6 Sacrifices Ben Affleck Has To Make To Keep Jennifer Lopez Happy
All marriages require sacrifices.
Kathy Hutchins, Lev Radin / Shutterstock Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have agreed to do things right in their relationship this time around. After canceling their wedding in 2003 and living through two decades of necessary life lessons, the two have evolved into better versions of themselves.
Fans may be raving about the pair’s rekindled romance, but no relationship is perfect, and throughout their years of separation they have learned the sacrifices that are necessary for marriage.
Here are 6 sacrifices Ben Affleck made to keep Jennifer Lopez happy:
1. Ben Affleck is managing the couple’s relocation to a new house.
The pair are currently in contract to buy a $34.5 million Pacific Palisades estate that they plan on relocating to with their five children — Affleck shares three kids with Jennifer Garner while Lopez has twins with her ex-husband Marc Anthony.
Allegedly, Affleck would go to any length to make his wife happy, agreeing to do all the relocating on his own since Lopez is preparing for her new world tour, Diva of the Bronx. According to the Spanish tabloid, Marca a source close to Lopez claims the singer left everything related to the move in the hands of Affleck.
Hopefully, Affleck handling the move will allow Lopez to relax and focus on their new-found bliss, leaving the problems of the past behind.
2. Ben Affleck gave up drinking.
Affleck has always been open about everything related to his battle with alcoholism – from his family’s struggle with alcoholism to his first rehab visit in 2001. Drinking played a major role in the ending of his previous marriage to Jennifer Garner, which seems like a mistake he does not want to repeat.
On the Howard Stern Show in 2021, Affleck explained that marital troubles increased his drinking, saying “I was like ‘I can’t leave ‘cause of my kids, but I’m not happy, what do I do? What I did was drink a bottle of Scotch and fall asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution.”
Later, the Oscar winner addressed his road to sobriety. “You suffer enough that something inside you goes, ‘I am done,’” he explained. “I am lucky because I hit that point… when I felt as if [my addiction] impacted [my kids]. I recognized it. It was the worst day of my life.
Affleck re-entered rehab in 2017 and again in 2018. He experienced another setback in 2019 but has since been sober. “I made amends. For a while, I thought it was temporary, ‘Maybe this feeling is going to go away.’ But since that day, I swear to Christ, I have not ever wanted to drink once.”
3. Jennifer Lopez allegedly tests Ben Affleck's drinks to maintain his sobriety.
When a video surfaced of Affleck and Lopez appearing to argue at the premiere of Lopez's new movie "Shotgun Wedding" on January 18, fans were quick to speculate what the famous pair were so riled up about. While nothing is confirmed, some fans reading the couple's lips claim the "Jenny From The Block" singer was confronting the actor about drinking alcohol.
One fan on TikTok claims Affleck said to Lopez, "I didn't drink anything, okay?" Lopez then gives Affleck a firm glare while she sips what appears to be a glass of wine. The TikToker, @life_with_matt, then says Affleck said, "Jen" in a frustrated way as he gestures towards her defensively.
4. Ben Affleck reportedly agreed to have sexual relations with Lopez at least 4 times a week.
According to Marca, Lopez presented a number of clauses for Affleck to sign in order for them to get married. Allegedly, one of these clauses included a rule that the couple had to have a minimum of four sexual relations per week.
Sex is an important factor in any relationship but we recommend using a touch of mutual spontaneity instead of mandating sex from your partner!
5. Jennifer Lopez allegedly doesn't let Ben Affleck tip server too much — a rule he happily follows.
According to a now-deleted TikTok video from a person who claims to have worked at a casino the "Gigili" stars visited, the affluent duo aren't big tippers. In the video, the former employee, J. Nguyen, claimed Affleck was "rude" to other casino players and has a reputation among people who work in casinos for being "cheap."
"Ben Affleck has one of the worst reputations in the casino industry," she said. "We hate him. He's cheap [and] rude to other players." Nguyen continued, blasting Lopez for being "stingy," adding, "[Lopez] tells [Affleck] not to tip. He doesn't tip anymore, baby! You don't need to tell him nothing, he ain't doing it."
6. Ben Affleck has to ignore the media’s depiction of his relationship.
Affleck and Lopez’s relationship ended in 2003 due to a number of circumstances, but one of the biggest speculations is that media scrutiny drove them apart.
In 2016, Lopez reflected on the split during an appearance on The Jess Cagle Interview with People's editorial director, saying “We didn’t try to have a public relationship. We just happened to be together at the birth of the tabloids, and it was like ‘Oh my God.’ It was just a lot of pressure.”
In a June 2022 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Affleck revealed that in order to heal from the public vitriol, he had to ignore a lot. “People were just writing vicious, awful, hateful stuff about me all the time and it really started to affect me,” he said.
Now, he has learned to look at criticism with honesty and focus on his personal relationships. “Take in what resonates with you, then the rest of it you can let go,” he added.
Maddie Haley is a writer for YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers pop culture and celebrity news.