How Halle Berry’s ‘Gigli’ Exit Sparked Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez’ Love Story

<p id=”par-1_40″>Ben Affleck and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/jennifer-lopez/page/2/?swcfpc=1″>Jennifer Lopez</a>‘s love story remains one of the most documented in Hollywood. However, their romance would have never begun had it not been for Halle Berry’s exit from the film that brought Jen and Ben together, <em>Gigli</em>.</p>

<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-in-2003-ben-affleck-and-jennifer-lopez-discussed-their-love-affair-with-dateline”>In 2003, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez discussed their love affair with ‘Dateline’</h2>

<p id=”par-2_30″>Public interest was so high regarding Ben Affleck’s romance with Jennifer Lopez that the NBC news series <em>Dateline</em> devoted an entire hour to their relationship. The interview aired in 2003.</p>

<p id=”par-3_28″>Fate brought the couple together after meeting on the set of <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/jennifer-lopezs-worst-movie-according-rotten-tomatoes.html/?swcfpc=1″>the film <em>Gigli</em></a>. Lopez won the role after Oscar-winning actor Halle Berry bowed out of the project.</p>

<p id=”par-4_31″>Speaking with<a href=”https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3079881″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”> interviewer Pat O’Brien</a> from <em>Access Hollywood</em>, <a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R_ldnvZGac” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Affleck and Lopez discussed</a> how this twist of fate opened up a channel for their romance. O’Brien addressed the origins of their relationship.</p>

<p id=”par-5_30″>He asked Lopez, “Have you thanked Halle Berry for dropping out of the movie?” She responded, “I should. I could write a little note now that I think about it.”</p>

<p id=”par-6_23″>After O’Brien added, “That was a twist of fate, right?” Lopez stated, “Yeah, that was, you know, a funny thing, how things happen.”</p>

<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-ben-affleck-may-have-had-preconceived-notions-about-jennifer-lopez-before-they-met”>Ben Affleck may have had preconceived notions about Jennifer Lopez before they met</h2>

<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jennifer-Lopez-Ben-Affleck-10.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck at a movie premiere in 2023″ class=”wp-image-3680202″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck in 2023 | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic</figcaption></figure>

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<p id=”par-7_34″>During the same interview, Ben Affleck revealed that he may have had preconceived notions about Jennifer Lopez before they met. In 2003, Jennifer Lopez was one of the biggest stars in the music industry.</p>

<p id=”par-8_50″>Affleck said,  “I thought I wanted Jen to do the movie. l thought that it was important. I wanted to have somebody well-known, a big star, and then I was a little bit kind of thinking, well is she going to be, you know, what’s that going to be like?”</p>

<p id=”par-9_39″>He continued, “You know, I’m sure it’s the same for you, that you go in, you kind of want to see what people are going to be like.” Affleck looked at Lopez, asking, “No, not the same for you?”</p>

<p id=”par-10_27″>She responded, “I go into a movie with an open mind. I wasn’t worried at all. I worry more that the people are going to like me!”</p>

<p id=”par-11_29″>However, Affleck was just as popular in the film industry. He won an Oscar for<em> Good Will Hunting</em> and was named People Magazine’s Sexist Man Alive one year prior.</p>

<p id=”par-12_50″>Lopez joked about the title, saying, “He wasn’t the sexiest man alive then, no.” She added, “It felt like we had good chemistry. You know what I mean? He likes to improv. I could improv back. He’s the best person to improv in the whole entire business. He’s so funny.”</p>

<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-couple-became-engaged-three-months-after-jennifer-s-second-divorce”>The couple became engaged three months after Jennifer’s second divorce</h2>

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<p id=”par-13_29″>While filming <em>Gigli</em>, Jennifer Lopez was married to Chris Judd, her second husband. Subsequently their union ended, and Lopez and Affleck began dating. They became engaged three months later.</p>

<p id=”par-14_49″>However, their wedding never came to fruition. Just days before Lopez and Affleck were set to be married in Santa Barbara on Sept. 14, 2003, <a href=”https://people.com/celebrity/lopez-affleck-postpone-weekend-wedding/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>the couple announced in a statement</a> that they would be postponing their marriage, citing the intense media spotlight as the reason for the postponement.</p>

<p id=”par-15_65″>“Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date,” Affleck and Lopez said in the statement. “When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate ‘decoy brides’ at three different locations, we realized that something was awry. We felt what should have been a joyful and sacred day could be spoiled for us, our families, and our friends.”</p>

<p id=”par-16_13″>In January 2004, the couple ended their engagement. They remained friendly for years.</p>

<p id=”par-17_19″>Affleck and Lopez <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/ben-affleck-said-tina-fey-joke-epitomized-cynical-public-reaction-relationship-jennifer-lopez.html/?swcfpc=1″>rekindled their relationship</a> in April 2021. One year later, they became engaged for a second time.</p>

<p id=”par-18_31″>In July 2022, the couple finally made it to the altar. One year later, <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/jlo/p/CwMe-XSOrdy/?img_index=1″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Lopez celebrated their marriage on Instagram</a>. However, by May 2024, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/ben-affleck-jennifer-lopez-allegedly-waiting-announce-divorce.html/?swcfpc=1″>rumors regarding difficulties in their marriage</a> emerged.</p>

<p id=”par-19_16″>Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have not commented on speculation regarding any issues within their union.</p>

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