Jennifer Lopez's Decision to Change Her Last Name a 'Power Move': 'I'm Mrs. Affleck Now'

Jennifer Lopez Mrs. Affleck Ben Affleck Jennifer Garner blended family co-parenting Hollywood couple celebrity mom celebrity dad

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Nov 12, 12:26 pm

Photo: (Photo : Getty Images/Frazer Harrison)

The singer and performer has adopted her husband's surname and she is surprised by the public's reaction towards it.

In a recent exclusive interview with Vogue, the Hollywood star, Jennifer Lopez, revealed that she has already adopted her husband, Ben Affleck's surname and her legal name is now "Mrs. Affleck."

She is actually surprised by how people are reacting when they are already joined together, and she's one proud wife. Thus, she does not think that being "Mrs. Affleck" is a problem.

"It feels like it's a power move, you know what I mean? I'm very much in control of my own life and destiny and feel empowered as a woman and as a person. I can understand that people have their feelings about it, and that's OK, too. But if you want to know how I feel about it, I just feel like it's romantic. It still carries tradition and romance to me, and maybe I'm just that kind of girl," Lopez gushed.

It has always been Ben

The two got married twice this year. First in July in Las Vegas and then followed by a second wedding in August at Affleck's home in Riceboro, Georgia. This was after their split almost two decades ago when they first got engaged.

Shutting down all speculations and rumors that the newlyweds are not together anymore, the founder of American lifestyle brand, J.Lo, stated that their relationship is stronger than ever, especially now after reconnecting and finally getting married, Marca reported.

The actress further admitted that she never "shied away" from the truth that she always felt there was "real love" between her and her now husband. People close to her knew that Affleck was a "very, very special person" in her life, that "she has always held a candle" for him. And so, when they reconnected, after she and retired baseball player Alex Rodriguez called off their engagement in 2021, her feelings for him were still "very real."

Blended family

When she and Affleck got married, they moved into their "Affleck-Lopez home" in Los Angeles, where they celebrate their blended family daily, with her twins from her ex-husband, Marc Anthony, and Affleck's three kids with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.

Lopez said that they have thought a lot about how they would go through integrating their households, and shared the amazing experience of learning about parenting from one another.

The singer has nothing but praises for Garner, sharing that she is an "amazing co-parent," and that she and Affleck are really co-parenting well together, something that she does not get the privilege of having as her ex-husband lives in the East Coast.

Though the transition is a very sensitive process they know they need to handle with so much care, especially that the children are in their teens, and all are having so many feelings, Lopez said their blended family is doing really well.

What she hopes to cultivate is for her kids to find an ally in Affleck, and for his kids to have an ally in her. She also expresses her joy knowing that she has someone she knows who totally loves and cares about her children, and can provide for her a different perspective when she is "emotionally tied up."

When asked about her parenting approach, the performer shared that she has made a point to step away from her mother's parenting style, which was to put fear in the kids. She tries her very best to not raise her voice, to keep her temper, and to not match the emotions of her children when they rev up. She wants to create that balance where she can draw a boundary but also be their ally. Most of all, she hopes that seeing her work hard, would keep her children grounded.