The festive season is shaping up to be the holiday from hell for Ben Affleck as he finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place – also known as his two ex-wives, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner.
J.Lo is reportedly on Ben’s case to reunite for the holidays for the sake of their children – her 16-year-old twins Max and Emme, and Ben’s brood with Jennifer Garner, Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12. But, Ben is apparently less enthusiastic to reconnect with J.Lo – who is also said to be keen for him to call off the divorce.
‘Ben has been trying to distance himself from Jen, but she just won’t let him,’ an insider tells heat.
‘She’s been showing up at the same events as him and demanding they continue doing group activities with the kids, and if he doesn’t agree then he’s the bad guy. Now, she’s pushing for them to do joint celebrations for Thanksgiving and Christmas, saying it’s for the children, but Ben isn’t buying it’s just about them.’
It’s not surprising the former couple want to keep their blended family happy, as both sets of children reportedly bonded while they were all living under the same roof. All the family members were in attendance at a community event in their LA neighbourhood last week, with Ben and Jennifer Garner, both 52, arriving first with their kids, before J.Lo arrived with the twins.
Although 13 Going On 30 actress Jen G was Batman star Ben’s first wife – the pair’s relationship lasted 11 years from 2004 to 2015 – she wasn’t his first fiancé. He first popped the question to J.Lo back in 2002, but the couple called off their wedding just days before they were due to walk down the aisle. The stars famously reunited 20 years later and tied the knot in 2022, before splitting earlier this year.
Despite the split, J.Lo shows no sign of letting Ben go solo this holiday season. heat previously reported that his recent ‘hot single dad’ glow-up – with his hair dyed darker and trimmer figure – was getting under the singer’s skin. However, J.Lo seems determined to stand in the way of his bachelor dream and is insisting that he spend the holidays with her.
‘Jen is offering to host a big dinner and doesn’t seem to care how awkward it will be, not just for her and Ben, but also for Jennifer Garner, who will have to be there, too. Ben will be stuck in the middle trying to keep them both happy. It’s going to be complete chaos if she gets her way, but he doesn’t know how to say no. She’s made it very clear that she has no intention of backing down – her reasoning is that it would be unfair to the kids to take this away from them, so it’s very hard to argue with her.’
Ben and J.Lo’s divorce is reportedly complicated, with their lack of a prenup agreement only further muddying things. While Maid In Manhattan star J.Lo seems intent on reconciling and calling off the split, we’re told getting back together is the furthest thing from Ben’s mind right now.
‘The last thing Ben wants to do is spend Thanksgiving or Christmas with both his exes – all he wants is to have a nice relaxed celebration at Jennifer Garner’s place with his kids and his mom, but he worries that the other Jen will flip. He feels like there’s no way he can say no without a serious backlash. As usual, he’s leaning on Jen Garner and begging her to help. She’s so supportive and wants what’s best for their kids, but there’s no doubt this is exhausting for her. Navigating the tension between Ben and J.Lo is the last thing she wants to do during the holidays.’