Inside Ben Affleck and estranged wife Jennifer Lopez's blended family as he celebrates his 52nd birthday
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Ben Affleck is reportedly facing a lot of pressure from his and Jennifer Lopez's respective children to work out their marital woes.
After spending both their second wedding anniversary and her 55th birthday across the country from each other, the two-time Oscar winner, who turned 52 on Thursday, is trying his best to put their blended family first amid the ongoing divorce rumors.
Although the pair do not share any kids together, his three children Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, who he shares with ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, are close to Lopez's 16-year-old twins Max and Emme.
The superstar welcomed her son and daughter during her 10-year marriage to Marc Anthony.
Just days ahead of his birthday, the Let's Get Loud hitmaker was seen visiting Affleck's rental home in Brentwood on Sunday while he was there, after she took his son to the mall.
Ben Affleck is reportedly facing a lot of pressure from his and Jennifer Lopez 's respective children to work out their marital woes; seen in 2023
Despite reports that Lopez and Affleck have prepared divorce documents, but 'not yet' turned them in, the mother-of-two is continuing to be an active presence in her stepchildren's lives.
In addition to treating Samuel to a shopping spree at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, she generously gifted Violet one of her dresses.
Earlier this week, a source told People that 'just because she's not with Ben doesn't mean that she doesn't care about his kids.'
'She always cared about them. She spent months looking for the perfect house for their blended family last year,' the insider explained. 'Now when she's back in L.A. she wants to spend quality time with them before school resumes and Violet is off to college.'
A separate source also recently told the outlet that Affleck is also spending 'a lot of time' with his children as they 'are still off from school.'
'It hasn’t been the easiest summer for him either. He’s just trying to stay focused and make every day as good as possible,' they noted.
Amid the strain in their marriage, the couple have done their best to put on a united force for the kids as Lopez stepped up to attend his child Fin's school play in May as well as one of Samuel's basketball games, one month later.
She was also present at Samuel's middle school graduation in June and Violet's graduation ceremony from high school.
After spending both their second wedding anniversary and her 55th birthday across the country from each other, the two-time Oscar winner, who turned 52 on Thursday, is trying his best to put their blended family first amid the ongoing divorce rumors (pictured in July 2022)
Although the pair do not share any kids together, his three children Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, who he shares with ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, are close to Lopez's 16-year-old twins Max and Emme (Lopez seen with Max last month)
Over the summer, Violet spent some quality one-on-one time with Lopez in The Hamptons.
During their trip, they were seen out at the East Hampton Antiques & Design Show and shopping at LoveShackFancy in Sag Harbor.
A source told DailyMail.com that Violet is 'heartbroken' over her father’s split from the On the Floor singer.
‘Violet does wish her dad Ben would stay with JLo,’ the source said. ‘She wasn’t living in their house and did not see the extent of the breakdown, but she got extremely close to JLo over the past couple of years and it broke her heart when they split.
The insider noted that the teenager ‘is not going to stop talking to JLo.'
Ultimately, her father 'is neither bothered or unbothered by Violet’s closeness with JLo' as she is 'adult and can have relationships with anyone she chooses.'
Over the summer, Violet spent some quality one-on-one time with Lopez in The Hamptons (Lopez and Violet seen hugging in 2022)
Another insider added that Violet has been ‘championing them getting back together,’ adding: ‘Violet is a Daddy's girl and a family first person and is best friends with JLo's kids. She considers them her sister and brother.
‘Ben has been so amazing to Max and Emmie and is a wonderful father and father figure so of course they would all love for their parents to find a way to be together.
The couple, who rekindled their romance in 2021 before tying the knot in July 2022.
Their children played a central role during their lavish wedding at Affleck's Georgia estate with their children walking down the aisle with Lopez.
A source told People: 'She loved having all the kids there. She loved the location. It all felt very special. It was a dream for her.'
Stylist Courtney Victor added: 'They all seemed like such a happy and cohesive family unit.'
The step siblings then flew to Paris to join the newlyweds on their honeymoon and were pictured enjoying a boat trip along the Seine.
Affleck and Lopez seen at a Lakers game with his son Samuel on March 16, 2024
The estranged couple seen with Lopez's 16-year-old daughter Emme in 2023
In an interview with Vogue in 2022, Jennifer spoke about the importance of blending their families and the role she wanted to play in Ben's children's lives.
She explained: 'What I hope to cultivate with our family is that his kids have a new ally in me and my kids have a new ally in him, someone who really loves and cares about them but can have a different perspective and help me see things that I can't see with my kids because I'm so emotionally tied up.'
Following the wedding, an insider told People that Jennifer 'spent months looking for the perfect house' for their blended family.
She told Today in January 2023: 'We moved in together. The kids moved in together. It’s been, like, a really kind of emotional transition, but at the same time all your dreams coming true.
'It's just been a phenomenal year. Like, my best year I think since my kids were born.'
In an interview with Vogue in 2022, Jennifer spoke about the importance of blending their families and the role she wanted to play in Ben's children's lives
At the premiere of her movie Shotgun Wedding in 2022, Jennifer said of the move: 'It's going really, really well; it's amazing. We have five beautiful, beautiful children, blessings.
'We dropped one of them off at school today and we were just kind of thinking about what our lives have become and just feeling so blessed and grateful for where we wound up in our lives.'
A year later, however, Lopez admitted there were some challenges raising four teenagers while appearing on Live with Kelly and Mark.
'That’s almost five teenagers. The youngest is 11, so he’s not quite [a teen], but preteen. He's an angel,' she mused.
While opening up about parenting her twins, the Hustlers actress added: 'The teenage years are tough. They start challenging you and everything.'
'You have this baby for a while and then it’s like your best little friend who loves being with you all the time, and all of a sudden they’re like, "Get out of my room".'
She added: 'I feel like it's surfing. I'm riding the waves, and then it's like, 'Oops, I just got knocked over!' Now, I'm back, I'm back!'
Affleck shares his three children Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel with ex-wife, Jennifer Garner; pictured above in 2018
Reports of marriage issues gained traction earlier this summer when it was revealed that Affleck had moved out of their $60 million mansion and into a $100,000-a-month rental, before recently buying a $20.5million bachelor pad.
They have not been pictured together since June, with DailyMail.com previously reporting that the divorce papers are ready to go.
Since allegedly separating, the estranged couple have vowed to 'put the kids first.'
'Jennifer and Ben have always been very family-oriented,' a source told People back in May.
Reports of marriage issues gained traction earlier this summer when it was revealed that Affleck had moved out of their $60 million mansion and into a $100,000-a-month rental (pictured in 2021)
Last month, however, DailyMail.com learned that their children have been working behind the scenes to get Jennifer and Ben 'back together,' said a source.
'The kids think Jennifer and Ben are really, deeply in love, like soul mates and they don't want them to divorce,' said the insider.
'They want them to work it out for better or for worse, like their vows said. And they do feel that the two should continue counseling and talking it out, even if it is painful.
'They feel like if they do and say the right things that there could be more peace.'
In their attempt to get the pair to rekindle, the kids are reportedly doing their best to 'highlight the positive attributes each have.'
As far as how Ben's ex-wife Garner feels, she is up for whatever is best for the kids (Garner pictured with Violet in 2022)
As far as how Ben's ex-wife Garner feels, she is up for whatever is best for the kids.
'She is a supermom and always put the kids first so if the kids want Ben and Jennifer to get back together, she is on board with that,' said another source.
Meanwhile, Us Weekly recently claimed that there is a 'sliver of hope' that Ben and Jennifer could get back together.
'Jennifer suggested they just take time to figure it out,' the source said.
It was also added that Bennifer 2.0 'still haven’t made a decision' regarding splitting.
'They are going through so much individually and as a couple,' another source told Us. 'They may take some time to see if this complicated moment can resolve itself and they come back to each other [as] better people.'
Us Weekly recently claimed that there is a 'sliver of hope' that Ben and Jennifer could get back together; seen in February 2023
