Kick Kennedy???
It's Gossip Time!
Hello and welcome to Gossip Time, a weekly guide to the stars by Allie Jones. This week: a divorcé is spotted with a Kennedy, an actress is spotted with a new ring, and Meghan Markle is spotting cool stuff on the computer.
The Bennifer divorce is getting weird. We’ve got reams of People quotes from J.Lo’s camp about how Ben Affleck can’t control his moods, an ultra-rare appearance by Jennifer Garner’s mostly invisible boyfriend, and … Kick Kennedy? Heaven help us.
J.Lo has spent most of the last week talking to People (through sources, a.k.a. Benny Medina) about how Ben Affleck is to blame for the demise of their two-year marriage. If you want to read it all, be my guest, but the gist is: The former Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck is a diehard romantic and cockeyed optimist who was willing to work on the relationship, while Ben is a “dark,” negative force who simply cut her off when they separated in April. Sources told the tabloid Affleck was prone to “mood swings” with “big highs and big lows,” and Lopez spent “a lot of time making sure Ben was happy and had everything he needed.”
“The way she cared for him was almost childlike,” a source revealed. “Friends constantly reminded her that she’s not responsible for his feelings. He’s very moody and dark at times. Jennifer appreciates life in another way. She’s very grateful for everything.”
Okey dokey. So far, Affleck has not responded to any of this. But that’s not to say that J.Lo is the only one putting forth a narrative about this divorce in the press. First, there’s Garner, who wants everyone to know that despite her apparently amicable co-parenting situation with Affleck, there is no way she’s getting back together with him.
Last Friday, she allowed herself to be photographed going to dinner in Malibu with her boyfriend of six years, the robotic burger chain CEO John Miller. Garner and Miller are photographed together so infrequently that I often forget that he exists, so this pap shot really means something. Message received.
There is one person who wants to get back together with Affleck, though, and her name is Kathleen Alexandra “Kick” Kennedy. The 36-year-old daughter of RFK Jr. (who just dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Trump) has apparently been dealing with Affleck for years, and she wants us to know about it.
The rumor first surfaced earlier this week in a longer Page Six report about the divorce. Page Six claimed that Lopez “desperately hoped” Affleck would show up to her Bridgerton-themed birthday party in the Hamptons in July (oh dear), but “instead,” he had been spending time at the Polo Lounge and the Beverly Hills hotel with Kennedy. Huh?
Page Six has since added to their reporting, revealing that Affleck and Kennedy have been “pals” for years. “Their friendship has been going on for a while, even before Ana,” a source told the outlet, referring to Affleck’s pandemic girlfriend Ana de Armas. “When Ben started seeing Ana in 2020 and chose to quarantine with her during Covid, Kick was less than thrilled.”
According to this source, Affleck reached back out to Kennedy in the spring when his marriage to J.Lo was breaking up. A source told People that “Kick’s celeb crush has always been Ben,” and that she’s a “partier” who “likes to have a good time.”
It’s an interesting characterization of someone whose last public boyfriend was Matthew Mellon, an heir to the Mellon fortune who died on his way to rehab in Mexico at the age of 54 in 2018. (Kennedy’s manager at the time told People she was “shocked” and “heartbroken.”)
Unsurprisingly, Affleck did not want his association with Kennedy to come out. First, an “insider” told People, “I don't think they even know each other. There’s definitely nothing going on.” And then, one day later, his publicist Jennifer Allen told People on the record, “There is no truth to any of it. I don’t know if they even know each other.”
Affleck’s reps haven’t even commented on the divorce itself yet, but they thought it was important to shut this down. Good — I don’t want to know more!
Speaking of divorce, Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan can’t seem to settle theirs. Even though Tatum, who is now engaged to Zoë Kravitz, and Dewan, who just had her second baby with Broadway actor Steve Kazee, have been separated for six years, they can’t agree on a financial settlement.
At issue is — no joke — the Magic Mike IP. Dewan claims that the original film was “co-financed” with “marital funds,” which means she should get half of all Magic Mike profits in perpetuity (the sequels, the Vegas show, etc). Tatum says…no. Dewan has accused Tatum of disguising income during the divorce proceedings, and in her latest filing, she asked the judge to disqualify his legal team from their upcoming trial. Tatum responded that this is a “delay tactic” and asked the judge to fine her $20,000. Eeep.
In happier relationship news, Justin Theroux is engaged to his 30-year-old actress girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom. Theroux, 53, confirmed the news to People — a rep revealed that he “popped the question” in Italy before he premiered Beetlejuice Beetlejuice at the Venice Film Festival. He even did some light engagement ring sponcon:
The custom engagement ring is by Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry. The 4-carat, emerald cut, flawless diamond is set in platinum with 18-carat yellow gold inlay. It also features Bloom and Theroux's birthstones embedded in the band.
If Theroux and Bloom make it down the aisle, this will be his first real marriage (he and Jennifer Aniston just had a party and were never legally married, even though they won’t admit it). Best wishes!
Also happy: Hailey Bieber had her baby with Justin Bieber and named him Jack Blues Bieber. Here’s the photo they posted to announce the news:
Lea Michele also had her baby this week and named her Emery Sol Reich. (Her older son is named Ever Leo Reich.)
I guess there are only so many anonymous baby poses one can do.
STUFF BY HILARY DUFF: Hilary Duff attended Mandy Moore’s baby shower this week. Moore is already a mom to Oscar “Ozzie” Goldsmith and August “Gus” Goldsmith. This third baby is going to be a girl — what do you think she will name her?
Finally I must leave you with an important quote that Meghan Markle gave The New York Times this week. Our favorite Duchess announced exclusively to the paper that she has invested in Cesta Collective, a handbag company that she discovered “while online shopping.”
“I spend a lot of time just Googling, looking for brands,” Meghan told the paper. “When people are online looking for things or reading things, I’m trying to find great new designers, especially in different territories.”
Think about that the next time you are online looking for things or reading things.
Thanks so much for opening this email. And thank you especially to paid subscribers! Your contributions keep this operation running, and I love you!
Sad I can’t discover great designers online because I’m too busy reading things
Mandy Moore is going to name her daughter something like Matilda or Eleanor