Ben Affleck 'Had Control' Over Documentary About Marriage to Jennifer Lopez: 'It Was His Idea' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck in the documentary ‘The Greatest Love Story Never Told’.Photo:Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime

Ben Affleckwas a “driving force” behindJennifer Lopez’s documentary about their marriage, according to sources.

Multiple insiders tell PEOPLE that Affleck, 52, was heavily involved in the creative process for the Prime Video documentary,The Greatest Love Story Never Told, which was released in February alongside Lopez’s projectThis Is Me…Now: A Love Storyand music album.

“He was the one who had control, pretty much,” a source says of Affleck.

Another source says, “The documentary was Ben’s idea for his company, Artists Equity. Jennifer’s team didn’t want to do it since she was focused on the album and Amazon original video project.”

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez in February 2024.Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

The first source also reveals that although reports have circulated thatAffleck felt uncomfortable with the revealing look at their marriageand how much attention the documentary brought to his relationship with Lopez, 55, theAiractor was highly involved with the editing of the film.

“He was very supportive of [Lopez] makingthe movie and her album,” the source explains. “He knew every step of the way what she was doing.”

“He definitely took it away from the director so he could have the narrative he wanted out there,” the source says. “It’s confusing [because] he was so involved and so proud of Jennifer because she really got in there … but in the doc, it looks like he was surprised. ‘You’re making an album about our [relationship]?’ "

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez at the 81st Golden Globe Awards on January 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.Christopher Polk/Golden Globes 2024/Getty

Christopher Polk/Golden Globes 2024/Getty

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Additionally, the source notes that whenThe Greatest Love Story Never Toldwas first released, audiences thought the dynamic between the couple “was funny,” but in the wake of their split, the documentary puts things into a new perspective.

“At the time, people thought it was funny and now the press is reporting [Affleck] wasn’t happy with that life [in the public eye],” the source says. “But he not only supported that life, he encouraged it. It was almost like he’s justifying it. The need for the documentary was his idea.”

Lopezfiled for divorceon Aug. 20, the second anniversary of her and Affleck’sSouthern wedding in Georgia in 2022— they legally married in Las Vegas in July 2022 — afterspending much of the summer apart.

PEOPLE previously reported that the couple — whobroke upfor the first time in 2004 before rekindling their romance nearly two decades later — were going through relationship troubles.

Another source who knows both Lopez and Afflecktold PEOPLE earlier this monththat the pair “really loved each other” and that their divorce “happened quickly.”

“They were really going to give it a try, and they did,” the source added. “These are two people who are in love with love, and who wouldn’t jump into that? And the world wanted it.”

source: people.com