Jennifer Lopez will spend the holiday season away from her ex-husband, Ben Affleck, for the first time since their shock split in August 2024.
The 55-year-old revealed to People that Christmas this year will be a family-centric affair, with her sister Lynda and her mother Guadalupe coming to spend time with her.
“I’m most looking forward to spending time with my kids and my family coming out from the East Coast,” she told the publication. She shares 16-year-old twins Max and Emme with her ex-husband, Marc Anthony.
“The holidays are such a special time for us and they’ve always been since I was a little girl.”
“And I really look forward to those moments when I can be with my sisters and just relax and have fun and create new memories.“
The silly season is a favorite of Jennifer’s, as she told People. “I love all of the decorations and the hot chocolate and the music and the food, and I’m one of those people who really tries to make it out of a storybook for my kids with all of those things. I’m a sucker for the holidays,“ she said.
© Mike MarslandJ-Lo filed for divorce from the Batman actor after two years of marriage, ending their relationship, which spanned decades from when they first met.
She explained that since her divorce, the mother of two has been focusing on her spirituality and reconnecting with her inner self.
“I think a lot of it is about a deeper connection to myself and to God, making sure we’re checking with ourselves so we can be great for everybody that we love around us,“ she said.
© Kevin Mazur/JLoShe revealed she is “also setting my sights on pushing my boundaries creatively and seeing where that takes me, whether that’s through acting or music or producing or expanding JLo Beauty.“
“I want to continue challenging myself to evolve, and to try new things while all the while being true to who I am and those that I love.“
The actress is certainly evolving as she receives buzz around her new film Unstoppable, which will hit theatres in December.
© ANACARBALLOSAThe “Jenny from the Block“ singer stars in the film as Judy Robles, mother of Anthony Robles, who was born with only one leg and went on to become a champion wrestler.
Unstoppable provides Jennifer with a further link to her ex-husband, as Artists Equity, Ben’s production company he shares with longtime collaborator and friend Matt Damon, produced the film.
“Jennifer is spectacular,“ said Ben in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, breaking his silence about his ex-wife since their split just over two months ago. “We believed in the right people, and Unstoppable is another example of that.“
© GettyThe film’s director, William Goldenberg, praised the couple for conducting themselves professionally on set despite their marriage breakdown.
“It’s always been about the movie, and that’s their personal business,“ he told E! News in September. “We just kept it about the movie. We just kept her eye on the prize.”
Ben and Jennifer first connected back in 2002 on the set of their film, Gigli, before getting engaged in November of that year. The couple sadly called off their wedding in 2004 and went on to marry other people before reconnecting in April 2021.
