Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour amid rumors of Ben Affleck marital strain: 'I am completely heartsick'
"Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary," Lopez wrote in her newsletter.
Jennifer Lopez has called off her This Is Me … Live Tour at the eleventh hour.
The singer wrote in her newsletter that she’s “completely heartsick and devastated” over the decision, but called it “absolutely necessary.” While she didn’t provide further detail, concert promoter Live Nation said Lopez needs time off to be with her “children, family and close friends.”
It’s unclear if this has anything to do with Lopez’s relationship status. She and her husband of less than two years, Ben Affleck, have been caught in a web of headlines after it was reported by multiple outlets that they have been living apart.
?? What just happened?
On May 31, Lopez shared the news from concert promoter Live Nation that the North American summer tour, set to kick off in Orlando on June 26, “is canceled” in her newsletter, On the J.Lo. “Jennifer is taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends,” the announcement read, in part.
Lopez shared her own “special message” to fans, saying, “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…”
?? The background
This tour was in support of her long-delayed ninth studio album, This Is Me … Now, which came out in February. She sang about rekindling her relationship with Affleck 20 years after they called off an engagement. The reconciled pair married in July 2022. Lopez released two movies to go with the album — This Is Me…Now: A Love Story, in which Affleck appeared, as well as a doc, Greatest Love Story Never Told, about their relationship.
Lopez, who spent millions of her own money funding the movies, said Affleck wasn’t completely comfortable having their personal life be so exposed in the projects.
In February, Lopez announced a summer tour. It was later reported that ticket sales were weak, leading to Lopez rebranding the tour to include her greatest hits.
In early May, rumors began about marital trouble between Lopez and Affleck. People magazine was among the outlets to report they were living apart. The famous couple has been seen together a handful of times over the last month, including on May 30 at a party for Affleck’s daughter’s high school graduation. Neither Affleck nor Lopez have commented publicly on the rumors.
Amid the drama, Lopez had been rehearsing for her tour. Three days ago, a source close to Lopez told People, “They’re still living separately. She’s back in L.A. for tour rehearsals. She seems OK. She’s very focused on work.”
Lopez had also been traveling to promote her Netflix film Atlas, which debuted over Memorial Day weekend as the No. 1 movie on Netflix in 55 countries. Affleck, who has been filming The Accountant 2 on the West Coast, did not attend premiere events with her.
