Inside Jennifer Lopez’s 55th Birthday Celebration Amid Ben Affleck Marriage Woes
Jennifer Lopez is ready to get on the floor and celebrate her 55th birthday. The A-lister enjoyed another trip around the sun with an extravagant Bridgerton-themed ball days before her birthday on Wednesday, July 24.
“Dearest Gentle Reader …And a splendid evening was had by all,” J. Lo captioned her Instagram video highlighting her magical party.
J. Lo’s husband, Ben Affleck, was not seen in the video amid their marital woes.
Earlier that day, the Hustlers actress shared a stunning swimsuit selfie as she donned a while one-piece.
The “Jenny From the Block” singer kicked off her birthday celebrations early and hosted a lunch at Arthur & Sons in Bridgehampton, New York, on Saturday, July 21. Jennifer’s twins, Emme and Max Muniz, were at the gathering alongside the entertainer’s manager, Benny Medina, and sister, Lynda. However, one seat was vacant as Ben, 51, was not in attendance.
A source told Page Six that J. Lo got emotional while reflecting on life stories during the meal.
Bennifer’s summer has not been filled with love, especially after In Touch exclusively reported that the couple were “headed for divorce” in May.
“He’s focusing on his work and his kids now,” an insider said at the time. “Ben already moved out and they’ll likely have to sell the dream house they spent two years searching for. They’ll never stop loving each other, but she can’t control him, and he can’t change her. There’s no way it could have lasted.”
The Gigli costars, who wed in July 2022, have since unified for milestone events while also missing other big moments together.
J. Lo arrived at stepson Samuel Affleck’s basketball game late on June 2 and an eyewitness exclusively told In Touch that the couple’s greeting was “awkward.”
“They didn’t show any real affection like a normal married couple, but they had these big smiles on their faces, like they were faking it for the cameras,” the insider dished.
Meanwhile, a different source gave In Touch an exclusive update on Bennifer’s marital status, admitting that “it’s definitely over between them.”
“Ben wants to do this in a civilized way and make sure the transition is as smooth as possible for the kids,” the insider said. "[Ben] wants them to have all their ducks in a row so there’s no messy court battle.” However, Jennifer “is still clinging to the possibility that they can turn things around. She’s begged him to give their marriage a second chance.”
That said, the Air actor and Selena actress haven’t been diligent about wearing their wedding rings daily.
Earlier this month, J. Lo and Ben didn’t publicly acknowledge their second wedding anniversary and they also publicly listed their Los Angeles mansion for sale.
Additionally, a different source exclusively told In Touch that Ben’s decision not to permanently ditch the ring was to “humor” his lady.
“The way she’s insisted on them wearing their rings and doing all this damage control, to her huge fit over him moving his stuff out, has got him really anxious,” the source explained. “Until this divorce is final, she wants him to wear the ring and still act like a married man. Ben’s getting as much time away from her as he can because he just doesn’t want to deal with another fight. He’s walking on eggshells and never knows when she’s going to blow up.”
