Ben Affleck has praised his former wife Jennifer Lopez for her exceptional work ethic, saying he has “enormous respect and regard” for her professional achievements. He described Lopez as a trailblazer who challenged Hollywood’s barriers by taking risks, investing in herself and believing in her own abilities.
Speaking on The Moment with Jorge and Paola Ramos, a podcast on iHeartPodcasts’ My Cultura Network, on Wednesday, October 14, Affleck also said Lopez continued to face an implicit or subconscious double standard in her career. His remarks come after their divorce was finalised in January 2025.
Affleck, 54, was asked what he had learnt about how Latinos navigate their careers and lives in Hollywood during his marriage to Lopez, 57. The hosts referred to his recent comments to Variety, in which he expressed deep respect and admiration for her career.
The actor, writer and director said it would “be hard for me to sum up briefly the things I got to learn from knowing Jennifer and witnessing her”.
“You have to understand, I think to understand Jennifer Lopez, honestly, is to understand somebody who really is a pioneer who did things when she was told they’re not possible and you’re not welcome, and by kind of force of will,” Affleck said.
He noted that Lopez had also used social media to demonstrate that there was an audience for her work, even when she encountered obstacles.
“And even when there were gates that were erected in front of her, she was able to use social media to demonstrate, ‘Actually, look at this, there is an audience for me and for what I’m doing.’ Her whole sort of career has been marked by — and this is a tough business, anyway — but definitely doubly so for her, triply so,” he said.
Comparing the challenges she had overcome to the difficulty ratings assigned to Olympic dives, the Academy Award winner added, “I think she’s got a 4X on what she’s done.”
Respect for Lopez’s work ethic
Affleck reiterated his admiration for Lopez’s professional dedication, pointing out that she continued to face criticism shaped by a double standard.
“Personally, there are many things that have nothing to do with any of this, but in terms of professionally, watching her do what she does, I think that she’s exposed to a degree of criticism — still — in which there is an implicit or at least subconscious double standard,” he said.
He explained that Lopez had built her career by trusting herself and persevering even when others doubted her.
“I stand in enormous respect for what she’s been able to achieve, and she’s always done it by saying, ‘Even if nobody else believes in me, I’m going to bet on myself.’ She’s also taken real risks, invested her own money, she’s done all the things that we’re told, ‘This is what great American entrepreneurs do.’ She’s done them to spectacular success and I have nothing but respect for her,” he said.
Affleck also highlighted her extraordinary work ethic, describing her as the hardest-working person he had ever known.
“She also is probably the hardest-working person that I’ve ever known. I feel like I work pretty hard, but around her, I’ve always thought, ‘Woo, damn, you know, that’s really something.’”
He added that his experiences had taught him a great deal beyond his relationship with Lopez, including lessons from her family and the people he had met through them.
When the hosts observed that his comments about Lopez’s career resonated strongly with their audience, Affleck responded, “Well, that’s just the truth. She’s pretty extraordinary, and I’m not surprised at all to see her having ongoing success, and I wish it for her. She deserves it in every way.”
A peek into their relationship
Lopez and Affleck began their romance in the early 2000s but called off their engagement in 2004. Nearly two decades later, they rekindled their relationship and married in July 2022.
Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024, and the divorce was finalised in January 2025.
Despite their separation, the two continued to share a professional connection through Lopez’s 2025 film Kiss of the Spider Woman. Affleck served as a producer on the project through Artists Equity, the production company he co-founded with Matt Damon. He also attended the film’s premiere in October 2025 to show his support for Lopez and the movie.
