Ben Affleck Goes Out to Dinner Solo Amid Jennifer Lopez Split Rumors

Ben Affleck, party of one. 

Amid breakup rumors surrounding the Good Will Hunting star and his wife Jennifer Lopez, Ben was seen flying solo at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, Calif., May 21.

While Jennifer is currently in Mexico City to promote her new film Atlas, the 51-year-old stayed behind in the States and had dinner at the luxurious Italian restaurant.

During the outing, Ben was seen donning his wedding ring, along with a blue button-up shirt with a white T-shirt underneath, khaki slacks and brown combat boots. 

The Gone Girl actor's evening out comes amid reports that the couple is currently living apart. Still, Ben—who shares children Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15 and Samuel, 12 with ex Jennifer Garner—and the Hustlers star have been photographed wearing their wedding rings. The couple also enjoyed a night out together as recently as May 20, as they were spotted leaving and entering BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood. 

But it's also worth noting Jennifer—who shares 16-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex Marc Anthony—and Ben have been open about the challenges they've faced maintaining a relationship in the public eye. After all, they initially started dating in 2002, and even got engaged before calling off their wedding—and relationship—a year later.

"When Jen and I broke up before the catalyst for that was this massive amount of scrutiny around our private life," Ben explained in Jennifer's documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told. "I had a very firm sense of boundaries initially around the press while Jen I don't think objected to it in the way I did."

But with their second time around, which began after they reconnected in 2021 and got married the following year, they've worked on the art of compromise.

"We're just two people with kind of different approaches," Ben added. "Things that are private, I had always felt, are sacred and special because in part they're private. So, this was something of an adjustment for me."

Keep reading for a full dive into Ben and Jennifer's romance. 

The two prepare to film a scene for the movie in West Hollywood. The couple met on the set of the film.

The two are spotted in the city.

The two film the movie on Will Rogers State Beach in Los Angeles. That month, the actor proposes to the actress with a 6.1-carat pink diamond ring.

The two film the movie in New York City.

Is there anything more '00s than both Bennifer 1.0 and TRL?

The two make their red carpet debut as a couple at the premiere of her film Maid in Manhattan.

The two bundle up at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

The two appear at the premiere of Daredevil, starring Ben as the superhero.

The two appear at the premiere of Daredevil, starring Ben and future ex-wife Jennifer Garner.

The two attend the Academy Awards together.

The two sit courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game.

The two film a Dateline interview for NBC in Vancouver.

The two appear at the premiere for their movie in Westwood, Calif.

...it flops at the box office.

The two postpone their wedding. No future date is given.

The two are seen at a Boston Red Sox game. The team is Ben's favorite.

The two end their engagement.

They're baaaack. On Sept. 10, the couple makes their first red carpet appearance in 18 years at the Venice Film Festival premiere of The Last Duel. 

There's no denying J.Lo makes for a stunning plus-one! 

Ben supports J.Lo at the 2021 Global Citizen Live event in New York City, where she performed onstage. It marked her first music gig since she performed at VAX LIVE in May, where the actor also appeared onstage separately, fueling rumors of a rekindled romance.

The two attend the Met Gala together for the first time.

Jen and Ben put on a sizzling display on the red carpet at the premiere of his film The Last Duel in New York City.

Jennifer confirmed her engagement to the Gone Girl actor with a video posted to her On The JLo site, revealing a glimpse of her beautiful engagement ring with a green stone.

On July 16, Jennifer and Ben tied the knot in a surprise ceremony at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.

The two vacation with her twins and two of his kids in the French capital soon after their wedding.

J.Lo steps out with Ben in support of his movie The Flash.

Jennifer release This Is Me... Now, an album about her relationship with Ben. The record is accompanied by a musical film titled This Is Me... Now: A Love Story and the documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told.

The couple enjoys a day out in NYC on March 30, 2024.