CELEBRITY FRIENDS

Leah Remini reportedly "never clicked" with Jennifer Lopez's ex husband Ben Affleck

They used to be inseparable

Leah Remini and Jennifer Lopez (Photo by Andrew H Walker/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images)

MAY 21, 2026 5:15 AM EDTMAY 21, 2026, 5:15 AM EDT

For years, Jennifer Lopez and Leah Remini looked like one of Hollywood’s most unexpectedly solid celebrity friendships.

Whether they were appearing on red carpets together, attending events, or promoting their 2018 film Second Act, the pair gave off genuine best-friend energy.

Remini often spoke about Lopez like family, while Lopez seemed to embrace the actress’ brutally honest, no-filter personality

Lopez seemed to be the one who pumped the breaks

But according to a new report, the friendship quietly shifted behind the scenes over the years, eventually becoming far less close than fans realized.

“Jennifer eventually hit a point where she felt like she needed more space from the friendship,” a source told Page Six, adding that Remini was hurt because she “really valued how close they once were.”

The reported distance apparently started around the time the two filmed and promoted Second Act together. While the movie itself leaned heavily into their natural chemistry, insiders now claim things got a little "too intense," and their constant time together may have unintentionally created tension.

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“There was so much constant time together during filming and the press tour that Jennifer eventually felt overwhelmed by the dynamic,” the insider alleged.

For longtime fans of the duo, the rumors probably explain years of subtle speculation online, especially when Remini noticeably skipped Lopez and Ben Affleck’s lavish Georgia wedding celebration in 2022.

At the time, fans immediately questioned whether something bigger had happened between the women.

"Second Act" promo may have been too intense

Now, sources claim Affleck may have unintentionally added another layer to the friendship drift. According to the insider, “Leah and Ben never really clicked,” which allegedly created “a bit of a wedge” between Lopez and Remini for a period of time.

“Jennifer still has love for Leah, and there’s no huge drama or anything like that, but the friendship just isn’t what it used to be,” the source said.

“They’re not constantly texting and hanging out anymore. Over the last few years, Jennifer took a bit of a step back, and their lives aren’t as intertwined as they once were," they added.

Still, despite the distance, the situation reportedly never turned into an explosive Hollywood fallout. In fact, both women have continued speaking respectfully about each other publicly.

Here they are in 2008, proving their decades long history

Last year, after both Lopez and Remini separately filed for divorce within weeks of each other, the pair reportedly reconnected again through supportive text messages. Remini told Us Weekly in 2025 that they exchanged “loving messages of support.”

The actress also shut down feud rumors directly, explaining, “Sometimes you don’t talk to people every day like you used to, but that doesn’t mean the love is lost.” She added, “Friendships ebb and flow. That doesn’t mean we’re at odds.”