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(NewsNation) — As they say, where there’s smoke, there’s fire — but, at least with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, that’s not the case… yet.
Lopez spent Mother’s Day in Paris, with her child Emme — while her husband was 5,600 miles away in Los Angeles celebrating with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their children. To make matters worse, Lopez is not particularly fond of Garner — and the two, while distantly friendly, do not speak.
“Jennifer loves Mother’s Day,” a friend of Lopez’s told me. “I was shocked Ben wasn’t with her for the big day. She loves being pampered and having special days.”
Then the photos of Lopez house hunting with her longtime producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas hit the papers this week, even though Lopez and Affleck dropped $60 million in cash for a Beverly Hills mansion last June.
And the rumor mill went into overdrive.
So let’s sort out what we know:
Lopez has been having a horrific 2024.
The movie she funded about her life, “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” as well as her documentary, both flopped. The documentary was bought by Amazon (so numbers are hidden) and became the butt of social media jokes. TikTokers viciously mocked Jenny from the Block, and the New York Times savaged it.
Her first studio album in 10 years, “This is Me… Now” was also critically panned by critics and fans alike — the New York Post even going so far as to say “is giving us “Gigli” all over again” — and also flopped, debuting at 38 on Billboard charts and falling fast.
The tour “This Is Me… Now” sold so badly that seven cities were canceled, and it had to be rebranded as “This Is Me… Live,” featuring her greatest hits instead of the treacly love songs from her latest album. I’m even told it has been suggested to Lopez that she scraps the tour altogether—– something she is unwilling to do.
Then there was the disastrous Met Gala earlier this month. On a night that should have been her crowning glory — where, after decades, she returns to her hometown as the co-chair of society and fashion’s biggest event of the year… she was alone.
With Affleck nowhere in sight, Lopez snapped at reporters on the red carpet and afterward, went home alone… before leaving for Paris.
(Regarding Lopez house hunting in Los Angeles, I don’t put too much stock into that as Lopez has several homes in the Los Angeles area, including a condo in Encino, a house in Malibu, and of course her Beverly Hills home. Over the years she has amassed a real estate portfolio worth over $120 million — either as personal homes, investments, or homes for family members.)
Meanwhile, Affleck has been shooting “The Accountant 2” in Los Angeles, getting burned for his unfunny, expletive-riddled roast of Tom Brady and being questioned about his “gaunt” appearance.
Fun times, eh?
But while no one is speaking to a divorce attorney (yet), a friend of Affleck’s tells me he doesn’t see how the two will work out in the long run.
“They don’t really have much in common,” the pal told me. “He’s way more low-key. He likes to hang with the guys and is a homebody. She likes the glamour, and the pomp and circumstance. He is an addict (Affleck has dealt with drugs, alcohol, and gambling issues over the past few decades), she is sober and doesn’t drink, do drugs, or gamble.”
And while opposites attract, it may be that Lopez’s paean to their love was a curse.
Reps for the couple didn’t return emails.