Jennifer Lopez is opening up about life after Bennifer 2.0… and it sounds like the superstar hit the pause button in a way we rarely see from her!
The multi-hyphenate icon stopped by Good Morning America on Wednesday and revealed something pretty surprising about how she handled the emotional fallout from her split with now-ex (times two) Ben Affleck.
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Instead of diving straight into another massive project or throwing herself into work mode, J.Lo actually stepped back from the spotlight for a while. And not just a little while. A whole year! She explained:
“I took a year off.”
Yes, really! For someone as famously hardworking as the On the Floor singer, that’s a BIG deal. After filing for divorce from the Good Will Hunting star in August 2024 and finalizing it in January of last year, Lopez admitted she had to slow everything down and actually sit with what happened instead of distracting herself:
“I canceled tours. I decided to just be home and sit in what had happened without running away from it through work, through another person through anything. Just sit.”
That kind of honesty is pretty refreshing coming from a celebrity who’s spent decades constantly moving from movie set to stage to red carpet. But the Hustlers star said the time away had a very important focus: family.
She explained she really needed to be present for her twins, Max and Emme, whom she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony:
“That was the priority at that time.”
And during that quiet period, Lopez says she did something even harder than taking time off from work. She looked inward:
“I was just at a point where I was like, ‘what is going on with you?’ I couldn’t blame anybody else because I don’t think that’s where the lesson is. And so, I really needed to figure myself out.”
That kind of reflection seems to have paid off, because the Atlas actress now says she’s in a totally different headspace these days. She noted to the outlet that she is currently:
“…in my happy era.”
Awww!
According to Lopez, she’s discovering something new about herself after decades in the spotlight and a long history of high-profile romances:
“I feel like for the first time in my life, I’m free. I’m on my own. It feels really good. I didn’t really know what that felt like since I was in my early 20s, and even before that I always had a boyfriend. There was always someone in my life and so many other things that I felt were out of my control. I’ve gotten to the point where I really trust myself and appreciate myself a little bit more.”
And if you’re wondering whether another famous romance might be around the corner… well, uh, don’t hold your breath. Lopez joked about it when asked if she’s up for future love:
“God forbid. I don’t want to ruin anything. It’s so nice right now. I’m so happy. It’s the best. I just feel really good right now, and that was a scary thing for me when I was younger. I didn’t know if I could do that. I was always really afraid to be alone.”
Considering Lopez’s past marriages to Ojani Noa, Cris Judd, and the aforementioned Marc Anthony, plus her engagement to Alex Rodriguez before rekindling things with Affleck, it sounds like this chapter is all about something new: independence.
And honestly? We love this era for her. Growth looks good on J.Lo!
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[Image via MEGA/WENN]
