Exclusive: Jane Fonda called the downfall of Jen and Ben’s marriage, she knew that their marriage wouldn’t last…Read More

Jane Fonda knows a thing or two about matters of the heart. The famed fitness guru and actor has been married three times. Now in her 80s, she insists she’s “closed up shop” in the romance department. That doesn’t mean she isn’t willing to share what she’s learned with those younger than her; she isn’t beyond calling the downfall of a relationship, either. Before Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez split, Jane Fonda expressed serious concerns about their romance. She wasn’t the only celebrity to do it, either.

Jane Fonda isn’t known for holding her tongue, and the octogenarian was quick to express her concerns about Jennifer Lopez’s decision to reconnect with Ben Affleck long before the shine wore off their reunion.

In The Greatest Love Story Never Told, Fonda warned Jennifer Lopez about aggressively flaunting her romance with Ben Affleck. While pulling for the couple, Fonda insisted that she didn’t feel great about it because it looked like they were trying to “prove” something in their early relationship. Fonda clearly had a point.

Fans who have followed Lopez and Affleck’s unlikely reconnection, engagement, and the subsequent downfall of their marriage watched the early days of their romance, where they fed into the paparazzi. They posed for photos, kissed, and cuddled for the masses. The level of access offered to fans made it very easy for them to see the shift. As time passed, their relationship shifted, and the captured moments changed. Affleck went from looking smitten to absolutely miserable. Lopez transformed from a relaxed woman in love to tense and nervous whenever they were seen together. The shift was slow, but it’s one that clearly Fonda was prepared for.

Jane Fonda’s prophetic words are telling. Still, she’s hardly the only person connected to Lopez who was worried the relationship would crash and burn.

Jane Fonda isn’t the only person who thought Ben and Jen’s second chance at love was doomed

Fonda isn’t the only person who voiced significant concerns about Ben and Jen before their split. Rumors have swirled that Lopez’s renewed romance led to the breakdown of one of her longest-standing friendships. Lopez and Leah Remini allegedly stopped speaking when Remini expressed her concerns about Affleck before the Bronx native walked down the aisle. Remini did not attend the nuptials.

Remini and Lopez’s falling out took place behind the scenes. The King of Queens star has never spoken publicly about a potential rift, but rumors persisted. There might be good news, though. The end of her marriage might bring Lopez and her former friend back together. According to an insider who spoke to Page Six, Remini reached out to Lopez after rumors of trouble in her marriage surfaced. Reportedly, they’ve spoken but have yet to be seen together in public.

Affleck and Lopez’s romance also caused trouble between the pop star and her longtime manager. According to several sources, Benny Medina, Lopez’s longtime manager, and the pop star parted ways during Lopez’s first romance with Affleck. They later reconnected, but there is still bad blood between Medina and the Hypnotic star. Reportedly, Affleck factored into the situation back in 2003.

While people in Jennifer Lopez’s inner circle were wary of her reconnecting with Ben Affleck, their situation isn’t particularly uncommon. In fact, it isn’t unusual for old flames to rekindle their romances, although it’s less common to pick things back up after nearly two decades. According to several studies, up to 35% of couples get back together after a breakup at some point, although only about 10% to 15% of married or engaged partners reconnect after a split.

While there is certainly a precedent for backsliding into an old relationship, reconnecting doesn’t mean the relationship will work. The likelihood of successfully rekindling a romance isn’t great if the couple fails to look to the future instead of attempting to recapture the past. According to Cooper Trachtenberg Law Group, second-chance couples must figure out how to overcome their past baggage and external perception and avoid romanticizing the past to make their relationship work. It’s a tall order.

It seems Affleck and Lopez dealt with the pitfalls of being a second-chance couple before officially calling it quits. Now that Lopez has filed for divorce, it’s likely that this time, the breakup is forever.