Jennifer Lopez Shares Why She Changed Her Name to Affleck After Getting Married
Photo by Steve Granitz/FilmMagic Reading Time: 2 minutes
Jennifer Lopez recently opened up about her decision to change her last name after marrying Ben Affleck earlier this year. The former American Idol judge explained that she sees taking her husband’s last name as “romantic.”
Jennifer Lopez Explains Changing Her Name to Affleck
In a recent interview with Vogue magazine, Lopez was surprised to learn of a New York Times opinion piece that expressed disappointment over her choice to become Jennifer Affleck after marrying actor Ben Affleck in July.
“People are still going to call me Jennifer Lopez. But my legal name will be Mrs. Affleck because we’re joined together,” Lopez explained of the decision. “We’re husband and wife. I’m proud of that. I don’t think that’s a problem.”
She added that she wouldn’t want Affleck to change his name to Lopez, because it’s “not traditional” and “doesn’t have any romance to it.” Lopez shared her belief that it would be “a power move” to expect her husband to take her name.
“I’m very much in control of my own life and destiny and feel empowered as a woman and as a person,” Lopez said. “I can understand that people have their feelings about it, and that’s okay, 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.”
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Lopez Loved Her Time on American Idol
During her Vogue interview, Lopez also touched on her experience as a judge on American Idol starting in 2011. She explained that showing her true self on television brought life back to her career at a time when she wasn’t being offered as many movie roles.
“Up until then we only had what the media was telling you about me,” Lopez shared. “I loved meeting the kids because I so identified with their dreams—I just loved it. There were a lot of things that people saw through that show, but more than anything I think they saw my heart, that I was a cool, funny person, that I was a nice person.”
She added that people often feel like celebrities are “putting something on,” explaining, “With a reality show, you can’t hide behind a script or a four-minute interview. You’re out there.”
Lopez judged on American Idol for two seasons. Later, in 2017, she produced and served as a judge on the dance competition show World of Dance, which aired until 2020.
