Ben Affleck appears to be in a much better place since his split from his wife of two years, fellow Hollywood A-lister Jennifer Lopez.
For months, paparazzi have snapped photos of the “Daredevil” actor looking grumpy and miserable. But recently, the 52-year-old was photographed looking unusually upbeat and cheerful just weeks after Lopez filed for divorce on Aug. 20, citing irreconcilable differences.
In the photos obtained by Page Six, Affleck, dressed casually in a blue Nirvana T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, couldn’t hide his pure glee as he received his Jack In the Box meal outside of his Brentwood, California, rental home.
“LMFAOOO this is the first time i’ve seen him smile in a while… JLO was sucking the life out of him” one fan posted on X.
Someone else wrote, “Man done found his smile again,” with another adding, “Looks happier now. He was definitely miserable with JLo.”
An X user posted, “Looks like a different person.”
Finally see the happy face Ben affleck pic.twitter.com/PryOIZ7q1s
— cinematic 🎥 (@cinematic1x) August 26, 2024
“Ben affleck looks happier getting terrible Jack in the box food than he does going home with Jennifer Lopez,” another person joked. “This says everything about how terrible she is or how terrible his taste is. I’m not sure which.”
In Lopez’s divorce filing, dropped on the second anniversary of her and Affleck’s wedding reception, she also waived her right to spousal support and requested that Affleck be denied the same. The couple reportedly did not have a prenuptial agreement and will likely have to navigate the division of assets acquired during their brief marriage in court soon.
Sources close to Lopez claim that she did everything she could to save the marriage but was ultimately unable to overcome the “darkness” Affleck reportedly carried with him, according to a Page Six report posted a few days after the divorce filing was made.
“Happiest he’s been in years,” said another individual.
Their marriage is coming to a close after rekindling their romance for the second time since their 2000s breakup. Fans believe the “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer caused her third husband’s glum disposition.
Another insider revealed that tension between the couple began as early as their honeymoon in Italy, where Affleck was reportedly unhappy with the constant attention from paparazzi — something that should have been expected, given Lopez’s superstar status.
Despite the challenges, Affleck seems to have found a new sense of peace.
He has been spotted spending time with new acquaintances, including Kick Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Though rumors of a romantic connection between the two have circulated, Affleck’s representatives have denied any truth to them.
“This rumor is not true,” the spokesperson said in a statement to the Independent.
The “Batman vs. Superman” star also has been spending time with Jennifer Garner, his first wife and mother of his three children, daughters, Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and son, Samuel, 12. The former pair were married from June 2005 to October 2018.
Hours before the divorce filing, Affleck was spotted without his ring and with his ex-wife as they reportedly helped their oldest child get settled in at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Still, fans are hoping that Affleck is finding his way to a happy place again.
The sighting of the actor happily receiving his fast food order has resonated with fans and may suggest he’s moving on from his tumultuous relationship with Lopez, finding solace in the simple pleasures of life.
