Jennifer Lopez Says She’s ‘So Happy’ Being Single After Ben Affleck Divorce: ‘I Don’t Want to Ruin Anything’

Mar 16, 2026 by apost team

Jennifer Lopez has been through a lot over the past couple of years — a very public divorce, a canceled tour, and a year spent largely out of the spotlight. But in an interview with “Nightline” anchor Juju Chang, Lopez made one thing very clear: she is doing better than fine.

For Lopez, that feeling is genuinely new territory. She's spent most of her adult life in relationships, and stepping out of that pattern has taken real adjustment. "I didn't really know what that felt like since I was in my early 20s — and even before that," she said. "I've always had boyfriends. There was always someone in my life, and so many things that I felt like were out of my control."

Her split from Ben Affleck (born in 1972) was finalized in January 2025 after Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024, on the second anniversary of the larger wedding reception they held at his Georgia compound. The two had dated from 2002 to 2004 after meeting on the set of "Gigli," then reunited in 2021 and eloped at a Las Vegas chapel in July 2022.

After the split, Lopez made a deliberate choice to stop running. "I canceled tours and just decided to be home and sit in what had happened without running away from it through work, through another person, through anything — just sit," she said. It wasn't easy, but it was necessary. She described the period as a time when her life felt like it had completely exploded — and rather than escape it, she chose to stay right in the middle of it.

That stillness turned out to be exactly what Lopez needed. She described the period following her divorce as a time of real reckoning: "I just got to the point where I was like, 'What is going on with you?'" She told Chang in ABC News’ Nightline: "Because I couldn't blame anybody else, because I don't think that's where the lesson is. And so I really wanted to figure myself out."

The work paid off. Lopez says she has finally gotten to a place where she trusts and appreciates herself — something she admits she used to struggle with deeply. She said:

"I've gotten to the point where I really trust myself and appreciate myself a little bit more, instead of being so hard on myself and always trying to prove myself."

These days, she's surrounded by the things that matter most. Her twins, Max and Emme — whom she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony — born in 2008, are preparing to head to college. and heading to college this year. Her Las Vegas residency, Up All Night, is running at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, featuring a full orchestra and reimagined versions of her biggest songs. "It's a celebration," she said. "You have to cherish and live every single moment."

As for dating, Lopez was asked directly if she's out there meeting people. Her answer was immediate. "No! No. I'm not! I am a mom of graduates this year who are going to college. I am a showgirl and an entertainer, and an actor. An entrepreneur. And I am happy. I am happy. And I am healthy. And I am grateful." Then came the kicker — the real reason she's in no rush:

"God forbid, I don't want to ruin anything!"

apost.com

Are you a fan of Jennifer Lopez? Do you think taking time for yourself after a big life change is the best way to heal and move forward? Let us know in the comments and pass this on to your family, friends, and other Jennifer Lopez fans out there!