“You have shown kindness, dedication, diligence, humility, gentleness of spirit, beauty in courage, great empathy, amazing talent, true poise and true grace… It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with you,” the message read. “I wish I was lucky enough to be in all of your films.”
Signed, “With love, respect and gratitude, Ben Affleck.”
However, he insisted that they were still just friends. Lopez had been married to the dancer Chris Juddher second husband, since September 2001.
To have crossed that line, Affleck later said Vanity Fairwould have gone against their “fundamental code.” But, she explained of their romantic timeline, “It changed when he told me he was separating. At that point, it became a possibility; doors opened.”
Lopez finalized her divorce from Judd in June 2002.