Another day, another potential clue of whether or not Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are really calling it quits. Lopez has been celebrating her 55th birthday sans Affleck, showing off birthday celebration snaps from her Hamptons retreat alongside some close friends. While these have led many to believe that the Bennifer 2.0 revival might be over for real (and that Lopez is putting on a show to assure everyone she is fine), some eagle-eyed fans hoping for a different story have spotted some blink-and-you-miss-it details that suggest that the two are trying to work things out.
On her actual birthday, Wednesday, July, 24, the “Jenny from the Block” singer shared some footage of the celebrations on her Instagram stories. n one particular video, as vocal coach Stevie Mackey serenades J. Lo with a birthday tune, a framed photo of her wedding day with Affleck is clearly visible on a cabinet in the background, per The Mirror. For those keeping track, this isn’t just any photo — it’s a key piece of Bennifer memorabilia that suggests all might not be lost. Alongside it, several other images of the couple were quietly on display around her home, hinting that Lopez hasn’t given up quite yet.
However, hours later, Lopez shared another series of photos flaunting her enviable bikini body—conspicuously without her wedding ring. As always, Lopez has fans guessing as to what the photos without a wedding band mean — while others chalk it up to the summer heat making rings a little less comfortable.
To understand the full picture, let’s rewind a bit. Lopez and Affleck first met on the set of Gigli in 2002, quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s most talked-about couples. They got engaged later that year but called off their wedding days before the ceremony in 2003, breaking up officially in January 2004. Fast forward to 2021, and the world was treated to a Bennifer reunion. By July 2022, they had eloped in a Las Vegas wedding that seemed straight out of a romantic movie.
But trouble loomed large. In early 2024, Lopez released her documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, where Affleck’s discomfort with her sharing private love letters came to light. By May, the couple listed their $68 million Beverly Hills mansion for sale, which celebrity couples usually don’t do when things are going well. The palatial estate, featuring everything from a pickleball court to a whiskey lounge, never felt like home to the couple.
Insiders later revealed that Lopez’s fairytale image of their relationship didn’t match reality. Affleck’s “miserable side” and Lopez’s realization that she was putting in all the effort began to take a toll. Even her family reportedly advised her to end things, suggesting that Affleck wasn’t the knight in shining armor she believed him to be.
While neither has publicly confirmed the split, these recent snapshots and insider revelations suggest the saga is far from over. Whether this is the end of Bennifer 2.0 or just another chapter remains to be seen, but fans are undoubtedly keeping a very close watch.
Before you go, click here to see celebrity couples who famously broke up and got back together.
