Her current relationship with Alex Rodriguez may have been making headlines as of late, but now, two of Jennifer Lopez's exes are talking her up in a new cover story for InStyle. Instead of a typical conversation with Lopez as the cover star, her friends, co-workers, and even her former flames shared their thoughts about the actor and singer. The two exes featured in the article, Ben Affleck and Marc Anthony, both heaped praise upon Lopez, and even paid her the same exact compliment. Read on to see what Lopez's ex-husband and ex-fiancé had to say about her, and for more on Lopez's former husband, check out Jennifer Lopez Shares Rare Photo With Ex Marc Anthony and Their Daughter.
Both Affleck and Anthony said that Lopez is the hardest-working person they've met.
In talking to InStyle, Anthony, who was married to Lopez for 10 years, from 2004 to 2014, called her "the hardest worker I've ever met," while Affleck, who was with Lopez for two years prior, gave her similar accolades.
"She remains, to this day, the hardest-working person I've come across in this business," he said. "She has great talent, but she has also worked very hard for her success, and I'm so happy for her that she seems, at long last, to be getting the credit she deserves."
And for more on couples who didn't withstand the test of time, check out 16 Celebrity Marriages That Lasted Less Than a Year.
Anthony said he learned the importance of working hard from watching Lopez.
While Lopez and Anthony's marriage is over, there's clearly no hard feelings between them and they've shown how well they get along as co-parents to 13-year-old twins twins Emme and Max. So, it's no surprise Anthony has such high praise for Lopez.
Anthony told InStyle that she's the first to show up to work and the last to leave. "When we were together, it was quite the opposite for me," he said. "That has changed since. I learned so much from her. She's the original!"
"The thing about Jennifer is her ability to see and understand things before they happen," he added. "Before she even brings an idea up, she has visualized it a thousand times. And if anyone says it might not be the greatest idea, she'll say, 'You just don't see it yet.' Nine times out of 10, she'll nail it."
For more on celebs raising their kids in the public eye, check out Justin Timberlake May Have Just Shared a Rare Photo of His Son.
Affleck said he thought he had a good work ethic until he met Lopez.
Affleck and Lopez got together in 2002 after meeting on the set of the movie—and eventual box office bomb—Gigli. They were engaged for over a year, but called things off in early 2004. Still, he has nothing but good things to say about Lopez.
"I thought I had a good work ethic," Affleck told InStyle, "but I was completely humbled and blown away by what she was committed to doing day in and day out, the seriousness in which she took her work, the quiet and dedicated way she went about accomplishing her goals, and then how she would go back and redouble her efforts."
For more co-stars-turned-couples like Lopez and Affleck, check out 15 Onscreen Couples You Totally Forgot Dated in Real Life.
Affleck also wondered how Lopez appears to be aging in reverse.
In a section about "that J. Lo glow," 48-year-old Affleck said, "Where are you keeping the fountain of youth? Why do you look the same as you did in 2003 and it kind of looks like I'm in my 40s…at best?"
When InStyle shared the praise about her appearance from Affleck and other friends, Lopez mentioned her skincare line."I don't have any [beauty] secrets except JLo Beauty—and I'm giving them all to everyone with every product." She added, "Ben is funny! He still looks pretty good too."
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Affleck recently defended Lopez regarding comments made during their relationship.
While appearing on The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast in January, Affleck spoke out about horrible things that were written about Lopez while they were dating in the early 2000s and known as "Bennifer."
"People were so f***ing mean about her—sexist, racist," he said. "Ugly, vicious s*** was written about her in ways that if you wrote it now you would literally be fired for saying those things you said."
The actor continued, "Now it's like, she's lionized and respected for the work she did, where she came from, what she accomplished… I would say you have a better shot, coming from the Bronx, of ending up as like [Justice Sonia] Sotomayor on the Supreme Court than you do of having Jennifer Lopez's career and being who she is at 50 years old today."
And for more former couples who get along great, check out 48 Celebrity Exes Who Are Best Friends Now.
Lia Beck Lia Beck is a writer living in Richmond, Virginia. In addition to Best Life, she has written for Refinery29, Bustle, Hello Giggles, InStyle, and more.Read moreFiled UnderActors • Celebrities • NewsRead This NextJ. Lo Shares Rare Pic With Ex Marc Anthony
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