After 7 years of marriage, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have decided to go their separate ways.
“We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult decision. We have come to an amicable conclusion on all matters,” they said in a statement. “It is a painful time for all involved, and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time.”
The surprise marriage of Lopez and Anthony was J. Lo’s 3rd trip down the aisle. Her previous love affairs include a marriage to restauranteur Ojani Noa until 1998, a high-profile relationship with rapper Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, and a short lived marriage to former backup dancer Cris Judd from 2001 to 2003. Lopez was also twice engaged to actor Ben Affleck, but their marriage plans fizzled when their purported idea to become a Hollywood power couple went bust following the release of their critically panned film, “Gigli.”
Fans doubted from the beginning that the marriage of Lopez and Anthony could go the distance. Some believed it was a publicity stunt, since Anthony was already married, but divorced his wife in a quickie Dominican Republic filing so that he could marry Lopez a week later. Others said it was an attempt by Lopez to create a power music couple with Anthony in the Latin music world. But those plans also went bust following a lackluster Grammy performance by the duo, combined with a low-selling tour that was eventually scrapped.
Whatever the reason, Lopez is within spitting distance of rivaling the marriage record of actress Elizabeth Taylor, who was known for multiple marriages that were short-lived and never lasted. But if nothing else, Lopez leaves the marriage to Anthony with a personal dream fulfilled — being a mom to the couple’s 3-year-old twins Max and Emme.
