Jennifer Lopez opened up about her romantic journey with Ben Affleck in a candid conversation on The Kyle And Jackie O Show, finally revealing why it took 18 years to reunite with her ex.

The couple, whose early 2000s romance and subsequent split made headlines, found their way back to each other nearly two decades later, leading to a Las Vegas wedding in July 2022.

Reflecting on their initial breakup in 2004, Jennifer, at 54, articulated the personal growth she and Ben, now 51, underwent in the intervening years.

“I fell in love with the love of my life [earlier in my life] and for whatever reasons that we needed to grow and do other things,” she shared.

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Jennifer and Ben shared a sweet kiss

This period of growth saw them both engaging in different relationships, and marriages and embracing parenthood with other partners.

Jennifer, who shares twins Max and Emme, 16, with ex Marc Anthony, and Ben, father to Violet, 18, and Seraphina, 15, from his marriage to Jennifer Garner, both found that their life experiences enriched them personally.

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Jennifer married Ben in 2022

It was this maturation and self-discovery that Jennifer credits for preparing her for their unexpected reconciliation.

“It’s not something we ever planned. We really had moved on with our lives but when we reconnected, it was almost instant and we just knew,” Jennifer recounted, emphasizing the serendipitous nature of their rekindled romance.

 The sense of certainty and belief in their bond was mutual and instantaneous, a feeling neither anticipated but both deeply cherished.

The I’m Real hitmaker delved deeper into her transformative years as a mother and during her marriage to Marc Anthony. She described this period as a “real journey,” one that was instrumental in her quest to become the best version of herself—for her children and as a role model.

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Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez reunited after almost two decades

 “I was on a real journey ever since my kids were born,” she said, highlighting the profound impact motherhood had on her.

Her self-exploration didn’t halt post-divorce; instead, it spurred another phase of self-reflection, particularly in the realm of relationships. Jennifer’s path to self-sufficiency and contentment was a pivotal turning point, leading her to a place of readiness for love.

“I was like ‘I’m good on my own, I’m fine, I love my life’. And when you get to that place, I think that’s when the universe kind of opened up to me and was like, ‘OK now you’re ready’,” she expressed.

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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck do some shopping in St Barts’ capital Gustavia on Friday afternoon

Ahead of the triple release, Jennifer – along with her disclaimer, “By the way, I thought I was crazy,” – opened up to Variety about the risky decision to tell her story, and candidly revealed the many hurdles and objections she faced from her team and celebrity friends alike.

Explaining why she’s adamant about sharing some of the most private details about her past and current relationships, as well as her failures, the Hustlers actress first looked back at her 2003 break-up from Ben, three days before their wedding, and shared: “Our relationship crumbled under the weight of the pressure,” adding: “We lost a sense of ourselves, and we needed to separate because we didn’t know how to survive it. I had to figure myself out, and he had to figure himself out.”