Jennifer Lopez’s recent marriage to Ben Affleck has been characterized as a publicity stunt by her first husband, Ojani Noa. Lopez and Affleck remarried in 2022, two decades after they famously called off their initial wedding plans. Noa, a personal trainer originally from Cuba, suggested in an interview that the union was orchestrated to boost Lopez’s public profile.

Noa, 52, who married Lopez in 1997 following a brief romantic relationship, asserted that the 57-year-old singer used the marriage with Affleck to regain media attention. “She needed people to talk about her again,” he said.

Reflecting on his time with Lopez, Noa described her as a “sweet naive young woman” who was emotional and insecure early in her career. He recalled that she had already achieved some success by the age of 18, working on a television show and enjoying financial stability through her family, including her mother’s profession as a teacher. Noa disputed narratives portraying Lopez as coming from a working-class background, instead suggesting she had a comfortable, middle-class upbringing.

Noa’s marriage to Lopez ended amid allegations, including accusations he made that Lopez was unfaithful during their relationship. Among these claims was an assertion that Lopez had been involved with Sean “Diddy” Combs, a rapper who was convicted last year on two counts related to transportation for prostitution.

The claims put forward by Noa add a controversial dimension to Lopez’s personal and professional narrative. However, neither Lopez nor her representatives have publicly responded to his comments regarding the nature of her marriage to Affleck or the details of their past relationship.