Jennifer Lopez reveals she was rejected by A-lister before rekindling with Ben Affleck

Jennifer Lopez recently opened up about her relationships during an interview on The Howard Stern Show, revealing that even she has experienced rejection.

The 56-year-old celebrity spoke frankly about the challenges of dating while famous, particularly after her divorce from Ben Affleck in 2024, which ended their two-year marriage.

Stern pointed out that dating famous men brings a lot of public scrutiny, and she confirmed it’s challenging to live under such intense observation.

She explained that achieving a high level of fame comes with sacrifices. While she feels very fortunate, she’s had to learn to balance her public and private life, and her personal life has sometimes been negatively affected as a result.

Stern then pivoted, asking, ‘Was there ever a time you wanted that guy and didn’t get him?’

Oh my gosh, she *finally* talked about him! Apparently, years ago, like ten years ago, there was this one guy she was totally into. She actually *told* him how she felt, which is so brave! But… he didn’t reciprocate. She won’t say who he is, and honestly, good for her for protecting his privacy, but I’m dying to know! It’s just… heartbreaking to think about, even now. She was so open about admitting it, and it just makes me love her even more!

She continued, ‘Yeah, he didn’t respond back and I was just like “ok.” I just kind of moved on.’

Cracking up, she said, ‘I regret saying this already.’

After a pause, she added with a grin, ‘I was very subtle so maybe he didn’t pick up the signal.’ 

Around ten years ago, when Lopez started her romance, she was working on several movies at the same time, which meant she was spending a lot of time with famous actors and directors in Hollywood.

She appeared in films with Jason Statham, like Parker, and alongside Ryan Guzman and John Corbett from Sex and the City in The Boy Next Door.

The comedy film ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ starred Chace Crawford, Dennis Quaid, and Chris Rock.

At the 2014 Academy Awards, Jennifer Lopez and Chris Pine co-hosted the presentation of the award for Best Costume Design.

She met and mingled with Oscar nominees like Leonardo DiCaprio for *The Wolf of Wall Street*, Christian Bale for *American Hustle*, and Matthew McConaughey for *Dallas Buyers Club*.

The next year, she presented at the Oscars with Marvel star Jeremy Renner.

As a lifestyle expert, I always find stories about celebrities relatable, and Jennifer Lopez’s is no exception! She’s surrounded by incredible people, which makes her talking about a missed romantic opportunity even more intriguing – it just proves that even with all the glamour, things don’t always work out as planned, right?

And Lopez’s past love life reads like a Tinseltown blockbuster. 

Jennifer Lopez’s first widely known relationship was with Cuban actor Ojani Noa. They married in 1997, but the marriage ended after less than a year.

I remember when she started dating Diddy back in the late 90s – it was a huge deal! It really solidified her status as one of the biggest and most sought-after actresses in Hollywood, and everyone was talking about them.

She married dancer Cris Judd in 2001, but they divorced less than two years later.

Oh my gosh, when J.Lo married Marc Anthony in 2004, I nearly fainted! It felt like a dream come true. And then, twins! Emme and Max are just the cutest, and seeing them with both of their parents… it was everything. Sadly, it didn’t last, and they divorced in 2011, which totally broke my heart, but I still cherish all the amazing moments they shared.

Jennifer Lopez recently told Howard Stern that she’s learned people need to be willing to change their own behavior if they want to have a lasting, healthy relationship.

She also discussed her connection with Ben Affleck on screen, telling the host that he was the only costar she ever dated. They didn’t start a relationship while making the movie; they got together afterward and eventually married.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez first became friends while working together on the movie *Gigli* in 2001, and their relationship later blossomed into romance.

She remembered that when she and Ben were colleagues, she was seeing someone, and she wasn’t sure about his relationship status at the time. After she became single a few months later, he contacted her – that’s how she remembered things happening.

I was so thrilled to hear that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck seem to be doing really well after unexpectedly running into each other at the ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ premiere in New York last week! It’s lovely to know they’re on good terms.

Elsewhere in the interview, Lopez revealed the one movie role she wishes she hadn’t turned down.   

I remember when they were talking about who would star in Adrian Lyne’s ‘Unfaithful.’ It was a role that Diane Lane ultimately landed, and I was so excited to see her opposite Richard Gere – it was a fantastic casting choice!

Lopez admitted she passed on it ‘because the script wasn’t good… and then Lyne made it great’.

Fans were surprised to see Stern and Lopez being friendly with each other, considering Stern had spent the last twenty years publicly criticizing her.

He slammed her red carpet outfits, saying her MTV Awards look made her ‘look like a hippo’.

Stern criticized her singing, saying her version of ‘You Belong to Me’ sounded like a karaoke performance and demonstrated that she isn’t a particularly strong vocalist.

He also dismissed her acting and cop show projects as unconvincing. 

Stern once publicly admitted he ‘can’t stand her’ because she ‘just rubs him the wrong way’. 

Even though Howard Stern often teased her, Jennifer Lopez remained graceful and funny during her first time on his show, responding to his challenging questions with poise and a good sense of humor.

She even wrapped things up by telling him, ‘You’re a gentleman, you’re kind.’

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2025-10-16 02:34