After months of rumours that his marriage to Jennifer Lopez is over, it appears Ben Affleck is single again. The couple has reportedly finalised their divorce, with sources claiming they’re now just waiting for “the right time” to announce it. But Ben may already have a hot new Hollywood romance in the pipeline – as heat can reveal none other than Jennifer Aniston is eyeing him up.
A source tells us the Friends star, 55, has been harbouring a secret crush on Ben, 51, ever since they starred in a film together 15 years ago, and she’s hoping she could one day be Ben’s third Jen.
Ben split from his first wife Jennifer Garner in 2015, before rekindling his Noughties romance with J-Lo in 2021. “Jen-An has had a mini-crush on Ben for years, and as things openly wind down between him and J-Lo, there’s a real opportunity to make up for lost time,” we’re told. “She and Ben worked together back in 2009, and there’s still a very friendly and flirty open line of communication, plus a boatload of mutual friends, such as Jon Hamm and Sandra Bullock, who can all totally see potential for them as a couple.”
Ben and Jen starred in hit romcom He’s Just Not That Into You, and our source reveals, “When they shot that film, there was obvious chemistry. They were both with other people, so nothing ever happened. Now, Jen’s paying attention, big time.”
Since splitting from Brad Pitt in 2005, Jen has enjoyed a series of high-profile romances, including an on/off relationship with singer John Mayer and a six-year marriage to actor Justin Theroux, which ended in 2017. She’s not had a serious romance since then, but has publicly declared she’s open to finding love again.
Meanwhile, Ben’s two-year marriage to J-Lo has been under intense scrutiny for months, after the couple put their shared Beverly Hills mansion up for sale and spent the summer apart. They failed to celebrate their second anniversary together in July and he was also noticeably absent at her recent Hamptons birthday bash. In another sign things have been on the rocks, Ben purchased a new Los Angeles bachelor pad on the same day his wife turned 55 – which is said to have left her furious and felt like a “stab to the heart”. She also recently finalised the sale of her New York City apartment.
Last week, the singer finally took off her wedding ring (Ben has had his on and off for weeks), and it’s believed she and Ben are no longer on speaking terms, with reports suggesting they’re refusing to communicate in person or over the phone. And if Ben is indeed an eligible bachelor once again, his former co-star could be a shoulder for him to cry on.
“Jen-An’s not the type to put a lot of stock in rumours, but it’s not as though she can ignore Ben’s marital situation when it’s all over the headlines,” says the source. “Her friends are all buzzing about how perfect she and Ben would be together – she needs someone who can match her level of fame, and Ben very much lives in the same stratosphere as her. He’s exactly her type, too – an overachiever, self-made, culturally relevant, and still handsome as hell.”
But we may have to wait a while, as our source adds, “Jen has had these kinds of unrequited crushes before, and it’s always been tricky for her to turn them into something real."