Jennifer Lopez says she should have embraced single life sooner after divorce from Ben Affleck

LOS ANGELES: Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez has opened up about her life after her split from Ben Affleck, revealing that she wishes she had embraced being single much earlier, according to People.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Lopez candidly discussed her relationship status and reflected on the personal growth she has experienced since her divorce from Affleck. When host Jimmy Kimmel asked whether she was currently single, Lopez responded enthusiastically, “Yes! I shoulda done it sooner!” according to People.

The 56-year-old star went on to admit that she had spent years approaching relationships the wrong way. “I’ve been doing it all wrong. I’ve been doing it all wrong, trust me,” she said, according to People.

Kimmel jokingly suggested that Lopez could become the next star of The Bachelorette, but the singer quickly dismissed the idea. “Are you crazy?” Lopez replied, before explaining that she was not interested in doing anything that could disrupt the peace she currently feels. “I’m not doing anything to ruin how I feel right now,” she said, adding that being single is “fantastic”.

Jennifer Lopez on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles May 27, 2026. pic.twitter.com/AARSGG9O5v

— Re_jlo (@re_jlo) May 28, 2026

Lopez further clarified that appearing on a reality dating show was not something she would ever consider. “I could never. I’m good. I’m good right now where I’m at,” she said. However, the actress did not completely rule out finding love again in the future. When Kimmel asked whether it was difficult for her to meet men, Lopez responded, “I’ll meet somebody somewhere one day if they’re good enough,” according to People.

Lopez filed for divorce from actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck in August 2024, more than two years after the couple tied the knot in July 2022. The pair had famously rekindled their romance in 2021, nearly two decades after ending their first engagement in 2004.

The couple’s reunion captivated fans, with Lopez and Affleck making their relationship Instagram official in July 2021 and later appearing together at the Venice Film Festival that year. Before reconciling with Affleck, Lopez had ended her engagement to former baseball star Alex Rodriguez.

Earlier this year, Lopez also reflected on the emotional impact of her divorce during an interview with Good Morning America’s Nightline. She revealed that she deliberately stepped away from work to focus on herself and process the end of her marriage.

“I had to stop everything, and I took a year off. I cancelled tours,” Lopez said, referring to the cancellation of her This Is Me… Live tour in May 2024. “I just decided to be home and sit in what had happened without running away from it through work, through another person, through anything–just sit,” she added, according to People.

The singer said the difficult period forced her to confront deeper questions about herself. “I was just at a point where I was like, ‘What is going on with you?’ Because I couldn’t blame anybody else … so I really wanted to figure myself out,” Lopez shared.

Lopez shares twins Max and Emme with her former husband Marc Anthony, while Affleck shares three children —Violet, Seraphina and Samuel — with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner, according to People.

Lopez also appears to have subtly covered the tattoo dedicated to her former husband Ben Affleck following their divorce earlier this year, according to People. The ‘On the Floor’ singer shared glimpses from her Memorial Day celebrations on Instagram, captioning the post, “Spending the day with the people I love. Happy Memorial Day everybody.”

In one of the pictures from the carousel post, Lopez was seen hugging her son Maximilian “Max” Muniz, 18, whom she shares with former husband Marc Anthony, whose real name is Marco Antonio Muniz. For the family gathering, Lopez wore a floor-length backless dress that appeared to reveal an altered version of the tattoo she had debuted in 2023 during her marriage to Affleck.

The original tattoo featured an infinity sign with the names “Jennifer” and “Ben” written in cursive, pierced through with an arrow above her ribcage. In the recent picture, Lopez’s name remained visible while Affleck’s appeared to be covered, according to People.

Lopez had first unveiled the tattoo in February 2023 while celebrating her first Valentine’s Day as a married couple with Affleck. “Commitment…Happy Valentine’s Day my love ,” she had captioned the now-deleted Instagram post.

Affleck had also got a matching tattoo featuring two crossed arrows with the letters “J” and “B.” It remains unclear whether the actor still has the tattoo.

Lopez and Affleck first met in 2002 while filming ‘Gigli’ and got engaged later that year before ending their engagement in 2004. The pair rekindled their romance in 2021, got engaged again in 2022 and tied the knot in July that year. Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck in August 2024 on the second anniversary of their Georgia wedding ceremony. Their divorce was finalized in January 2025, according to People.

During an October 2024 interview with comedian Nikki Glaser, Lopez opened up about the separation. “Not one second,” Lopez said when asked if she regretted the split. “That doesn’t mean it didn’t almost take me out for good. It almost did. But now, on the other side of it, I think to myself, ‘… that is exactly what I needed. Thank you, God. I’m sorry it took me so long. I’m sorry that you had to do this to me so many times,'” as per the outlet. (ANI)(ANI)