Ben Affleck ‘had control’ over documentary about his marriage to Jennifer Lopez (Exclusive)

Ben Affleck was a “driving force” behind Jennifer Lopez’s documentary about her marriage, sources say.

Multiple insiders told PEOPLE that Affleck, 52, was heavily involved in the creative process of the Prime Video documentary, The greatest love story ever toldwhich was launched in February along with the López project This is me… now: a love story and music album.

“He was pretty much the one in control,” a source says of Affleck.

“(Affleck) was very supportive (of the project), and was a driving force in getting (Lopez) to do the movie and the album and then insisted on it in the documentary, where it seemed like he was hesitant and almost blindsided by it,” the source adds, “but that was a false narrative.”

Another source says: “The documentary was Ben’s idea for his company, Artists Equity. Jennifer’s team didn’t want to do it because she was focused on the album and the Amazon original video project.”

The first source also reveals that while reports have circulated that Affleck was uncomfortable with the revealing look into his marriage and the attention the documentary brought to his relationship with Lopez, 55, the Air The actor was heavily involved in the editing of the film.

“He was very supportive of Lopez making the movie and her album,” the source explains. “He knew at all times what she was doing.”

The source added: “He loved the film and the album, but when you watch the documentary, it seems like he was shocked and didn’t sign on. He was playing the role of a regular guy and at the same time he was the driving force behind it all.”

“He definitely took that part away from the director so he could have the narrative he wanted,” the source says. “It’s confusing (because) he was so invested and so proud of Jennifer because she really got involved… but in the documentary, it seems like he was shocked. ‘You’re making an album about our (relationship)?'”

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Furthermore, the source notes that when The greatest love story ever told When it first premiered, audiences thought the dynamic between the couple was “funny,” but in the wake of their split, the documentary puts things in a new perspective.

“At the time, people thought it was funny and now the press is reporting that (Affleck) was not happy with that life (in the public eye),” the source says. “But he was not only supportive of that life, he was encouraging it. It was almost like he was justifying it. The need for the documentary was his idea.”

Lopez filed for divorce on Aug. 20, the second anniversary of her 2022 South Georgia wedding to Affleck (they were legally married in Las Vegas in July 2022) after spending much of the summer apart.

PEOPLE previously reported that the couple, who first split in 2004 before rekindling their romance nearly two decades later, were experiencing relationship troubles.

Another source who knows both Lopez and Affleck told PEOPLE earlier this month that the couple “really loved each other” and that their divorce “happened quickly.”

“They really wanted to go for it and they did,” the source added. “They are two people who are in love with love, and who wouldn’t go for it? And the world wanted it.”