WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

After just 22 months of marriage, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are living separate lives. Insiders reveal what pushed them apart and their next steps

- JAIME HARKIN

Jennifer Lopez looked as stunning as ever when she stepped onto the red carpet at the premiere of her new Netflix film, Atlas, at the Egyptian Theatre in L.A. on May 20. Dressed in a cropped white top and a black, floor-length mermaid-cut Greta Constantine skirt, the glamorous star posed for photos and waved to fans.

Despite appearances, an eyewitness tells Us Lopez, 54, wasn’t her usual “bubbly” self at the event. “There weren’t a lot of big smiles, even for photographers,” says the eyewitness, noting that Lopez wore her wedding band but not her 8.5-carat diamond engagement ring. “It seemed like she was just going through the motions.”

The press tour for Atlas hasn’t come at the most opportune time for Lopez. In mid-May, news broke that she and husband Ben Affleck have hit a rough patch, with Affleck, 51, leaving their $60 million Beverly Hills mansion to stay at a nearby rental while they figure out their next steps. One source close to the couple — who wed in the summer of 2022, nearly 20 years after calling off their first engagement — says the decision to spend time apart was mutual: “They are taking some space to work out whether or not the relationship is right for both of them.”

BUMPS IN THE ROAD

According to a source close to Lopez, things between the Shotgun Wedding actress and Affleck began coming to a head a few months ago. “Jennifer had started ramping up her work commitments and prepping for her tour,” says the source. “She’s very focused on work and overextends herself.”