Hollywood star Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck on second wedding anniversary

Hollywood stars Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are divorcing after two years of marriage.

Lopez filed for divorce on Tuesday in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to court documents obtained by the BBC.

The couple, often referred to as “Bennifer” by tabloids, officially married in Las Vegas in July 2022 and celebrated with a larger wedding ceremony in Georgia the following month.

Their romance first began after they met on the set of the 2003 film Gigli. They had initially planned to marry that year but ended their relationship in early 2004.

Nearly two decades later, they rekindled their relationship before tying the knot.

“Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient,” Lopez said in 2022 after announcing the Las Vegas wedding.

The BBC has contacted their representatives for comment.

A court filing in the divorce case reveals that Jennifer Lopez or her attorney is required to serve Ben Affleck with a copy of her petition to dissolve their marriage.

Media reports indicate that Lopez, who had legally changed her last name to Affleck, did not include any details of a prenuptial agreement in her divorce petition.

According to a document filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, both Lopez, 55, and Affleck, 52, are required to share financial information, including their current income, expenses, properties, and debts.

The document mandates that both parties disclose any changes to their finances “until there is a final agreement about all financial issues in your case.”

The court has given Lopez 60 days to file a financial disclosure, after which Affleck will have another 60 days to submit his information. Failure to report or update financial information could result in court-imposed sanctions.

Speculation about their relationship has been circulating for months. The couple reportedly put their Beverly Hills mansion on the market for $65 million (£50 million) and were recently seen separately without their wedding rings.

Affleck, a two-time Oscar winner, was previously married to actress Jennifer Garner, whom he met on the set of the 2001 film Pearl Harbor. They separated in 2015 after a decade of marriage and have three children together.

Lopez has been married four times: first to Cuban-born waiter Ojani Noa from 1997-98; then to her former backup dancer Cris Judd from 2001-03; and later to singer Marc Anthony, with whom she has twins, from 2004-14. She was also once engaged to New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.