LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: According to a relationship expert, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's "honeymoon period" might officially be over. The pair, who were married last year, have recently been caught in paparazzi clicks having a number of uncomfortable interactions.
Earlier this month, they were captured in a shot together on the red carpet while the 'Air' director pointed sharply and Jennifer gestured. As they maintain their busy work schedules and look for the ideal home, there are rumors that tensions between the couple have increased.
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‘Honeymoon period has ended’
It appears "the reality phase has begun" for Ben and Jennifer as they go into the next chapter of their relationship, dating expert Katie Mansfield told The Mirror. "It seems like the honeymoon period has ended, and the reality phase has begun!”
"In relationships, it generally takes 6-12 months to play out the rose-tinted versions of each other, and then after a year or so the reality of who the person really is creeps in. This can be heightened in celebrity relationships due to the excitement and fantasy aspect of their lifestyles," Mansfield said.
Ben has reportedly expressed a desire to "slow down" and live a "quieter life," but Jennifer has been referred to as an "all-or-nothing" type of person. Though Katie cautioned supporters against lamenting the romance just yet, she hinted that this might result in a "mismatch in values" between the couple.
JLo's 'diva demands'
It's difficult to see how this can last given the two big egos involved. The expert said, "It sounds like there is a significant mismatch in values and lifestyle vision here, while opposites can attract initially, the day-to-day need that Ben has for peace and quiet and downtime could be a deal breaker here."
"Often, the masculine qualities that hyper-successful women utilize to achieve fame and success can cause a lot of issues in romance," the relationship expert explained. "Sounds like Jennifer needs to reflect on how her behaviors may need reigning in, it equally could be that Ben has demands and habits that just don't fit with her views of what life is all about.”
However, Katie responded to claims that Ben is "growing weary" of JLo's "diva demands" by saying, "Press comments need to be taken with a bit of a pinch of salt." Following a 2002 engagement, Jennifer and Ben revived their romance two years ago.
After first separating in 2004, the couple reconciled and made their relationship Instagram official on JLo's 52nd birthday in 2021. By April 2022, Bennifer had gotten engaged, and they were legally wed by July 2022.