If there’s one person who’s thrilled that Jennifer Lopez is back with Ben Affleck, it’s her former publicist Rob Shuter.
“I think it’s really exciting,” he told Fox News. “I think those two are so special. [I believed] they would have always been together. It always felt to me that their love never got away. I was with her writing their [initial] breakup statement that went around the world – I wrote that statement. And when I was writing it, it just felt really sad.”
“Celebrity breakups are usually matter-of-fact, but this one made me sit down for a moment,” he continued. “Before I hit send I just felt this genuine moment of sadness because I felt like these two were meant for each other. I believe they had the right love, but it was the wrong time. There was always something special about them. And I think now is the right moment for them. So I’m really happy that they’re back together.”
BEN AFFLECK SAYS HE’S ‘REALLY HAPPY’ AS JENNIFER LOPEZ RELATIONSHIP GETS SERIOUS: ‘LIFE IS GOOD’
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez attend the red carpet of the movie ‘The Last Duel’ during the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 10, 2021 in Venice, Italy.
(Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
The gossip columnist, who worked with Lopez from 2003 until 2004, recently wrote a book titled “The 4 Word Answer: Who Are You in 4 Words?” which explores the many life lessons he learned from working with some of the most sought-after stars in Hollywood.
The actress/singer and the Oscar-winning actor originally began dating in July 2002 and got engaged that November. However, they postponed their September 2003 wedding days before the date and ultimately called off their engagement in 2004. They were first spotted spending time together again in April of this year. They made their red carpet debut at the Venice Film Festival in September.
Shuter insisted that Lopez and Affleck’s romance has always been the real deal.
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Rob Shuter has written a book titled ‘The 4 Word Answer: Who Are You in 4 Words?’
(Post Hill Press)
“I don’t think there’s enough energy used [as a publicist] to protect those relationships [in Hollywood] that are legitimate,” he explained. “There’s a lot of celebrities who are in real relationships but the pressures of the job and life come along and ruin it. That’s not unusual for regular people too… And now everyone wants to know all the details, what’s going on in these relationships, what they’re doing in private. I hope now that Jennifer and Ben take some time for themselves.”
Shuter thinks that this time, the two have a strong chance of lasting as a couple.
“Back when they were together, they were on every cover of every major magazine, week after week,” he said. “But that hasn’t happened now. The public is still interested in Bennifer, but the world’s media has changed in the last decade. People are now consuming the news on the internet. I’m not diminishing their star power, but that same pressure isn’t there. It’s not as high risk. So they can enjoy themselves.”
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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are seen on September 25, 2021 in New York City.
(Gotham/Wireimage/Getty Images)
According to multiple reports, Lopez, 52, and Affleck, 49, have been spending as much time together as possible since their respective splits from Alex Rodriguez and Ana de Armas earlier this year.
Shuter predicted that it won’t be long until we hear wedding bells.
“I don’t think either of them would be this open about being back together if they weren’t serious,” he said. “When I worked for Jennifer, she was the boss. I should have been paying her because she runs the show.”
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Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez attended a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass. on Oct. 11, 2003, around the time they postponed their wedding.
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
“You may have opinions,” he shared. “She will listen to them. But at the end of the day, she makes her own decisions. And I think this is the case here. Jennifer would not be letting us see them walk together in the park or on the red carpet if she didn’t see a future for them. They could have easily met quietly, dated on the side and had some fun together. The world would have never known about it. But the fact that they’re allowing us to see this tells me it’s serious.”
Shuter said he has fond memories of working with Lopez, who was always “kind to herself” despite what the press had to say.
“She’s really comfortable in her own skin,” said Shuter. “And I think that’s her biggest secret of all. Forget the gossip and all the details of her private life… She isn’t fazed by what people have to say about her. She’s the boss.”
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck first met while filming the movie ‘Gigli’ in 2001. She was still married to her husband Chriss Judd at the time, but filed for divorce not long after. Bennifer went public after filing.
(Photo by Mel Bouzad/Getty Images)
Lopez has kept mum about Affleck. However, the “Hustlers” star teased that life is good during an interview on the “Today” show.
“Love is never more relevant than it is right now,” she said.
