Ben Affleck ditches his wedding ring as he enjoys lunch date with daughter Violet, 18, in LA… as Jennifer Lopez divorce rumors ramp up

Ben Affleck was spotted without his wedding ring again on Sunday amid rumors of marital strife with Jennifer Lopez. 

The 51-year-old Oscar winner — who recently shared an awkward air kiss with the Atlas actress — cut a casual figure in a plaid shirt and jeans as he enjoyed a lunch date with his daughter Violet, 18, in Los Angeles.

The matinee idol seemed in high spirits as he waited for a table at the popular Tasty Noodle eatery with his eldest child, whom he shares with ex Jennifer Garner along with their other children, Fin (formerly Seraphina), 15, and Samuel, 12.

Ben completed his look with Nike high-tops and a white T-shirt, staying close to Violet, who showcased her unique style in an embroidered vest and matching dress. 

The ring-less outing comes as J-Lo has been enjoying a solo vacation in Italy as the divorce speculation ramps up.

On Sunday, the superstar was spotted on a boat heading to the world famous Lo Scoglio restaurant in Nerano for lunch with friends.

She has spent the past few days in Italy and was recently spotted partying with pals on a boat in Positano, with onlookers claiming she looked ‘in great spirits’.

In addition to taking in the stunning scenery around her, the mother-of-two, who shares her 16-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony, posed for selfies from various angles and even snapped a few of her famous derrière. 

The fun-filled display came after a source told DailyMail.com that Jennifer is ‘over’ trying to fix her marriage to Ben.

An industry insider claimed that the pop star has reached her wit’s end and no longer feels that she can do any ‘more’ to save the relationship.

A music industry source told DailyMail.com. ‘Jenny has had enough and she really tried but she can do no more, it’s not getting any better, it’s worse.’

The insider add that the main reason JLo left her husband was because he was always ‘grumpy and negative’ like Oscar The Grouch from Sesame Street.

Jennifer is also said to be ‘shocked’ by the bad press she has been getting, which she believes is not fair.

The source said: ‘If people could see what she has really gone through they would be easier on her. Ben is a great guy but he can be grumpy and a downer. 

‘I think the world saw that in photos like when they were at the Grammys last year; he wouldn’t smile. If they saw how it really was, they would not attack her,’ said the friend of Jennifer.

‘He chain smokes and cusses and seems irritated a lot of the time. Great director and actor, but not a lot of laughs with him, you know?’ said the source. ‘He is a wonderful father though.’

They added: ‘She is really not used to this kind of bad feedback, but she will get over it. She will march on. ‘Jennifer is a very smart and strong woman and she will bounce back, she always does!’

There have been many reports that Ben and Jennifer were set to announce their divorce last Friday, which is the norm among celebrities who are splitting.

When the source was asked about this they offered, ‘I think they have wanted to wait until all the kids are out of school and done with school plans and all that before they make their big announcement. They are putting the kids first.’

And as far as how Jennifer and Ben are getting along these days, the insider said they are being ‘cordial’ with each other.

So what happened to the once jovial Ben who used to smile at fans and make out with Jennifer in public? The source points to the pressure in Ben’s career.

‘He is now filming Accounting 2 and the hours are really long, he is working hard at it and it’s a lot to juggle with marriage and kids,’ said the source. ‘So sometimes he is not in the best mood.’

Meanwhile, Jennifer cleared her schedule this summer to give herself some downtime to re-examine her life.

‘She is living alone and not with Ben, I think everyone knows that already, so that is a major change for her and the kids,’ said the pal. Indeed, Ben moved into a $100K a month rental near Garner months ago.

‘Of course Jenny is sad, she loves Ben, but they are just too different, there is no give and take, there was no blending, they are just on separate tracks.’

The source added that Jennifer gave it her all: ‘She really tried hard to make it work, and it just did not work. 

‘She invested a lot of time and energy, and I think he did the same. There is no one to blame here. It just was not in the cards. It is very hard for two massive stars to keep a marriage going, one has to give in, and in this case neither gave in.’