After a relationship that spanned two decades, two engagements, two weddings and headlines too numerous to count, Jennifer Lopez has filed for divorce from Ben Affleck. The filing Tuesday in Los Angeles brought to an apparent end a celebrity coupling — or at least the second instalment of it — that dazzled from the very heights of the pop culture firmament and emblazoned countless tabloid covers. The pair became known, even before such power-couple portmanteaus were ubiquitous, as “Bennifer.” 

Here's a timeline of their 20-year-long saga:

First meet

Jennifer and Ben crossed paths at the 70th Academy Awards and the premiere of his sci-fi action film Armageddon in 1998. However, they began dating on the sets of Gigli (2003). They went on to star together in Jersey Girl (2004).

Engagement

They got engaged in 2002, and were due to marry in 2003, before they called off the wedding just four days prior to the big day.

First split

Jennifer and Ben split up in early 2004, just four months after their scheduled wedding. Jennifer attributed the breakup to Ben's discomfort with the high media scrutiny of their relationship.

Bennifer 2.0

The duo got back together 17 years after their initial split during the pandemic in 2021. Exactly a year later, they got engaged again, 20 years after the first proposal.

Finally married – twice!

Jennifer and Ben tied the knot, this time in Las Vegas, the same year they got engaged. The couple had flown to Las Vegas, lined up with their license with four other couples and were wed just after midnight at A Little White Wedding Chapel, where Jennifer said a Bluetooth speaker played their brief march down the aisle. She called it the best night of the couple’s lives. A month later, they had a much grander wedding at Ben’s house in Georgia in front of friends and family.

Filing for divorce

Court records showed Jennifer filed the petition on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. She listed the date of separation as April 26, 2024. It added that she did not mention any prenuptial agreement.

Jennifer will be next seen in Unstoppable and Kiss of the Spider Woman (both produced by Ben), whereas he'll star in The Accountant 2.

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