Jennifer Lopez’s First Ex-husband, Who Married Her in a Backyard, Breaks Silence on Her Divorce from Ben Affleck

Ojani Noa, Jennifer Lopez’s first ex-husband, has returned to the spotlight and shared open thoughts on their history while she navigates her turbulent divorce from Ben Affleck.

Jennifer Lopez’s romantic life is still a major talking point for her admirers and the media. Her most recent divorce from Ben Affleck, which came about after just two years of marriage, has shocked Hollywood after four high-profile marriages.

One voice from the past has surfaced, though, and that is that of her first ex-husband, Ojani Noa. He also has a great deal to say. After being married to Lopez in the late 1990s, Noa had remained silent, but he is finally speaking up.

As she thought back on their time together, Noa remarked that Lopez liked being the center of attention and implied that it played a significant role in her life. “She has to like the spotlight for her to stay in it,” he stated.

However, he maintains that there is no ill will between them despite their past. He says, “There aren’t any negative emotions at all.” “I would be her friend for eternity. He acknowledged that going through a divorce is a challenging process and offered his condolences to Lopez and Affleck.

Noa dismissed rumors of a possible reconciliation while addressing the conjecture, making it plain that he had no desire to wed Lopez five times. Nevertheless, he gives Lopez sincere and honest advise.

He advises her to step away from the dating scene. “Take a year off and stay single for a while,” he advises. “If she meets someone new, maybe keep it private and not get married again.” Noa continues to commend Lopez’s professional endeavors, coining the phrase “hard-working, beautiful woman,” but he also emphasizes the importance of other factors in partnerships besides chemistry.

“When you’re with someone, you have to spend quality time with them and not think about being on camera,” he says. His final remarks? He advised Lopez to give herself some space and time so she could recover her identity.

Noa acknowledged that, in retrospect, he was the one to dissolve their marriage, even though he soon after received divorce papers. He also talked about how he felt unfairly painted throughout the split, since Lopez’s staff tried to keep her reputation intact by giving the impression that he didn’t want to be with her, even if that wasn’t the truth.

“I never looked at another woman when I was with Jennifer,” he says. “They made it sound like I didn’t want to be with her, but it was the opposite.” After their breakup in January 1998, Noa allegedly got paid $50,000.

Interestingly, Lopez’s recent breakup with Affleck and the consequences from his marriage are remarkably similar. Not to be outdone, the singer’s friends have called Affleck “selfish, sullen, impossible to please, and negative.”

Surprisingly, though, Noa stood up for Affleck, calling him “an amazing guy.” He pointed out that despite the glamor and flash, Affleck has a distinct air of seclusion.

Noa laughed at the $15,000 ring he gave Lopez for their engagement, saying that at the time, it was still a good chunk of change, even though it was far smaller than Affleck’s stunning $5.6 million green diamond.

Despite the cliché of a domineering bridezilla, Noa presented Lopez as cool-headed and composed. He clarified that they will visit Miami on the weekends to meet with the wedding planner while they were in Arizona for her filming.

Noa and Lopez exchanged vows in a friend’s garden in Miami, a far cry from her lavish nuptials with Affleck, which took place in two different locations: one in Las Vegas and another at Affleck’s magnificent 87-acre home. After Lopez and Affleck’s lavish vacations to Paris and Italy, their honeymoon in Key West was similarly modest.

Noa had pleasant memories of their time spent in Key West, enjoying small pleasures like boat trips and museum visits. He portrayed their honeymoon as sincere, modest, and uncomplicated—a far cry from the opulent events Lopez and Affleck would subsequently partake in.

Lopez and Affleck are prioritizing their kids over their divorce. In spite of the legal proceedings, the ex-couple recently showed their dedication to co-parenting by entering a school together.

The exes went to a back-to-school night at the L.A. school where their children are enrolled, according to people close to the matter who spoke with TMZ. They presented a united front for their kids, looking amiable and amicable.

It’s crucial to make clear that there isn’t even the slightest indication of a romance returning between them; they are still firmly in the divorce process. Insiders claim that despite their continued affection for one another, their relationship is nonetheless difficult because of their lengthy shared past.

Unexpectedly, Noa’s open admission comes right after Lopez’s ex-fiance, Alex Rodriguez, shared a mysterious Instagram picture shortly after it was made public that she and Affleck were divorcing. A flurry of conjecture sprung out among fans in response to the enigmatic statement, with many wondering about its timing and significance.

The former MBL player himself was mentioned in The Concept’s Instagram story, saying, “You either go one way or the other, you might as well be the one deciding the direction.”

Rodriguez didn’t explain the date of the post, but it did match the news from TMZ that Lopez had filed for divorce. Social media users were keen to offer their comments on this coincidence after noticing it.

The former MLB player was backed by some users, who commented, “Jlo won the battle, but arod won the war [sic].” Someone another said, “I understand him. I understand. Karma ♯ [italics added].

Not every response, though, was favorable. Rodriguez was criticized, with others calling him a “bitter ex with no dignity.” “He’s still salty that she didn’t marry him [sic],” commented someone. “What he being shady and nosey for 😭 [sic],” one person said, while another described it as the “Definition of ‘I’m not over my ex’ [sic].”

Some users said, “And what the hell does that even mean????” in response to the message, expressing their simple confusion. [italics].”

In order to see why people assumed instantly that Rodriguez was aiming that message at his former fiancée, let’s go back to their split and the speed at which the “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer moved on.

Timing is Everything

After four years together, JLo and Rodriguez called it quits on their engagement in April 2021. “We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so,” they stated in a joint statement to Today. We’ll keep collaborating and helping one another with our joint ventures and initiatives.”

The singer was sighted at her Los Angeles home shortly after making her news, along with her ex-boyfriend Ben Affleck.

The couple, who had dated in the early 2000s, initially claimed to be just “friends,” but they later resumed their relationship. Along with celebrating Lopez’s 52nd birthday together in July 2021, they also made Instagram their official platform.

On July 16, 2022, the pair got married in Las Vegas. On August 20, 2022, there was a bigger party in Georgia. Paradoxically, the singer chose to submit an official separation request precisely two years later.

Rodriguez has moved on and appears to be deeply in love in the interim. Since October 2022, he has been associated with Canadian fitness instructor Jaclyn Cordeiro; based on her Instagram photos, it appears that they are still dating.

Fans and observers alike are forced to speculate about the reasons behind Rodriguez’s cryptic message and whether there are facts of their previous split that no one will ever know about as more information about Affleck and JLo’s divorce becomes available.