Leah Remini and Jennifer Lopez’s Friendship Timeline: Did the Longtime Pals Have a Falling Out?

Jennifer Lopez appears to be going through a lot. The famed singer’s marriage woes have been tabloid fodder for weeks, and now she’s canceled an upcoming tour. During a tough time, Lopez surely has friends to lean on, but it seems one of her closest bonds, the one with Leah Remini, has been negatively impacted by her relationship with Affleck. The former besties allegedly had a falling out over Affleck more than two years ago.

How did Leah Remini and Jennifer Lopez become friends?

Jennifer Lopez and Leah Remini first met through Marc Anthony. Remini once revealed that she was at a movie premiere, and Anthony, with whom she had been friends for years, asked her to meet Lopez. He was dating the songstress at the time. Lopez and Anthony married, welcomed two children together, and divorced. Remini recalled being nervous about meeting Lopez. The nerves went away quickly, and Remini and Lopez became best friends.

Over the years, they have both talked extensively about their bond. Lopez once said they had “instant chemistry.” Remini insisted she thought of Lopez as a sister. Remini spoke about Lopez several times in her book Troublemaker and Lopez appeared to be a great support for Remini as she disentangled herself from the Chruch of Scientology. They enjoyed almost two decades of friendship when they abruptly stopped appearing together and talking about each other.

Did Leah Remini and Jennifer Lopez have a falling out

Remini spoke about her friendship with Lopez in her book Troublemaker and has sung her praises multiple times over the years. But that stopped abruptly in 2022. Remini was a no-show at Lopez’s wedding to Ben Affleck. At the time, Page Six reported that Remini opted to skip the nuptials to spend time with her daughter before she left for college.

Fans were unconvinced that Remini, who was so deeply enmeshed in Lopez’s life, would have skipped the event. Instead, rumors swirled that Remini was not invited to the ceremony after she expressed concerns about Lopez’s rekindled romance with Affleck.

While neither Remini nor Lopez have ever confirmed a rift, there are plenty of signs that their friendship has suffered during Lopez’s marriage to Affleck. Another close pal of Remini’s,  Michelle Visage, was questioned about Remini and Lopez’s friendship during a 2023 podcast interview. Visage refused to speak on the topic, which fans took as strange. Lopez and Remini also haven’t been pictured together in years. While none of that is confirmation of a rift, it does create a compelling argument.

Will they reconnect now that Lopez and Affleck appear to be headed for a split?

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck haven’t been married long, but it looks like they are headed for divorce. The couple appears to be living separately and waffle between wearing their wedding rings and leaving the bands at home. Lopez also recently canceled a planned tour.

While Lopez and Remini may have been distant recently, the King of Queens star is reportedly interested in reconnecting with Lopez. According to a source who contacted Page Six, Lopez and Remini have gotten a chance to talk. Still, it’s unclear if their relationship will regain its formerly closeness, especially now that Lopez has been spotted spending time with Affleck again.