Jennifer Lopez wants the public to know that she still thinks the world of Ben Affleck amid reports their marriage is on the rocks. Their love for their exes, Marc Anthony and Jennifer Garner, however, is complicated.
The “Gigli” co-stars, who first dated in the early 2000s, rekindled their romance in 2021. They quietly tied the knot in Las Vegas in 2022 before celebrating their union with family and friends later that year.
This marriage marks the singer’s fourth trip down the aisle and the “Good Will Hunting” screenwriter’s second. Affleck was previously in a 10-year marriage with actress Jennifer Garner, with whom he shares three children: Violet, 18, Seraphina Rose, 15, and Samuel, 12.
On Sunday, June 16, Lopez celebrated Father’s Day by giving Affleck and her dad, David Lopez, a special shoutout on Instagram.
In her Instagram Story, she shared a charming photo of the Academy Award-winning actor from his 2001 film “Pearl Harbor” along with the caption, “Our hero. Happy Father’s Day.” For her own father, she posted a decades-old image of him sittingon the driver’s side of a truck.
The self-proclaimed daddy’s girl captioned the message, “Happy Father’s Day Daddy.”
Noticeably absent from her acknowledgments was her ex-husband Marc Anthony.
Jennifer and Anthony were married for a decade when they divorced in 2014, six years after welcoming twins Emma and Max. She has previously wished him well on the annual holiday in 2019 and 2021. However, her seemingly well-intended post for her husband backfired with fans who felt it was a bad PR move to extinguish reports of the couple’s marital struggles.
“Oh I think she might really be in love wit him tbh, cause I ain’t EVER seen her do all this over a man after it’s come out they’re breaking up,” read a tweet. The pair is reportedly selling their $60 million Los Angeles mansion and living separately despite putting on a united front in front of paparazzi. Others took issue with the fact that Anthony was disregarded.
Yikes!🥴 Jennifer Lopez calling Ben Affleck her “hero” is an embarrassingly desperate way to try saving her marriage. And it seems like she’s panicking even more now since Jennifer Garner has re-entered the chat. JLo should stop and refocus bcz she’s making herself look bad. https://t.co/wkd7Naocea
— reuxmal (@reuxmal) June 16, 2024
One comment read, “What about wishing the actual father of her kids Happy Father’s Day!” While a second person laughed while stating, “They don’t even have kids together.” A third X user felt compelled to remind Jennifer, “Sis Marc is your baby’s father.”
However, while Lopez was sending heartfelt messages to Affleck on Instagram, he was spending Father’s Day with his ex-wife.
On Sunday, paparazzi spotted Garner arriving at Affleck’s rental property in Brentwood. Later in the afternoon, Affleck and Garner were seen leaving together in Affleck’s black BMW, Affleck dropping Garner off at her home. None of the photos appear to show the children arriving with Garner at Affleck’s home.
On Father’s Day, Shaunie Henderson took a page out of J.Lo’s book, using a similar approach to celebrating the men she loves most — her husband and her late father. Noticeably missing from her Father’s Day tribute was the father of four of her children, Shaquille O’Neal.
The “Basketball Wives” franchise creator uploaded a video montage of her new husband, Pastor Keion Henderson, pouring her heart out to him for being a phenomenal father figure in their children’s lives. Shaunie shares four children with ex-husband Shaquille O’Neal, as well as her son from a previous relationship.
The former couple was married for eight years, two of which they spent separated, when their divorce was finalized in 2010. Keion is also a dad to a daughter from a prior relationship.
“Happy Father’s Day @pastorkeion to the BEST husband and one of the best Dads I’ve ever known. I love you. You are extraordinary in every way,” the “Undefeated” author. A particular naysayer took issue with the video and wrote, “I think this should have been more about him and his only child. Maybe one pick with her kids but this takes away from his only daughter.”
Unlike Lopez, fans hit back in Shaunie’s defense as critics questioned her motives. “It takes a village to raise children. Their father don’t need to be recognized by her he is not her father. Do you Mrs Shaunie,” read a message of support. Someone else wrote that these “This is so beautiful. She’s not obligated to acknowledge her ex yall love a little razzle dazzle. Those kids are grown and they can acknowledge their own dad if they choose.”
The newly minted first lady married the pastor in a destination wedding in May 2022. Shaunie says this relationship is the first time she has experienced being in love.
