Jennifer Lopez says it wasn’t in her plans to get back together with Ben Affleck after their failed engagement in 2004.
Appearing on Australia’s “Kyle and Jackie O Radio Show” Thursday, the “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer said she needed to “figure herself out” after the pair parted ways in the early ’00s.
“I fell in love with the love of my life [earlier in life] and for whatever reasons that we needed to grow and do other things,” she explained.
“We both went off and had children with other people and other relationships, but you know in my mind I kind of had it like, ‘Oh, that was kind of the one.’”
Lopez, 54, and Affleck, 51, began dating in 2002 and got engaged later that year. However, the pair parted ways in 2004 after postponing their wedding the year before.
The “On The Floor” hitmaker went on to marry Marc Anthony in 2004, and the pair welcomed twins Max and Emme, 16, before their split in 2014.
Affleck, for his part, was married to Jennifer Garner from 2008 to 2018. The pair share daughters Violet, 18, and Seraphina, 15.
After years apart, Lopez and Affleck finally reunited in 2021 and tied the knot in 2022.
“I was like ‘I’m good on my own, I’m fine, I love my life’. And when you get to that place, I think that’s when the universe kind of opened up to me and was like, “OK now you’re ready.’”
Lopez opened up about how becoming a mom made her become a better person.
“I was on a real journey ever since my kids were born,” she said. “[I was trying] to be better and figure myself out and be the best person I can be so I can be a great mom and a great example for them.”
“Then when I got divorced, it kind of kick-started another phase of me trying to figure out myself and relationships and things like that,” she added.
