Jennifer Lopez is looking in a new direction for love following her split from ex-husband Ben Affleck, with sources exclusively telling In Touch that the diva wants a man who “has nothing to do with Hollywood.”
“Believe it or not, Jennifer says she wants a ‘regular Joe,’ a businessman or a blue-collar guy who’s secure in himself,” the insider explains. “A guy who is strong in his convictions, someone who will make her feel special, safe and secure. She’s tired of being taken advantage of by men who want the spotlight.”
Jennifer, 55, was married to the Batman actor, 52, from July 2022 to January 2025. The pair, who first met on the set of their 2002 film Gigli, were once the power couple of the early 2000s, before calling off their wedding just days before they were due to walk down the aisle.
Though they reconnected nearly 17 years later, their second attempt didn’t last, as Jennifer filed for divorce from Ben on August 20, 2024, after just two years of marriage.
As the “Jenny From the Block” artist sets her sights on a new love story after her heartbreak from Ben, the source says Jennifer is also looking at “her part in why her past relationships have failed.”
“Of course, she’s working on her expectations too,” the insider says. “She requires a lot out of a romantic partner, that won’t change, but she knows that her expectations can be overwhelming. She understands that she comes with a lot of baggage, which is why she’s looking for a guy who will be open to discuss his insecurities and hers.”
The Wedding Planner actress acknowledges that the future is about “meeting in the middle” when it comes to her romantic relationships, with the source adding, “Jennifer wants a lasting love and she’s hopeful that she’ll find it.”
Jennifer hasn’t said much about the breakup with Ben; however, she did admit she felt “lonely” in one of her first interviews post-split.
“[It feels] unfamiliar, scary. It feels sad. It feels desperate,” Jennifer told comedian Nikki Glaser in a sit-down for Interview magazine published in October 2024. “But when you sit in those feelings and go, ‘These things are not going to kill me,’ it’s like, actually, I am capable of joy and happiness all by myself. Being in a relationship doesn’t define me. I can’t be looking for happiness in other people.”
The “All I Have” hitmaker confessed her marriage to the Gone Girl actor didn’t play out how she envisioned, but she wasn’t “looking for anybody” now that she’s newly single.
“I was thinking about this time in my life, and I’m like, ‘That’s not what I thought it was going to turn out like.’ And then I thought, ‘No, this is exactly where I needed to be, to lead me to where I want to go,’” the New York native explained. “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, “F–k, 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. I should have learned it two or three times ago.”
