Ben Affleck has sparked fresh speculation about his romantic reboot after unveiling a clean-shaven look that insiders tell RadarOnline.com signals a decisive break from Jennifer Lopez and a quiet withdrawal from the support system he long maintained for his ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
Affleck recently stepped out in Santa Monica shortly after attending the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix, revealing a dramatically altered appearance in what observers describe as his most confidently styled public outing since finalizing his divorce from Lopez, 56, earlier this year.
The Clean-Shaven ‘Glow Up’
Affleck debuted a clean-shaven look in Santa Monica after the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Oscar-winning actor was photographed showcasing a sleeker, more polished image, some close to him believe reflects his new openness to dating totally new women.
His chiseled jaw was on full display, with the Hollywood star having shaved off his signature grizzly bearded look to show off a sun-kissed complexion that suggested a newly vigorous lifestyle and clean living.
Sources said Affleck has moved on from both his exes and stopped relying on Jennifer Garner for support.
One source close to Affleck claimed: “Ben knows exactly what message this look sends. People around him feel he is moving on from both Jennifers – stepping back from leaning on Garner for stability and leaving Lopez firmly in the past.”
Another added: “This is the first time in a long while that he is presenting himself like someone ready to meet people again.”
“He’s actually back on the dating scene bigtime, and knows he has to look sharp,” the source claimed.
Affleck appeared in good spirits during the Santa Monica outing, sporting a blueish grey cardigan over a gray T-shirt, khaki trousers, and white-and-blue Fragment Design x Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Retro Low sneakers, along with a navy utility jacket.
His short salt-and-pepper hair was neatly combed as he carried a piece of paper while walking with colleagues.
Lopez’s Candid Account of the Split
Jennifer Lopez admitted she barely coped while filming during her separation from Affleck.
Meanwhile, his ex-wife Lopez has spoken candidly about the emotional fallout of their divorce.
On CBS News Sunday Morning, she said she had gone through a “tough time” navigating their split while working on her new movie, a project Affleck served on as an executive producer.
When asked how she coped while her personal life was “not great,” she replied she “barely” could.
“It was a really tough time,” she said, describing the strain of collaborating creatively with Affleck during the same period they were separating.
But Lopez said focusing on the film helped her find grounding amid the turmoil.
“It was hard not to think about stuff, but it was like the best and the worst of times, in a way. Every moment on set, every moment I was doing this role, I was so happy. And then it was like, back home, it was not great.”
Finding Growth in the Separation
Affleck, here with Matt Damon, is believed to be back out on the dating scene.
The actress added: “And it was just like, ‘How do I reconcile this?’ But you get through it.”
Reflecting on the end of their marriage, Lopez said her and Affleck’s separation was ultimately the “best thing that ever happened to me,” as it had allowed her to “grow.”
“I’m a different person now than I was a year and a half ago,” she said, noting she went on to have “probably the best summer I’ve ever had.”
Lopez also paid tribute to Affleck when addressing his contribution to her film adaptation of the Broadway musical Kiss of the Spider Woman.
“The movie wouldn’t have been made if it wasn’t for him and Artist Equity,” she said, referring to Affleck’s movie production company.
“I will always give him credit for that… I told him this was the role I was born to play and I wanted to do it and he was like, ‘Okay.’ And he helped make it happen.”
Affleck and Lopez – who previously dated in the early 2000s before rekindling their romance in 2021 – were married for two years following a low-key wedding ceremony in July 2022.
