Ben Affleck has 'nothing but respect' for ex-wife Jennifer Lopez

Ben Affleck has insisted he has "nothing but respect" for his ex-wife Jennifer Lopez.

The actor has spoken out for the first time since he and J.Lo called time on their marriage in January after less than three years.

Speaking about their relationship in a new GQ cover story, Affleck explained that he is "more reserved and private" than Lopez, adding that they didn't "always have the same attitude" about living in the spotlight.

The 52-year-old also denied that Lopez's 2024 documentary Greatest Love Story Never Told, which included scenes of him discussing their relationship, caused a "major fracture" in their marriage.

"You've got to own what you knew going into any relationship," he explained. "It's not like you can watch that documentary and go, 'Oh, now I understand the issues that these two had.'"

Elsewhere in the interview, the Oscar-winning actor said he had "a lot of respect" for his ex-wife, 55, and didn't want to "suggest" that "the line between public and private life" led to "negativity or judgment".

"I have nothing but respect (for her)," Affleck continued. "I guess there's a tendency to look at breakups and want to identify root causes or something."

He added, "But honestly, like I said, the truth is much more quotidian than probably people would believe or would be interesting."

The actor and filmmaker then went on to insist the end of their relationship involved "no scandal, no soap opera (and) no intrigue".

"The truth is, when you talk to somebody, 'Hey, what happened?' Well, there is no: 'This is what happened,'" he explained. "It's just a story about people trying to figure out their lives and relationships in ways that we all sort of normally do."

Affleck continued, "And as you get older, this is true for me, I assume it's true for most people, there is no 'So-and-so did this' or 'This was the big event.'"

The Gone Girl star concluded by admitting that he didn't want to share further details of the split because it "feels vulnerable".

The pair were previously engaged from 2002 to 2004 and later reunited in 2021 before tying the knot the following year. Their divorce was finalised in January.