The Truth Show BLOG

TROUBLE IN PARADISE! JENNIFER LOPEZ AND BEN AFFLECK HAVE HIT A MAJOR ROUGH PATCH JUST 73 DAYS INTO THEIR MARRIAGE.

IT was the fairy-tale ending Jennifer Lopez had always wanted. In April 2021, following her split from Alex Rodriguez, the star found herself back in the arms of ex-Ben Affleck. Bennifer 2.0 was a whirlwind. By spring, they were engaged, and the pair tied the knot twice over the summer — a quickie elopement in Las Vegas in July and an over-the-top three-day affair at his sprawling Georgia estate Aug. 20. Afterward, the newlyweds spent a week in Italy celebrating their union with lavish dinners and PDA-filled shopping trips. “Jennifer,” a source tells Star, “was walking on air.”

Now her feet are firmly planted on the ground. According to multiple sources, the honeymoon bliss is quickly wearing off as the 53-year-old and her new hubby are struggling to settle into life at home in Los Angeles. Both are contending with the demands of their busy careers and the stress of blending their two families (Ben coparents Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13, and 10-year-old Samuel with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, while Jennifer shares 14-year-old twins Emme and Max with third husband Marc Anthony.) “They’re back to the grind of work and parenting,” says the first source. “Reality has set in.” And how: A second insider reveals that Ben recently stormed out following an especially bad fight. “Marital bliss? More like marital mayhem!”

ALWAYS AT ODDS

The couple have been arguing nonstop. “Before the wedding, Jennifer put on an Oscar-worthy performance for Ben, pretending to be the perfect, easygoing wife-to-be,” says the second insider. In a February interview, she gushed, “I feel so lucky and happy to be with him. It’s a beautiful love story that got a second chance.” Their first chance, when the two dated from 2002 to 2004, was widely mocked as a flashy, PDA-filled affair, complete with his butt-slapping appearance in her video for “Jenny From the Block.” This time, she insisted, “We’re older now, we’re smarter, we have more experience, we’re at different places in our lives, we have kids now.” Ben was “blinded by love,” adds the second insider, telling one outlet he was “in awe” of his wife-to-be. The Oscar winner was equally caught up in giving his fiancée the wedding of her dreams — to the tune of $3 million. “He didn’t realize what he was getting into,” says the source.

Post-honeymoon, things quickly began to sour. The pair bickered over his wardrobe and bad habits. “He’s a jeans and T-shirt kind of guy, and now Jennifer is trying to tell him what he can and can’t wear,” dishes the second insider. Also at issue is Ben’s smoking. “She absolutely hates Ben’s cigarettes,” the second insider reveals. “He promised to give it up, but with all her nagging, he’s smoking more than ever.” She’s also angry over how messy he is at home. “Ben doesn’t clean up after himself, which irritates the hell out of Jennifer,” the source says, claiming that Jennifer even had Ben’s prized motorbike collection cleared out while they were away without telling him. “She thinks they are unsafe so she completely blindsided Ben.”

The perfectionist — who reportedly stipulates in her tour rider that her dressing room be redecorated in all white — lashed out at her new husband during one epic fight. “She’s been known to yell at him and point her finger,” says the first source. “It makes people wonder if she mistakes him for the dog!”

CHAOS AT HOME

But the biggest source of contention has been the blending of their two families. While Emme and Seraphina get along great, the first source says, “keeping everyone happy at the same time has been near impossible.” The source adds that Ben has accused Jennifer of favoring her two kids over his, which has led to some heated discussions behind closed doors. “Being a blended family is more of a struggle than Ben ever imagined,” adds the second source. “Ben had a quiet word with Emme and Max about everyone making an effort to get along, and Jennifer got up in his face. He feels like he can’t do anything without getting his head bitten off.”

WARNING SIGNS

Some people in Ben’s circle advised him to take things slow with J.Lo. His brother, Casey — who tellingly wasn’t at their Georgia wedding — begged him to call things off, and warned Ben not to rush into marriage with Jennifer. Ben is privately fretting that the $3 million the couple — who don’t have a prenup — shelled out on their weddings was a waste of money. He’s starting to think it would’ve been better spent on something else, like charity, the source says. Humiliated, Ben has turned to his ex-wife for support — there’s even talk he’s been sleeping at her house, dishes the second insider. Ben went running back to Jen. Not in a romantic way. He just needed advice. Time will tell if Bennifer 2.0 can get back on the same page. “Friends are hoping these are just growing pains they’re going through,” says the first source. “If they were to break up and get divorced, it’s bound to get very ugly.” ★