Jennifer Lopez: 'Dance Again' Singer Opens Up About 'Devastating' Divorce
In a recent interview with Hollywood Life, Jennifer Lopez opened up about the struggles she faced in the wake of her public split from third husband, Marc Anthony, in July 2011.
The singer took a break from her Dance Again World Tour to sit down with editor-in-chief and HuffPost blogger Bonnie Fuller to discuss the divorce and the breakup of her family, which she described as "devastating."
I didnt want to be the woman who stayed in bed for months, Lopez said. I did do that a little, but I knew I had to get through it. She continued: Id dance every day, Id work out, Id say a little prayer and I still wouldnt feel any better. Then Id go to bed and get up the next day and do it all again. It was a process, and it very gradually got a little easier.
According to Lopez's best friend and manager, Benny Medina, the former 'Idol' judge blamed herself for the failure of her marriage to Anthony.
Lopez explained: I had to figure out what I did wrong that I was in a relationship where I was accepting situations that werent good for me. If youre allowing yourself to be in a bad relationship, you need to understand why."
The former couple -- who are parents to four-year-old twins Max and Emme -- first announced their split in July 2011 after seven years of marriage. Anthony made it official when he filed for divorce in April 2012. Lopez has since been dating "Dance Again" creative director and dancer Casper Smart, a man who is 18 years her junior.
But Lopez is hardly the first celebrity to date a much younger man after divorce. Click through the slides below for nine other stars who had May-December relationships post-split. !
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez, 43, <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people.com%2Fpeople%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C20510616%2C00.html" target="_hplink">announced her split</a> from husband of seven years, Marc Anthony, in July 2011. Rumors of a relationship with backup dancer Casper Smart -- who is <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usmagazine.com%2Fcelebrity-news%2Fnews%2Fjennifer-lopez-defends-18-year-age-difference-with-beau-casper-smart-2012163" target="_hplink">18 years younger</a> than the former "Idol" judge -- first began swirling in November 2011 after he was <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Ftvshowbiz%2Farticle-2059177%2FJennifer-Lopez-spotted-mystery-man-2nd-time-Glamour-Awards.html%3Fito%3Dfeeds-newsxml" target="_hplink" target="_hplink">spotted leaving her New York City hotel room</a>. Lopez officially <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radaronline.com%2Fexclusives%2F2012%2F07%2Fjennifer-lopez-casper-smart-video-good-morning-america" target="_hplink">confirmed the relationship</a> on "Good Morning America" in July 2012. Several months later, in an episode of Katie Couric's talk show "Katie," <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2012%2F09%2F14%2Fjennifer-lopez-casper-sma_n_1885252.html" target="_hplink">she said,</a> "It's hard for me to think of my age...I feel very youthful. And I feel very comfortable in my own skin. And it's funny, until somebody brings up [the age difference], I don't think we really think about it."
Halle Berry
After Halle Berr! y's two m! arriages ended in divorce (the first to <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people.com%2Fpeople%2Farchive%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C20141276%2C00.html" target="_hplink">baseball player David Justice</a> and the second to <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people.com%2Fpeople%2Farchive%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C20148116%2C00.html" target="_hplink">R&B singer Eric Bent</a>), Berry, 46, began <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fnymag.com%2Ffashion%2Fmodels%2Fgaubry%2Fgabrielaubry%2F" target="_hplink">dating model Gabriel Aubry</a> -- who is nine years her junior -- in 2005. Aubry and Berry never married, but they had a child together -- daughter Nahla, who was <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Ftoday.msnbc.msn.com%2Fid%2F23665690%2Fns%2Ftoday-entertainment%2Ft%2Fhalle-berry-gives-birth-first-child-girl%2F%23.UHdMimmfF4U" target="_hplink">born in March 2008</a>. The ex-couple <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people.com%2Fpeople%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C20365530%2C00.html" target="_hplink">split in 2010</a> and has since been embroiled in a <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2012%2F08%2F22%2Fhalle-berry-gabriel-aubry-custody-battle-continues_n_1821880.html" target="_hplink">child custody battle</a>. Berry is <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usmagazine.com%2Fcelebrity-news%2Fnews%2Fhalle-berry-finally-confirms-engagement-to-olivier-martinez-2012164" target="_hplink">currently engaged</a> to French actor Olivier Martinez.
Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria, 37, <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?! key=11fe0! 87258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tmz.com%2F2010%2F11%2F16%2Feva-longoria-tony-parker-divorce-san-antonio-spurs-desperate-housewives%2F" target="_hplink">filed for divorce</a> from NBA star Tony Parker (who is seven years her junior) in November 2010, after reports surfaced that he had been <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people.com%2Fpeople%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C20442932%2C00.html" target="_hplink">exchanging hundreds of text messages</a> with a San Antonio Spurs teammate's wife. Since the split, Longoria has dated even younger men, including <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Ftvshowbiz%2Farticle-2112311%2FEva-Longoria-Eduardo-Cruz-split-year-together.html" target="_hplink">Penelope Cruz's brother Eduardo</a> (10 years her junior) and<a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eonline.com%2Fnews%2F350243%2Feva-longoria-and-mark-sanchez-pal-george-lopez-jokes-about-cute-couple-s-age-difference" target="_hplink"> Jets Quarterback Mark Sanchez </a>(12 years her junior). In September 2012, the former "Desperate Housewives" actress <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usmagazine.com%2Fcelebrity-news%2Fnews%2Feva-longoria-confirms-shes-dating-mark-sanchez-2012139" target="_hplink">confirmed that she was dating</a> Sanchez to "Extra" host Mario Lopez.
Madonna
After divorcing first husband Sean Penn in 1989, Madonna, now 54, went on to date a<a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fvoices.washingtonpost.com%2Fcelebritology%2F2008%2F10%2Ftimeline_madonnas_love_life.html" target="_hplink"> slew of younger men</a>, including model Tony Ward (five years her junior), Vanilla Ice (nine years her junior) and personal tr! ainer Car! los Leon (eight years her junior). In October 2008, Madge <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people.com%2Fpeople%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C20233183%2C00.html" target="_hplink">split from second husband</a> Guy Ritchie -- who is 10 years her junior -- amid <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nypost.com%2Fp%2Fnews%2Fnational%2Fitem_MTk1lUB0V4KBuWnqGEkYPM" target="_hplink">reports that she had been cavorting</a> with an even younger man: Yankees bad boy Alex Rodriguez (17 years her junior). After her divorce, Madonna dated Brazilian model <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.nydailynews.com%2F2010-02-05%2Fgossip%2F27055387_1_brazilian-model-material-mom-snitch" target="_hplink">Jesus Luz</a>, who is a whopping 28 years younger than she is. For the past two years she has been dating yet <em>another </em>boy toy; this time it's 25-year-old <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radaronline.com%2Fexclusives%2F2012%2F08%2Fmadonna-brahim-zaibat-photos-lourdes-leon-austria" target="_hplink">dancer Brahim Zaibat</a>, who is <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fentertainment%2F2012%2F03%2F05%2Fmadonna-considering-marriage-proposal-from-24-year-old-boyfriend-report-says%2F" target="_hplink">nearly 30 years younger</a> than the 54-year-old pop icon.
Demi Moore
Demi Moore, 49, saw two marriages end in divorce -- the first to musician Freddie Moore (1980-84) and the second to Bruce Willis (1987-2000) -- before she married Ashton Kutcher, who is 15 years her junior, <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F2%2Fhi%2Fentertainment%2F4336060.stm" target="_hplink"&! gt;in Sep! tember 2005</a>. Moore <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Fnews%2Fdemi-moore-ashton-kutcher-divorce-263181" target="_hplink">filed for divorce</a> from Kutcher in November 2011 after rumors circulated that he had had a <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usmagazine.com%2Fcelebrity-news%2Fnews%2Fsarah-leal-how-ashton-kutcher-seduced-me-20111110" target="_hplink">one-night stand</a> with then-22-year-old Sara Leal.
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore, 51, was <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2011%2F02%2F08%2Fjulianne-moore-on-how-she_n_820334.html" target="_hplink">married to her first husband</a>, John Gould Rubin, from 1984 to 1995. She began dating director Bart Freundlich in 1996, despite their 10-year age gap. The couple had two children together <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people.com%2Fpeople%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C626654%2C00.html" target="_hplink">before they wed in 2003</a>. "The only reason I got married in 2003 was for my children," Moore told <em><a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2011%2F02%2F07%2Fjulianne-moore-therapist-marry-bart-freundlich_n_819680.html" target="_hplink">The Guardian</a></em> in February 2011. "I had a therapist who said marriage is really a container for a family and that made sense to me."
Mariah Carey
After nearly five years of marriage, Mariah Carey, now 42, <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ew.com%2Few%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C282311%2C00.html" target="_hplink">divorced famed record executive Tommy Mottola</a> -- who was 20 ! years her! <em>senior</em> -- in 1998. She then wed Nick Cannon -- 10 years her <em>junior</em> -- in April 2008, after a <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usmagazine.com%2Fcelebrity-body%2Fpictures%2Fmariah-carey--nick-cannons-love-story-2011114%2F13986" target="_hplink">whirlwind six-week romance</a>. The couple, who <a href="http://www.usmagazine.com/healthylifestyle/news/mariah-carey-nick-cannon-wedding-for-a-third-time-2010204 " target="_hplink">renew their vows</a> every year, <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Flatimesblogs.latimes.com%2Fgossip%2F2011%2F04%2Fmariah-carey-twins-nick-cannon-dembabies.html" target="_hplink">have twins together,</a> Monroe and Moroccan, born in April 2011.
Geena Davis
Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis, 56, was <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FEntertainment%2Fstory%3Fid%3D102564%26amp%3Bpage%3D1" target="_hplink">married three times</a> -- to Richard Emmolo (1982-1983), to actor Jeff Goldblum (1987-1990) and to director Renny Harlin (1993-1998) -- before she settled down with her current hubby, <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oprah.com%2Fomagazine%2FOprah-Interviews-Geena-Davis" target="_hplink">plastic surgeon Reza Jarrahy, in 2001</a>. She and Jarrahy, who is 15 years her junior, <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.standard.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fgeena-davis-has-twins-at-48-6985108.html" target="_hplink">have three children together</a>: daughter Alizeh Keshvar, whom Davis gave birth to at age 46, and twins Kian William and Kaiis Steven, whom she had when she was 48.
Joan Collins
Joan Collins, 79, was <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?k! ey=11fe08! 7258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2F2300-31749_162-10012448-10.html" target="_hplink">married four times</a> (to Maxwell Reed, Anthony Newley, Ronald S. Kass, and Peter Holm) before she <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people.com%2Fpeople%2Farchive%2Farticle%2F0%2C%2C20136511%2C00.html" target="_hplink">wed her current (and much younger!) husband</a> Percy Gibson in February 2002. Gibson isn't the first younger man Collins married; Swedish pop singer Holm is 14 years her junior. But that's still less than half the <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F2%2Fhi%2Fentertainment%2F1853945.stm" target="_hplink">age difference between her and Gibson</a>: 32 years.
Linda Hogan
Hulk and Linda Hogan pulled the plug on their 24-year marriage in November 2007, reportedly due to <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eonline.com%2Fuberblog%2Fb67542_linda_hogan_hulks_affair_killed_our.html" target="_hplink">Hulk's infidelity </a>with their teenage daughter's best friend. In 2010, <a href="http://www.popeater.com/2010/07/26/linda-hogan-engaged/ " target="_hplink">Linda, now 53, got engaged</a> to her 21-year-old boyfriend Charlie Hill, much to the dismay of her two similarly aged kids. "I personally don't like it at all or condone it, but she's my mom, so I have to show her support," daughter Brooke Hogan told <em><a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eonline.com%2Fuberblog%2Fb1803_brooke_hogan_freaked_out_over_moms.html" target="_hplink">E! Satellite Radio</a></em> in 2008. "I went to school with him. He was a grade under me. Me and [my brother] Nick know him well." Hogan and Hill never tied the knot though; the couple of four years <a href="! http://re! direct.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tmz.com%2F2012%2F05%2F15%2Flinda-hogan-charlie-hill-break-up%2F" target="_hplink">called it quits</a> in May 2012.
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