Jennifer Lopez Seeks To Drop Ben Affleck’s Name Amid Divorce

Jennifer Lopez is reportedly seeking to revert to her maiden name after taking her husband Ben Affleck’s last name after their 2022 wedding.

The actress filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences,” and the couple has no prenup, which might make for a messy legal battle over money and assets.

Ben Affleck And Jennifer Lopez’s relationship reportedly became increasingly strained, with Lopez listing April 26 as their separation date.

On Tuesday, Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck at the L.A. County Superior Court without a lawyer on what would have been their second wedding anniversary.

According to TMZ, the “Shotgun Wedding” actress who submitted the divorce papers under “Jennifer Lynn Affleck,” her current legal name, is also seeking to revert to her maiden name, “Jennifer Lynn Lopez,” as indicated in the divorce documents.

Lopez initially adopted Affleck’s surname when they wed in July 2022. However, after filing the divorce document and citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split, she took the final step in ending her marriage to Affleck by requesting a name change.

The actress’s divorce filing contains a surprising omission—it does not mention a prenuptial agreement, which sources confirmed to NBC News does not exist.

Without a prenup in place, any wealth accumulated by the couple since their July 2022 Las Vegas wedding is deemed community property under California law.

Along with requesting to revert to her maiden name, the “Maid in Manhattan” star also asked the court to deny spousal support for both parties.

According to reports, negotiations between the pair have been ongoing for months. However, sources indicate that the discussions have grown increasingly contentious, with the estranged couple reportedly no longer on speaking terms.

In her divorce filing, Lopez cited April 26 as the official date of her separation from Affleck, which coincides with the period when rumors of trouble in their marriage began swirling.

The speculation gained traction after Lopez attended the 2024 Met Gala solo, where she served as a co-host without Affleck by her side.

Talk of a split only intensified in the months that followed, especially as both stars listed their marital home for sale.

In April 2022, Lopez announced that she and Affleck were engaged again, 20 years after their first proposal. The couple tied the knot on July 16, 2022, obtaining a marriage license from Clark County, Nevada.

They exchanged vows in a late-night Las Vegas ceremony, arriving at the chapel just before midnight.

The “Let’s Get Loud” singer excitedly shared the news of their elopement in her fan newsletter, “On The J Lo,” describing how beautiful the intimate ceremony was.

“We did it. Behind us, two men held hands and held each other,” Lopez began. “In front of us, was a young couple who made the three-hour drive from Victorville on their daughter’s second birthday — all of us wanting the same thing — for the world to recognize us as partners and to declare our love to the world through the ancient and nearly universal symbol of marriage.”

At the time, the pair reflected, “It was the best possible wedding we could have imagined. One we dreamed of long ago and one made real.”

In a recently resurfaced clip from the early days of their rekindled relationship, Lopez revealed a special message the “Argo” actor had engraved inside her $5 million, 8.5-carat green diamond engagement ring.

During an interview on Apple Music’s “The Zane Lowe Show” in November 2022, Lopez shared, “On the inside of this ring, it says ‘not.going.anywhere.'”

She explained that this phrase held deep meaning for them, recalling how Affleck used to sign his emails with it when they reconnected: “It was his way of saying, ‘Don’t worry. Don’t rush. I’m not going anywhere.'”

Reflecting on the public’s reaction to their reunion, Lopez noted, “It’s funny. When we first got together, there was this like [a] kind of big, ‘Oh my God, they’re back together! We love it! We love it!’ And we were both like, ‘Really?… Cool.'” Although they appreciated the support, she admitted, “It was overwhelming.”

Following Lopez’s divorce filing, a source close to the singer claimed that their troubled marriage was due to a multitude of issues that ultimately led to its demise, even though they managed to cover it.

“He was impossible to be married to,” the insider told the Daily Mail. “Friends think he is selfish, sullen, impossible to please most of the time, and negative.”

They added, “She was constantly trying to lift his spirits, and boost him up – it was exhausting. He is a loudmouth, loves to hear himself talk, and blusters on. She was a great audience, mostly she hung onto his every word, but she is not as young and impressionable as she used to be.”