ExclusiveA-Rod Is ‘Heartbroken’ Over J. Lo, Ben Affleck Reunion: He Was ‘Holding Out Hope’ for Reconciliation
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s reunion took her ex-fiancé Alex Rodriguez by surprise after their split. The former MLB star is “really heartbroken about it,” an insider exclusively tells In Touch.
“There’s a lot of excitement for the return of Bennifer but not everyone’s rejoicing about the rekindled romance,” the source explains. “Alex may not be in the best position to judge, but he doesn’t think Jen is making a good decision. He thought the stories of Jen being back with Ben were fake news.”
![Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez Relationship Timeline](https://www.intouchweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/A-Look-Back-at-Ben-Affleck-and-Jennifer-Lopezs-Relationship-Timeline04.jpg?fit=400%2C598&quality=86&strip=all&resize=400%2C598)
“Jen getting back with Ben, after all these years, and with all the heartache she went through, is the last thing Alex expected,” the insider adds.
Ben, 48, and J. Lo, 51, first crossed paths in 2001 while costarring on the set of the movie Gigli. The pair got engaged in 2002 and famously packed on major PDA in her “Jenny From the Block” music video that same year. Although they called off their wedding in 2003, Ben and Jennifer remained together until early 2004, when they decided to part ways.
Following his split from J. Lo, Ben married Jennifer Garner, with whom he shares daughters Violet, 15, and Seraphina, 12, and son Samuel, 9. They split in 2015 and finalized their divorce in 2018.
As for the “On the Floor” performer, she later wed Marc Anthony in 2004. They welcomed twins, 13-year-olds Max and Emme in 2008, but the former couple split three years later and finalized their divorce in 2014. Jennifer began dating A-Rod, 45, in March 2017 and the duo announced their engagement in 2019.
Nearly one month after sparking split rumors, J. Lo and Alex confirmed their breakup in April via a joint statement to Today. They said they are “better as friends” and would continue to collaborate on projects going forward.
![Alex Rodriguez Heartbroken Over Jennifer Lopez Ben Affleck Reunion](https://www.intouchweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Alex-Rodriguez-Heartbroken-Over-Jennifer-Lopez-Ben-Affleck-Reunion.jpg?fit=400%2C267&quality=86&strip=all)
“[Alex] was holding out hope that Jen would take him back,” the source tells In Touch. “But, according to some of Jen’s friends, that ship has sailed. She tried to reconcile with Alex, and she just couldn’t make it work. She’s not looking back; Alex is definitely in her rearview mirror.”
Although it appeared that Ben and J.Lo’s love story ended in 2004, the duo are now sparking romance rumors again 17 years later and on the heels of her breakup from Alex. Jennifer and Ben appear to be enjoying each other’s company more than ever, having recently gone on a trip to Montana together. The Deep Water star was also spotted visiting her home in Los Angeles before their getaway.
“There’s no doubt that Jen and Ben have something special between them,” the insider tells In Touch. “She knows what this looks like, and that the whole world is watching, but she doesn’t care, she wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t real. Jen is doing what she always does when it comes to relationships — she’s following her heart.”
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