Zac Affleck made light of his cousin Ben Affleck’s divorce from Jennifer Lopez by joking about their nickname exchange following a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial featuring Zac’s wife. On September 15, after the ad was released, Zac commented on Instagram about the playful tension between the two couples involved, writing,
Something about Jens and Bens they can never get along.
Background on Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s Relationship End
This humorous remark arrived a year after Lopez officially filed for divorce from Ben Affleck. The couple, who originally got engaged in the early 2000s, rekindled their relationship and married in July 2022. However, Lopez filed for divorce two years later, in August 2024, ending their renewed marriage. A source spoke to Us Weekly about the split, revealing,
She was very in love with Ben, but love isn’t enough sometimes,
and added,
Things worked out for the best and how they were supposed to.
Ben Affleck’s Perspective on the Divorce Story
Ben Affleck spoke publicly about the breakup earlier this year during interviews related to Jennifer Lopez’s 2024 documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told. The film accompanied her visual album, This Is Me … Now, and included candid conversations about their relationship. Ben explained,
There’s a tendency to look at breakups and want to identify root causes or something. But honestly … the truth is much more quotidian than probably people would believe or would be interesting,
and emphasized,
There’s no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue [about our divorce]. The truth is, when you talk to somebody, ‘Hey, what happened?’ Well, there is no, ‘This is what happened.’
He summed up the situation by stating,
It’s just a story about people trying to figure out their lives and relationships in ways that we all sort of normally do.
Family Connections and the Origin of Affleck Relationship Rumors
Beyond the divorce banter, the family ties between Zac Affleck, Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Lopez sparked discussions. Jen Affleck and Zac claimed to be related to Ben Affleck, with Jen sharing on the show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives that Zac’s father, David Affleck, is second cousins with Ben and Casey Affleck. However, Zac revealed on season 2 of the show that this connection is uncertain and initially began as a family joke. He said,
And so, when Jen started telling people that, I did tell her, ‘I don’t think you should say that anymore. I think that’s probably gonna backfire.’
Zac and Jen Try to Clarify the Rumors
Zac specifically asked Jen to stop spreading the narrative, explaining,
I’ve heard that as a joke. No one’s ever claimed to have some kind of relationship with him besides you.
Despite these clarifications, the speculation ultimately facilitated Jen’s and Zac’s meeting with Ben, leading to a professional collaboration. Jen shared her excitement about the encounter, saying,
I’m sure his team told him about [the show], and he’s like, ‘Who the heck is she? I don’t know who this is.’ But hey, it led me to doing a commercial with him so I’m happy,
and added,
It was a full-on shoot. I had a whole script. It was my first acting gig, honestly. I didn’t know my first acting gig would be with an Oscar-winning actor.
The Impact of the Affleck Family’s Public Moments
As Ben Affleck navigates his public separation from Jennifer Lopez, Zac Affleck’s lighthearted banter offers a rare moment of levity amid ongoing tensions. The openness about their relationships and family rumors has drawn attention to the dynamics within the Affleck family and their interactions with Lopez. With Ben’s recent focus on new projects and public appearances, the banter and family stories continue to shape public perception of the celebrity’s personal life and professional endeavors.
