Jennifer Lopez has long been accustomed to the ups and downs of public life, from the highs of chart-topping hits and Golden Globe wins to the lows of failed marriages and box office flops. With a movie premiere just two weeks away and rumors swirling about a potential Las Vegas residency, Lopez is again in the spotlight. However, following her recent divorce filing from Ben Affleck, many wonder if the scrutiny of her personal life will impact her next professional moves.
Steve Honig, founder of PR and issue management firm The Honig Company, offered some advice for the star. He believes that Lopez should be cautious about what she shares on social media, emphasizing that “she needs to minimize her exposure on a personal level and maximize it on a professional level.” Honig added, “Lopez needs to immerse herself in her work and let her talent — of which there is ample — speak for itself. It’s important for Lopez to show she is more than a tabloid headline and, instead, a great, timeless performer who can withstand some bumps in the road.”
Speculation about Lopez’s future in Las Vegas has been rampant since reports surfaced that a lucrative residency, potentially earning $1 million per show for 90 dates. However, those plans seem uncertain now, especially after Lopez canceled her “THIS IS ME…LIVE” tour just days after the news broke. Lopez expressed her regret in her newsletter, saying, “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down… I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again.”
Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, weighed in on the challenges Lopez faces as she navigates her public image amid the divorce. “Ending a marriage and pausing her career is a double-whammy,” Eldridge told Fox News Digital. He emphasized the importance of controlling the narrative, noting that “never leave a story for someone else to tell, it will almost never be positive.”
Eldridge also pointed out the risks of pulling back from social media during this tumultuous time, stating, “In JLo’s case, the details around the pending divorce are murky at best, so getting out of the literal spotlight is a risky proposition.” He added that, while the timing of the divorce could potentially work in her favor, it would require precise handling. “The timing here is like Double-Dutch on the playground: time it right and you’ll come out in sync on the other side; mistime it and you’ll get the rope in the face.”
Lopez’s divorce from Affleck, filed on August 20 in Los Angeles County Court, cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. The couple, who were first engaged in 2002 and reunited nearly two decades later, officially tied the knot in a surprise Las Vegas ceremony in 2022. As rumors about their marriage began to circulate earlier this year, Affleck’s absence from Lopez’s “Bridgerton”-themed 55th birthday party only fueled the speculation.
As Lopez faces this challenging time, the question remains: Will she successfully navigate the scrutiny and continue to shine as the multifaceted star she has always been?