Jennifer Lopez reflects on life-changing divorce from Ben Affleck and her path forward

"Because it changed me," she explained. "It helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow, become more self-aware. I'm a different person now than I was last year… I realized that the joy is in living and these moments and really embracing life and everything that it brings to you, for the lessons that it brings."

She went on to say that once those lessons are learned, "everything just becomes a little bit lighter and you can really really fly." When asked if she now feels like she's flying, Lopez said yes, adding, "I still feel like I want to fly higher." 

During the interview, Lopez shared that Affleck was an executive producer on the film when they were still married, saying he "helped make it happen" after she told him "this was the role I was born to play." 

"It was the best and worst time in a way, because it was every moment on set and every moment I was doing this role, I was so happy, and then it was like, back home, it was not great. And it was just like, 'How do I work inside of this?'"

"Kiss of the Spider Woman," based on the 1993 Broadway musical, was adapted based on the 1976 novel. It follows the story of Valentin, a political prisoner who builds an unlikely friendship with his cellmate as he tells him the story of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite actress, played by Lopez.

The couple first began dating in 2002 after they met while working on the movie, "Gigli." They were together for two years and even got engaged, before going their separate ways in 2004. 

Both Affleck and Lopez married other people and started their families, before getting back together in 2021. After getting engaged in April 2022, the couple tied the knot in July of that year.

Ultimately, Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024 after two years of marriage.

"There's no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue," he said. "The truth is, when you talk to somebody, 'Hey, what happened?' Well, there is no, 'This is what happened.'"