The superstar reflects on past relationships, personal growth, and finding self-love.
Jennifer Lopez recently got candid about her experiences with love, heartbreak, and self-acceptance during her first appearance on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show on October 15. The 56-year-old singer and actress revealed that, despite her high-profile marriages and romances, she feels she has never truly experienced being loved in the way she imagined.
Jennifer Lopez Reflects on Past Relationships
When asked by Howard Stern if she had ever experienced true love, Lopez paused and responded, “No,” though she clarified that she has genuinely loved others. She reflected on the challenges of her romantic life, stating:
“What I learned, it’s not that I’m not lovable — it’s that they’re not capable. … They don’t have it in them. And they gave me what they had. They gave me all of it, every time. All the rings, all the things I could ever want, the houses, the rings, the marriage. All of it. But…”
Lopez, who has been married four times, including her most recent marriage to Ben Affleck, explained that the root of her struggles in love stemmed from a lack of self-love.
“I didn’t love myself,” she admitted, emphasizing the importance of understanding one’s own worth before seeking fulfillment in others.
Divorce as a Turning Point
Lopez revealed that her most recent divorce became a turning point in her journey toward self-discovery. She underwent extensive personal work, including therapy, coaching, and spiritual guidance, to better understand herself and her relationships.
“When I got divorced this last time, it was the best thing that ever happened to me,” she said.
“The core of the thing is you — it’s nobody else.”
Now, Lopez says she feels self-assured and self-aware, embracing both her strengths and complexities.
“I’m able to sit here in a much more self-assured, self-aware way… and know who I am and just really appreciate that person,” she shared.
A True Romantic at Heart
Lopez has long embraced her identity as a romantic, and in a recent appearance on Las Culturistas, she explained that her openness to love has shaped both her personal life and her career.
“I can fall in love with anybody,” she joked, calling herself a “true romantic.”
She also reflected on the chemistry she’s shared with various co-stars over the years, highlighting her ability to connect deeply with the person behind the scenes, saying:
“I’m able to kind of see through this and get to kind of like who is the person on the inside and really fall in love with that person in that moment, like they say, in between action and cut.”
Embracing Self-Love
Jennifer Lopez’s reflections highlight the most important relationship she has cultivated: the one with herself. After decades in the spotlight and navigating love in the public eye, Lopez has reached a place of peace, self-acceptance, and confidence, showing fans that the journey to self-love is just as powerful as any romantic relationship.
