After Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage and months of speculation, fans are revisiting the artists' documentary detailing their marriage...and are now learning that, allegedly, the project wasn't Lopez's idea.
According to multiple insiders who spoke exclusively to People, Affleck "was the one who had control" over his then-wife's Prime Video documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, which was released in February and detailed their rekindled romance and trip down the wedding aisle.
"(Affleck) was very much in favor (of the project) and he was a driving force for (Lopez) to do the movie and the album and then he insisted on the documentary," the source told the publication. "It looked like he was hesitant and almost surprised by it, but that was a false narrative."
The documentary was released around the same time as Lopez's latest film project This Is Me…Now: A Love Story and music album of the same name.
“The documentary was Ben’s idea for his company, Artists Equity," another source alleged. "Jennifer’s team didn’t want to do it since she was focused on the album and Amazon original video project.”
Lopez filed paperwork to end her marriage from Affleck on Tuesday, Aug. 20. According to reports, the singer filed without the help of a lawyer and did not indicate the pair had a prenuptial agreement. Documents obtained by People also indicate that Lopez has officially requested that "Affleck" be dropped from her last name.
Initially, sources claimed that Affleck could not come to terms with Lopez's level of fame, and was uncomfortable with their marriage becoming such a public spectacle via the film, album and documentary.
One report indicated that Affleck was "taken aback" when he learned that Lopez had shared private letters he sent her with others and while she was writing her most recent album. The alleged moment was caught on film for the documentary, and showed Affleck in a state of shock.
"I did really find the beauty and the poetry and the irony in the fact that it’s the greatest love story never told,” Affleck said at the time. “If you’re making a record about it, that seems kind of like telling it.”
Yet another source refutes those claims, telling People that Affleck was "very supportive of (Lopez) making the movie and her album."
"He knew every step of the way what she was doing," the insider continued. "He loved the movie and album, but when you look at the doc, it looks like he's surprised by it and not signing up for it. He was playing the role of playing the regular guy and meanwhile, he was the engine in back of it.
"He definitely took it away from the director so he could have the narrative he wanted out there," the source added. "It’s confusing (because) he was so involved and so proud of Jennifer because she really got in there...but in the doc, it looks like he was surprised. 'You’re making an album about our (relationship)?'"
The source then reiterated that Affleck "not only supported" a life in the public eye, but allegedly "encouraged it."
"It was almost like he's justifying it," the insider continued. "The need for the documentary was his idea."
Neither Affleck or Lopez have issued public statements in the wake of their split, so, in the end, no one knows for sure why their two-year marriage has come to an end.
