14 DAY TRIAL // They’ve been together for many years, have two beautiful children together and, until this shocking development, seemed one of the strongest couples in showbiz. Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have just announced they’re separated.
What’s even worse, the joint statement they released leaves no room for doubt as to the possibility of a reconciliation: they’re done.
The story broke in People magazine, with a rep for the couple issuing a statement to TMZ to confirm it. Everything between the two has been settled already.
“We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult decision. We have come to an amicable conclusion on all matters,” the statement says.
“The couple got married in 2004 in their Beverly Hills home. They have two children. Marc and JLo renewed their vows just last year on their 6th anniversary – and back in May, they gave a steamy performance together on the season finale of ‘American Idol’,” TMZ adds.
In other words, there was hardly any indication that the two might be heading for a split, including during public appearances together after the AI performance.
Of course, shortly after the wedding, the tabs were saying they were in for a breakup but, then again, they do the same with most celebrity couples.
Just recently, for instance, after it emerged that Marc had an IRS debt of $3.4 million in back taxes, word got out that the marriage was under a lot of strain because of financial issues.
While Marc was having trouble paying off his taxes, Jennifer was making a bucketload of money on American Idol (she reportedly got $12 million for a single season), and it was causing a lot of friction between the two, reports said, as we also informed you.
At the same time, there was also the issue of how much time they got to spend together as a family – not too much, sources said, since Jennifer had accepted the AI gig and had relaunched her music career.
No word yet on whether any of this has contributed to the end of their marriage, but celebrity pundits don’t exclude even the wildest theory, like an extramarital affair.