Jennifer Lopez has returned to Ben Affleck's orbit in a no-strings-attached arrangement.
Insiders told Heat magazine that she is going through a post-divorce romance with rules designed to protect her heart.
The 56-year-old singer and actress, who finalized her divorce from the 53-year-old actor earlier this year after splitting in 2024, is reportedly "infatuated by Ben. It's like an addiction she has admitted she can't break," according to a source.
Despite their renewed physical connection, Lopez is taking a calculated approach this time. Friends describe their current relationship as a friends-with-benefits arrangement, but one that comes with strict boundaries.
"She has created a series of boundaries in what she's calling their 'new relationship rule book,' which includes no sleepovers, no date nights, restricting him from dating anyone else, and banning him from texting her — given that's when communication between them becomes toxic," the insider said.
Keeping Control After Heartbreak
Lopez's people have said the singer-actress is painfully aware of the hurt from the past and is resolutely committed not to make the same mistake again.
Her friends have warned her not to get back together with Affleck again because they know that she has suffered emotionally during their previous reunions.
Lopez, however, is said to be very sure of her way of doing things this time. She has laid down firm limits and set up a kind of agreement between them which she considers a shield to her heart and as a manner of keeping the upper hand and hence, not having the heartbreak of the past again.
The couple's history spans decades. First engaged in 2002, they called off their wedding in 2003, reunited in 2021 following Lopez's breakup with Alex Rodriguez, and married in Georgia in 2022. Lopez initiated divorce proceedings in August 2024, which was her second wedding anniversary.
Despite the caution, friends acknowledge Lopez's feelings remain strong. "As strong as she's tried to be over the last few months, she can't seem to cut him off and continues running back into his arms," the Heat magazine source said.
Their alleged rekindling was ignited by the red carpet reunion at the premiere of Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reunite on the red carpet at the "Kiss of the Spider Woman" premiere in NYC pic.twitter.com/TfkShfJq8M
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 7, 2025
Career Setbacks
Lopez's latest movie, Kiss of the Spider Woman, was one of the reasons she decided to concentrate more on her personal boundaries again.
The film, a situation which was made worse by the fact that Affleck was the producer, did not perform well at the box office as it made only $1.6 million in two weeks.
Rob Shuter reported on his Substack that Lopez canceled her Savannah Film Festival appearance after learning of the screening's cancellation. "She dumped Spider Woman before it could drag her down," a source said.
"Classic JLo — she calls the shots, and she's already on to the next big thing."
Lopez described the experience with the film as both challenging and transformative. "Filming Kiss of the Spider Woman got me through the best and the worst of times," she said, adding of Affleck's role, "He helped make it happen."
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