Jennifer Lopez is stepping into a new phase of her life, and she’s making it unequivocally clear that she’s in a significantly more positive emotional space. This embrace of her current happiness comes after a period of considerable personal upheaval.
Speaking with Tefi Pessoa, the host of “Tefi Talks,” at the New York City premiere of her latest project, Office Romance, the iconic singer and actress took a moment to reflect on the profound shifts her life has undergone in the past two years, particularly following her separation from Ben Affleck. “I’m calling this my happy era,” Lopez shared, her voice filled with a renewed sense of joy. She then painted a vivid picture of a starkly different time: “But two years ago, I was sitting on my balcony with my three best friends, and I had just gone through a terrible time in my life and through a bad breakup, and I was just like, ‘I forgot about that little girl.’”
Rediscovering Herself: A Journey Back to Inner Peace
This poignant realisation, Lopez explained, served as a powerful catalyst, prompting her to reconnect with her inner self on a much deeper and more meaningful level. “I had to say to her, ‘I love you, I really love you,’” she recounted, her eyes reflecting a newfound self-compassion. “I love you for all that you’ve been through all these years with me, and we’re still here. And it was like a reconnection with myself.”
Lopez then injected a welcome dose of levity into the conversation, playfully describing how she now engages in conversations with that younger, perhaps more vulnerable, version of herself. This internal dialogue, she suggested, is a key strategy for maintaining her enthusiasm for life and the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. “We’re hanging out now, like, we’re together,” she admitted with a smile. “We’re one again. We’re one again, and we dance through the aisles, and we’re having a good time… Like, don’t miss this moment. Put on your fancy dress and let’s go!” This imagery underscores her commitment to embracing joy and seizing the present.
The End of ‘Bennifer’ – Again
This candid and introspective interview arrives months after Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck officially concluded their divorce proceedings on January 6, 2025. The on-again, off-again saga of their relationship has captivated the public for decades. Their initial meeting occurred in 2002 on the set of the film Gigli. They became engaged shortly thereafter, only to announce their split in 2004. After nearly two decades apart, the couple rekindled their romance in 2021, culminating in a private wedding ceremony in Las Vegas in 2022.
Divorce as a Transformative Turning Point
Lopez has not shied away from discussing the immense difficulty of their final separation, nor has she downplayed its profoundly transformative impact on her life. In a previous appearance on CBS News Sunday Morning on September 28, she confided in host Lee Cowan, stating that her divorce from Affleck was, in fact, “the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Because it changed me,” she elaborated. “It helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow.” She also touched upon the emotional toll of filming Kiss of the Spider Woman, a project on which Affleck served as an executive producer while their marriage was experiencing significant strain behind the scenes. “It was a really tough time,” she explained. “Every moment on set, every moment I was doing this role, I was so happy, and then it was like, back home, it was not great. And it was just like, ‘How do I work inside of this?’” This highlights the stark contrast between her professional fulfillment and personal struggles.
A New Chapter, Possibly with Brett Goldstein?
Currently, Lopez appears to be resolutely focused on her future, and there are whispers of a potential new romance. She has recently been linked with her Office Romance co-star, Brett Goldstein. During promotional activities for the film, Lopez offered nothing but praise for her colleague. “We had great chemistry to begin with,” she told People magazine. “It just grew as we did the film together.”
Furthermore, she confessed to being a long-time admirer of Goldstein’s work even before they collaborated. “I was a huge fan of his from him doing Ted Lasso,” Lopez added. “Roy Kent, that’s one of my favorite characters. I thought he was going to be more like the character, but he was so soft-spoken and sweet and totally different.” This suggests a genuine admiration that may extend beyond their professional collaboration.
