How Many Times Jennifer Lopez Married: The Real Story Behind the Rings

How Many Times Jennifer Lopez Married: The Real Story Behind the Rings

Jennifer Lopez is basically the patron saint of the "hopeless romantic." People love to track her charts, her movies, and that glow that doesn't seem to age, but let’s be real—everyone is actually obsessed with her wedding count. You’ve probably seen the headlines. You’ve definitely seen the rings. But when you actually sit down to count how many times Jennifer Lopez married, the answer isn't just a number. It’s a whole saga of Hollywood history, second chances, and some very public breakups.

As of right now, in early 2026, the official tally is four.

Four marriages. Five weddings (if you count the Vegas elopement and the Georgia blowout with Ben Affleck as two separate events, which the paparazzi definitely did). It’s a lot, sure. But in the world of JLo, every "I do" was a genuine attempt at finding the "forever" she sings about.

The Early Years: Ojani and Cris

Most people forget the first one. Honestly, even Jennifer has joked in interviews that her earliest attempts "didn't really count."

Back in 1997, right as she was exploding into superstardom with Selena, she married Ojani Noa. He was a waiter at a Cuban restaurant in Miami owned by Gloria Estefan. It was whirlwind. It was passionate. It lasted exactly 11 months. By 1998, they were done. It wasn't a clean break, either; years of legal battles followed because Noa reportedly tried to shop around a tell-all book and private honeymoon footage. Not exactly the fairy tale start she wanted.

Then came the backup dancer era.

In 2001, she tied the knot with Cris Judd. They met on the set of her "Love Don't Cost a Thing" music video. If you remember the early 2000s, this was peak JLo. The marriage happened just after her high-profile, high-stress relationship with Diddy. Cris was the "sweet guy," the palate cleanser after the chaos. But the pressure of her skyrocketing fame was a beast. They were married in September 2001 and separated by June 2002.

Short? Yes. But as Judd later told Us Weekly, being married to a mega-star "sucks" because you lose your privacy instantly.

💡 You might also like: Birth Date of Pope Francis: Why Dec 17 Still Matters for the Church

The Marc Anthony Decade: Stability and Twins

If the first two marriages were sprints, her third was a marathon.

Jennifer married Marc Anthony in June 2004, just a few days after his divorce from Dayanara Torres was finalized and only months after her first devastating breakup with Ben Affleck. People thought it was a rebound. It turned out to be her longest relationship by a mile.

They stayed married for ten years.

During that decade, they:

  • Recorded hit duets together.
  • Starred in the movie El Cantante.
  • Welcomed twins, Max and Emme, in 2008.

They were a Latin music power couple. Even after they split in 2011 (the divorce was finalized in 2014), they stayed close. They still co-parent, they still support each other's careers, and honestly, they seem to have figured out the "exes" thing better than most people in Hollywood.

The Bennifer Reboot: How Many Times Jennifer Lopez Married Ben Affleck?

This is where it gets complicated—and romantic.

After a four-year relationship and an engagement to MLB star Alex Rodriguez that ended in 2021, JLo did the unthinkable. She went back to Ben Affleck. Twenty years after they first called off their 2003 wedding, "Bennifer" was back.

📖 Related: Kanye West Black Head Mask: Why Ye Stopped Showing His Face

They didn't wait long this time. In July 2022, they eloped in a late-night Las Vegas ceremony at a drive-through chapel. Jennifer even wrote in her newsletter, "Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient." They followed it up with a massive, three-day wedding extravaganza at Ben’s estate in Georgia in August 2022.

But as we now know, the sequel didn't have a happy ending.

After months of speculation and "the look" on Ben's face at various red carpets, Jennifer filed for divorce on August 20, 2024—the second anniversary of their Georgia wedding. The divorce was officially finalized in early 2025.

Why do we care so much?

It’s easy to judge. People love to make "husband number five" jokes. But there is something weirdly relatable about a woman who refuses to give up on the idea of a soulmate. Jennifer told Interview Magazine in late 2024 that she’s finally learning that being in a relationship doesn't define her. She’s focused on her kids, her 2026 Vegas residency "Up All Night Live," and just... being.

The Evolution of the JLo Marriage Count

To keep it straight, here is the quick rundown of the husbands:

  1. Ojani Noa (1997–1998): The "before she was famous" marriage.
  2. Cris Judd (2001–2003): The "backup dancer" marriage.
  3. Marc Anthony (2004–2014): The "long-term/family" marriage.
  4. Ben Affleck (2022–2025): The "full circle" marriage.

It’s worth noting that she’s been engaged six times. The two that never made it to the altar were the first Ben Affleck engagement (2002) and the Alex Rodriguez era (2019-2021).

What’s Next for Jennifer?

If you’re looking for a takeaway from the story of how many times Jennifer Lopez married, it’s probably this: the woman is resilient.

👉 See also: Nicole Kidman with bangs: Why the actress just brought back her most iconic look

She recently joked during one of her 2026 Vegas shows that since her last residency ten years ago, she's "only been married twice... well, it felt like twice, but it was once! Kidding!" She's clearly in a place where she can laugh at the chaos.

She’s now 56 years old and has made it clear in recent press runs that her "dealbreakers" have changed. She wants respect, she wants someone who "earns" her love, and she's not in a rush to find husband number five. She’s currently living her "happy era" as a single woman, focusing on her twins who are now nearly 18.

If you are tracking her journey, the best thing to do is watch her work. Her 2024 project This Is Me... Now was basically a self-funded exploration of her love life, and it's probably the most honest look we'll ever get into why she keeps saying "yes."

For now, the count stays at four. And honestly? That’s plenty of story for one lifetime.

If you're curious about the specific financial details of her most recent split, you can look into the mediation documents from the Los Angeles Superior Court, which confirmed that neither she nor Ben Affleck sought spousal support, keeping the end of their marriage as dignified as possible despite the massive media frenzy.


Actionable Insight:
If you’re going through your own relationship transitions, take a page from the JLo handbook: stay civil with the exes if kids are involved (like she does with Marc and Ben), don't let a "failed" relationship stop you from believing in your own worth, and always keep your career and personal growth moving forward regardless of your marital status.