within the marriage and tried her greatest to make issues work, a story that mimics the ending of their first go-around in 2001. Earlier this week, an unique from Individuals stated that Affleck had not given her “any indicators that he desires to proceed their marriage.” (Court docket paperwork revealed that the couple had been separated since April.) Likewise, a supply near Lopez informed the journal that the singer spent “numerous time ensuring Ben was completely happy,” regardless of the actor being “moody and darkish.”

One other narrative that appears to be taking form is that Lopez is making extra of an effort to handle their blended household amid the present chaos. That features Lopez’s twins Max and Emme, from her earlier marriage to singer Marc Anthony, and Affleck’s three youngsters, Violet, Fin, and Samuel, together with his ex-wife Garner, who all lived collectively of their former mansion.

The final time Lopez and Affleck have been noticed collectively was in June for Affleck’s son Samuel’s commencement, when rumors of a breakup first began to emerge. Since then, Lopez has been noticed or photographed on a number of outings with Max and Violet, together with a 4th of July journey to the Hamptons. (Individuals famous that Affleck was again in LA on the time.) Most not too long ago, the journal reported that Affleck “has not been in contact” with Lopez’s youngsters.

Whereas we haven’t been bombarded with claims about Lopez’s half of their demise or picture ops together with his youngsters, the truth that Affleck is just not saying a lot, whereas permitting Lopez to make extra of a present out of their divorce, looks like its personal technique, too.

Since their first breakup, Affleck has given the general public the impression that Lopez was extra comfy within the limelight than him. It’s one thing he reiterates all through Lopez’s Prime documentary The Biggest Love Story By no means Advised, which premiered in February. The actor joked about Lopez’s impulse to publicize all the pieces — together with the stack of affection letters he despatched her earlier than their 2021 reunion — however claimed that he was now prepared to sacrifice his privateness to be along with her.

Likewise, Lopez is portrayed as extra needy for public consideration, whereas Affleck is reluctant to take part in her initiatives and public antics. The sheer quantity of paparazzi pictures of Affleck would instantly dispel this declare, together with these well-known pap walks together with his ex-girlfriend Ana de Armas throughout the pandemic. Days after the divorce, Individuals reported that a number of unnamed sources had informed the publication that Affleck, whose manufacturing firm Artists Fairness took on Lopez’s documentary, had artistic management over the challenge.

Trying again on the movie by way of this lens, you may see how devoted they each are to defending their picture, whereas additionally seemingly a bit clumsy at it. The documentary, which follows the behind-the-scenes making of Lopez’s visible album This Is Me… Now, is filled with humiliating and awkward (however extraordinarily amusing) moments that the typical pop star these days wouldn’t dream of being broadcast. On the time, the documentary appeared just like the one saving grace in an period of misfires for Lopez, together with a low-performing visible album and a canceled tour. Nonetheless, memes about Lopez — together with a scene the place she’s mythologizing her childhood hairdo — took off, along with random clips of Lopez supposedly displaying diva habits.

Whereas Lopez struggled to make the general public care about her new music, she saved folks invested in her private life with Affleck. The odd-couple dynamic they portrayed within the movie was candy and admirable. Lopez was depicted because the outgoing associate with unrealistic ambitions, whereas Affleck appeared just like the pragmatic however doting husband who supported his spouse’s goals. A memorable scene within the documentary exhibits Affleck boosting Lopez’s confidence when she’s feeling uncertain throughout the filmmaking course of. Now, it’s arduous to not surprise how a lot of this documentary components into Affleck’s seeming escape plan.

With new exclusives in regards to the particulars of their relationship arriving every day, it looks like the couple could also be buckling up for a struggle that may depart each of their reputations just a little scathed. For now, although, the media circus principally feels gratuitous. Nevertheless it’s type of a humiliating ritual that these two celebrities from the ’90s would default to.

For one factor, this isn’t the type of explosive divorce that’s instantly inciting followers to take sides. Some social media customers are already calling BS on the narrative that Lopez was too public-facing for Affleck. However for probably the most half, Lopez and Affleck are two sometimes-loved-sometimes-hated celebrities, whose reputations are continually in flux. Proper now, it doesn’t look like the general public at giant is leaping to demonize both of them. The truth that their romantic historical past is reportedly riddled with dysfunction appears to be what makes them relatable and straightforward to root for.

The divorce announcement itself additionally doesn’t appear that controversial. The small print being revealed at the moment aren’t that explosive, moreover the suggestion that Affleck has dedication points. It actually is just not something just like the years-long fallout between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie following their divorce, which entails home and little one abuse allegations and has left Pitt’s picture with a stain — even when he’s nonetheless booked and busy in Hollywood.

It’s arduous to think about these image-altering outcomes for Affleck merely for opting out of a wedding, even when the dissolution was as frosty on his finish as some shiny celeb weeklies have depicted it. And in spite of everything, after all of the breakups and profession hits Lopez has skilled within the public eye, she has confirmed to be one among our most invincible celebrities. It’s all very predictable and never completely stunning — identical to in the event that they determined to get again collectively 20 years from now.