Jennifer Lopez wants to drop her estranged husband Ben Affleck’s surname.
The ‘If You Had My Love’ singer, 55, filed for divorce from the 52-year-old actor, after two years of marriage on Tuesday and it has now emerged her papers included a demand to go back to her maiden name.
Her documents show she has checked the box to have her name restored to her full birth name of Jennifer Lynn Lopez – after she took Ben’s last name when they tied the knot in July 2022.
TMZ, which reported the request, added: “Jen’s divorce filing makes no mention of a prenup... and our sources tell us there is no prenuptial agreement, which is a bit of a shocker with these two.”
The outlet added: “Jen and Ben have been trying to hash out a settlement for months, and while our sources say those talks are continuing, we’re told they have become increasingly acrimonious... to the point where Jen and Ben at times were not even speaking to each other.”
Jennifer lodged her submission for their split without a lawyer in Los Angeles County Superior Court, and listed 26 April, 2024 as their date of separation.
Marilyn Chinitz, a matrimonial partner at the Blank Rome LLP firm, told People about Jennifer’s decision to file without legal support: “I think that she most likely just wanted to get this done, (that) there was a lot of hesitation and hemming and hawing back and forth, and it’s a statement: ‘I’m moving forward, I’m filing and I’m doing it on my own.’”
The date of Jennifer’s filing coincided with the second anniversary of her and Ben’s wedding ceremony in Georgia in 2022.
A source added to People about her filing: “She was done waiting and the date she (filed on) speaks a tonne.”
Ben was spotted without his wedding ring on Tuesday as he walked around Los Angeles.
Another insider told People Jennifer is “very disappointed” and “sad”, but said Ben “hasn’t given her any signs that he wants to continue their marriage”.
They went on: “He hasn’t shown any commitment and interest in making their marriage work.
“It’s gotten to the point that she just needs to look out for herself.”
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