Ben Affleck and Shakira may sound like the kind of unexpected celebrity pairing destined to dominate headlines, but there is one major problem with the story: they are not dating.
The speculation grew after The View co-host Ana Navarro revealed that she had once floated the idea of setting up the two newly single stars. Ben Affleck has now responded, and his reaction makes it clear that the matchmaking idea never turned into an actual romance.
© FilmMagic
© Bruce Glikas/Getty ImagesIn fact, Affleck said he had never even heard about the attempted setup until reporters brought it to his attention.
Meanwhile, Shakira has made remarkably similar comments about her own romantic life. Both stars appear to be focused on their children and careers rather than finding their next high-profile relationship.
Are Ben Affleck and Shakira dating?
Ben Affleck and Shakira are not dating as of October 5, 2026. The story originated with Ana Navarro, who revealed on The View that she once tried to play matchmaker after seeing Affleck's longtime friend Matt Damon at a Shakira concert in Miami.
© NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal viaNavarro explained that Affleck had split from Jennifer Lopez and Shakira was also single following the end of her longtime relationship with Gerard Piqué. She apparently saw an opportunity. “Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are friends,” Navarro said while explaining her matchmaking logic. Damon reportedly pointed out that Shakira's friendship with Jennifer Lopez “could be complicated.”
But the idea apparently went no further. When Entertainment Tonight recently asked Affleck about Navarro's story while he was promoting his new movie Animals, he appeared genuinely surprised. “I never heard that in my whole life,” Affleck said, before adding that “people gossip” and “stuff gets made up.”
© FilmMagicHe also made another point that essentially closed the door on the matchmaking story: “I don’t get set up.”
What Ben Affleck has said about dating after Jennifer Lopez
Affleck's latest comments also suggest he isn't particularly interested in rushing into another relationship. “It’s not a big priority in my life,” he told Entertainment Tonight when asked about dating.
Affleck, 54, explained that most of his time is divided between his career and his three children, Violet, Fin (Seraphina) and Samuel, whom he shares with ex-wife Jennifer Garner. “I’m good and I’m happy,” he said. “I know what my priorities are.”
© Backgrid/The Grosby GroupFor Affleck, those priorities begin with fatherhood. “You can’t have two things that are the most important in your life,” he explained. “For me that’s the kids.” He said his work, which he loves, comes next.
That doesn't mean Affleck has sworn off romance permanently. “Who knows what adventures life will bring?” he said. “I’m open to it but I’m not trying to chase anything.”
Ben Affleck also addressed his Jennifer Lopez divorce
Affleck has become more open about the end of his marriage to Jennifer Lopez, although he continues to avoid turning their divorce into a dramatic Hollywood story. In a 2025 interview with GQ, Affleck pushed back against attempts to identify one explosive reason for their breakup. “There’s no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue,” he said, explaining that the reality was much more ordinary than outsiders might expect.
He described the end of the marriage as two people attempting to understand their lives and relationship rather than the result of one sensational event.
© Steve GranitzLopez and Affleck famously dated and became engaged in the early 2000s before ending their first engagement. They reunited nearly two decades later in 2021 and married in Las Vegas in July 2022.
Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024. Their divorce was finalized in January 2025.
Shakira isn't looking for romance either
Interestingly, Shakira's own recent comments about dating sound a lot like Affleck's. The Colombian superstar said earlier this year that romance simply isn't where her attention is right now. “Oh no, no romance for me for now,” Shakira said. “There’s no space or time in my life for that.”
Like Affleck, she identified her children and career as her biggest priorities. “My plate is quite full. My kids are my priority. And my career,” she said, adding that she feels more in love with her career than ever.
© Matt WinkelmeyerShakira shares sons Milan and Sasha with former partner Gerard Piqué. In another 2026 interview, she was equally clear when asked about the possibility of another relationship: “I’m just thinking of raising my kids. I don’t see that for now.”
Who has Ben Affleck dated?
Affleck's romantic history has been intensely documented throughout his career. He dated Gwyneth Paltrow beginning in the late 1990s after the pair met in 1997. They eventually separated in 2000.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyHis relationship with Jennifer Garner became far more significant. The couple married in 2005 and welcomed three children before separating in 2015. Their divorce was finalized in 2018.
© C FlaniganAffleck subsequently had an on-and-off relationship with television producer Lindsay Shookus and briefly dated model Shauna Sexton. He later began a relationship with actress Ana de Armas after meeting her while making Deep Water. They separated in early 2021.
© GC Images
© Getty ImagesLater that year came the reunion few people expected: Affleck and Lopez rekindled the romance they had ended almost two decades earlier. Their second chapter ultimately led to marriage and then divorce.
Shakira's relationships before the Ben Affleck speculation
Shakira's romantic history has generally included much longer relationships. She spent approximately 11 years with Antonio de la Rúa, the son of former Argentine president Fernando de la Rúa. When they announced their separation, the former couple described their years together as “the most wonderful years of our lives.”
© Getty Images for CineVegasShakira later began a relationship with Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué after they met around the making of her 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”
They confirmed their relationship in 2011 and went on to have sons Milan and Sasha. After more than a decade together, Shakira and Piqué announced their separation in June 2022.
© Europa Press via Getty ImagesThe breakup subsequently became a major influence on Shakira's music and her highly successful Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran era.
Ben Affleck's latest project puts him back behind the camera
Affleck may not be chasing romance, but professionally he has plenty happening. His newest movie, Animals, arrives on Netflix on October 9, 2026. Affleck stars as Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball opposite Kerry Washington, who plays his wife, Abigail.
When their son is kidnapped, the couple is forced to confront secrets while desperately trying to secure his release.
© Getty ImagesAffleck directed and co-wrote the political thriller, which also stars Steven Yeun, Gillian Anderson, Adriana Paz and Luis Gerardo Méndez.
Earlier in 2026, Affleck reunited onscreen with Matt Damon for Netflix's crime thriller The Rip, another project produced through Artists Equity, the company the longtime friends co-founded.
Shakira closes a massive touring chapter
Shakira is coming off an equally busy period. Her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour reached its final chapter with a Madrid residency, including an October 3 performance presented as her first full-concert global livestream.
© Kevin MazurShe also had a major World Cup year. Shakira and Burna Boy released “Dai Dai,” the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and performed it during the tournament's historic first World Cup Final Halftime Show in July.
The run added another milestone to Shakira's already deep connection with the World Cup, which includes “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” and previous tournament performances.
