Gwyneth Paltrow Trying to ‘Bond’ With Ex Ben Affleck Since Their Kids Both Started Yale This Semester

Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck both have children who started at Yale University this semester, so the actress is using it as an excuse to reconnect with her ex-boyfriend following his split from Jennifer Lopez, sources exclusively tell In Touch.

As the 52-year-old Gone Girl actor’s marriage to J. Lo, 55, crumbled this summer, he was photographed on August 18 alongside ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their daughter Violet in New Haven, Connecticut, where their 18-year-old started her freshman year at Yale.

The following day, Gwyneth — who dated Ben on and off from 1997 to 2000 — and her husband, Brad Falchuk, were pictured dropping Brad’s teenage son, Brody, off at Yale.

According to a source, the 51-year-old Goop founder isn’t “trying to play matchmaker or anything creepy like that” when it comes to Violet and Brody, but “she just thinks they could be a good source of support for each other since they have the celebrity parent-connection thing in common.”

Gwyn — who married the Glee cocreator, 53, in 2018 — is mom to children Apple, 20, and Moses, 18, whom she shares with ex Chris Martin, as well as stepmom to Brad’s kids, Brody and Isabella.

“Gwyneth is a big worrywart and hyper-protective, even of her step-kids, so she’s trying to make sure that Brody will have some good solid people in his orbit now that he’s so far away from home,” says the insider. “She knows Violet is a class act and a great student, so she’s hoping they will become friendly.”

It seems as though the Oscar-winning actress is also trying to become friendly again with Ben after J. Lo filed for divorce on August 20 after just two years of marriage.

The source says Gwyn is using their kids’ shared school experience “as a chance to bond with Ben,” adding, “She’s sent him all sorts of Yale-branded stuff, including some ‘Yale Dad’ shirts, which is sweet but a little annoying for her hubby, who finds it odd that she’s still so connected to her ex.”

However, Gwyn “is oblivious to it being awkward,” says the source. “She’s so proud to have this connection to an Ivy League school. She’s really acting like this is her achievement somehow and using it as a chance to brag — and wants Ben to do the same.”

Ben is preoccupied, though. A separate source told In Touch earlier this month that his divorce with the “Let’s Get Loud” singer may get messy.

He and J. Lo reportedly didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement before they spontaneously tied the knot in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022, but the Marry Me actress is vowing to fight the payout process in the split with everything she’s got.

“She already feels so screwed over by Ben,” said the source. “Writing him a massive check is just the final insult, and it’s not something she’s going to just hand over.”

For his part, “Ben is trying to play down the money aspect of it, but there’s no doubt it does represent a pretty decent payday,” added the insider. “And he’s justifying taking it by saying he deserves every dime just for putting up with her and all her drama.”