J. Lo & Ben: SPENDING TIME APART

Marriage in crisis? In an effort to escape the spotlight, Ben Affleck seeks space from Jennifer Lopez

She was oozing her trademark glow. Decked out in a pale gold gown with cape and thigh-high slit, Jennifer Lopez shined at the Hispanic Federation Annual Gala in NYC on April 18, where Lin-Manuel Miranda presented her with the Pride Award and she mingled with guests including Matt Damon and his wife, Luciana Barroso. Strangely missing for her big night? Her husband and Matt’s BFF, Ben Affleck. “He was in LA shooting a movie,” says a source. “So she had to attend alone.”

She’s been doing a lot of that lately. “Ben and J. Lo are normally together 24/7, but lately, they’ve been spending time apart,” the source says of the couple, who went at least 30 days without being publicly photographed together after they were spotted in NYC on Easter weekend in March. “Jen’s need to make their relationship so public and perfect often leaves Ben feeling overwhelmed and henpecked,” explains the source. “He just needs to be by himself sometimes, out of her shadow.”

BREATHING ROOM