Hardly any other celebrity has revealed as much about her private life as J.Lo. From high school sweethearts to flash weddings and iconic Hollywood romances, the singer and actress has always been passionate about her search for true love. But which men have made the biggest impression on her?
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David Cruz: The tragic end of Jennifer Lopez's first great love
Jennifer Lopez's first great love was David Cruz, with whom she was in a relationship from 1984 to 1994. The two met in high school and were a couple for almost a decade. David Cruz accompanied Jennifer Lopez in the early years of her career and supported her on her way to fame.
Although their relationship ended, Cruz remained an important part of her life. In a 2004 interview, Lopez said of him:
He's a friend, and he probably knows me better than anyone else.
David Cruz passed away in 2020 at the age of 51, according to People.
Ojani Noa: Her first failed marriage
In February 1997, Jennifer Lopez married the Cuban waiter Ojani Noa, whom she had met in a restaurant in Miami. However, their marriage only lasted eleven months and ended in January 1998. Despite the short duration, Noa remained a controversial figure in Lopez's life even after the divorce.
After the separation, Ojani Noa tried several times to profit from the relationship. In 2006, he planned to publish a tell-all book about their marriage, which Jennifer Lopez successfully stopped in court. He later tried to publish private videos from their time together, which again led to legal disputes.
J. Lo describes her time with P. Diddy as ‘stormy’
Jennifer Lopez and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, then known as ‘Puff Daddy’, began their relationship in 1999 when Jennifer Lopez rose to fame. Combs, an established rapper and producer who had been making headlines for some time, provided her with significant support. Their partnership was marked by glamour and public attention, as they often appeared together at events and were considered one of the most prominent couples in the music industry.
However, their relationship was overshadowed by controversy. On 27 December 1999, Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs were arrested after a shootout in a New York nightclub. Both were charged with illegal possession of firearms, but the charges against Jennifer Lopez were quickly dropped, while Combs was later acquitted. This event put considerable strain on their relationship and led to intense media coverage.
In 2001, Lopez and Combs officially separated. In a 2019 interview with The Breakfast Club, Lopez described the relationship as ‘crazy and tumultuous,’ according to Glamour. She said:
The Puffy era was just kind of a crazy, heightened time in my life. [...] We had this kind of crazy, tumultuous relationship that ended in a bang.
Despite the challenges during their time together, Jennifer Lopez acknowledged that P. Diddy played a significant role in her early music career and helped her establish herself in the industry.
Chris Judd: The couple worked together
Jennifer Lopez met Chris Judd, a dancer and choreographer, at the end of 2000 during the filming of her music video Love Don't Cost a Thing. Their relationship developed quickly and they married on 29 September 2001, but the marriage was under considerable media pressure, which Judd later described as ‘very hard’, according to the Abendzeitung München newspaper.
After less than a year, they separated in June 2002 and the divorce was finalised in January 2003. Despite the short duration of their marriage, Judd remained active in the entertainment industry and continued to work as a choreographer and dancer.
Ben Affleck: The true Hollywood romance that failed to materialise
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck met on the set of the film Gigli in 2001 and began a relationship in 2002. Their romance attracted a lot of media attention and the couple became known as ‘Bennifer’. They got engaged in November 2002, but the planned wedding in September 2003 was postponed due to intense media attention. They finally announced their separation in January 2004.
After their first engagement in the early 2000s, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck found each other again in 2021. They got engaged for the second time in April 2022 and married in Las Vegas in July of the same year. A larger celebration with family and friends followed in August 2022 at Affleck's estate in Georgia, as reported by Gala.
Despite the romantic reunion, Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024, exactly two years after their wedding, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason. This new separation marked the end of one of Hollywood's most famous romances.
Marc Anthony: Marriage, children, divorce
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, both established artists in the music industry, married in a private ceremony in June 2004. Their relationship began shortly after Lopez's first separation from Ben Affleck and developed quickly. During their marriage, they worked together frequently, including in the film business and on tours together. In February 2008, they became parents to twins, Emme and Max.
Despite working together professionally and having a family together, the couple separated in July 2011 and divorced in 2014. However, they still appear to maintain an amicable relationship, especially with regards to their children, according to Hello Magazine.
After the divorce, they continued to work together and occasionally performed together.
Casper Smart: The relationship with her back-up dancer
After her divorce from Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez began a relationship with her back-up dancer Casper Smart in October 2011. Despite an age difference of 18 years, a close bond developed between the two. However, their relationship was characterised by several break-ups and reconciliations. They split up for good in August 2016.
Alex Rodriguez: Another failed engagement
Jennifer Lopez and former baseball player Alex Rodriguez began dating in February 2017, and the couple got engaged in March 2019 during a romantic holiday in the Bahamas. However, their planned wedding was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2021, rumours circulated about a possible separation, which the couple initially denied. In April 2021, however, they officially announced their separation.
This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag DE.
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Sources used:
People: Jennifer Lopez's Ex-Boyfriend of 10 Years David Cruz Dies at 51
Reuters: Lopez gets $545,000 from former husband over tell-all book plans
Glamour: Jennifer Lopez and Diddy Fans Are Hoping for Reunion After the Rapper Posted Sweet Throwback
Abendzeitung München: Cris Judd empfand Ehe mit Jennifer Lopez als "sehr hart"
Gala: Jennifer Lopez + Ben Affleck - Die ersten Fotos ihrer Traumhochzeit
Hello Magazine: Jennifer Lopez makes surprising confession about marriage to Marc Anthony
