BEN HAS THE EDGE

New look, new home, new lease on life - the actor's getting ready for life after J Lo!

- NICI DE WET

WHAT says breakup without actually saying you've broken up? A new haircut? Seems so. A new place to live? Definitely. A ringless wedding finger? For sure.

Ben Affleck may not have publicly commented on the divorce rumours that have been swirling for months but the signs are all there: his two-year marriage to Jennifer Lopez is over bar signing on the dotted line.

The 52-year-old, who was all crew cut and guy-next-door when he was with Jen, has changed up his look, going for a "faux hawk" hairdo and adding an edge with leather jackets and rock band T-shirts. And the message seems to be clear: old Ben is out, new Ben is in. The relationship we were all so excited about is in tatters. Bennifer 2.0 is no more.

The pair have reportedly been living separate lives since March, Ben in Los Angeles where his kids and work are, and Jen dividing her time between LA and the upmarket enclave of the Hamptons near New York City.

It was there that she threw a lavish Bridgerton-themed party for her 55th birthday last month, which Ben didn't attend. They also remained on separate coastlines for their second wedding anniversary on 17 July.

Insiders say a split announcement is imminent. "They finalised the divorce papers a month ago but are waiting for the right time to drop them," a source close to the former couple says. "At that time, they'll release a joint statement saying how much love they have for each other and how they fought to make it work but couldn't."

Sources say Ben has held off filing his papers in a bid to "protect" Jen and spare her more embarrassment. "He's humiliated her because she made a big deal that he's the love of her life," a friend of the singer says.

"They just had two weddings two years ago. This is some kind of a record they're not young kids anymore. This was supposed to have been for keeps."