Leah Remini denies rift with longtime friend Jennifer Lopez

Leah Remini and Jennifer Lopez, her friend since 2004, haven’t had a falling out, the King of Queens actress says.

“I cherish my friendships and not everybody is meant to be in your life in the way that they were,” Remini told Us Weekly in an interview published Wednesday. “When you grow out of that person that you were, that doesn’t mean that you are at odds with them. I have many friends that I don’t talk to every day. That doesn’t mean we’re at odds — it’s just that I’m at a different place and so are they.”

Reps for Lopez did not respond to EW’s request for comment.

Remini and Lopez met at an industry event more than 20 years ago, and were regularly seen together on social media posts and at industry events. They were close enough that, in 2019, Remini crashed Lopez’s interview with Access Hollywood, in which the two offered a peek into their playful relationship, as they teased each other about who picks up the check when they go to restaurants.

“She never has her credit card on her, conveniently,” Remini deadpanned.

Lopez shot back, “This is my interview!”

Rumors that the friends had ended their friendship surfaced in 2022, after Remini was not present at the “On the Floor” artist’s wedding to Ben Affleck. Were the celebrities no long friends? Were reports that a family obligation had kept Remini away true? Apparently, the bond between the women was still intact.

“Sometimes you don’t talk to people every day like you used to, but that doesn’t mean the love is lost,” Remini said. “Friendships ebb and flow. That doesn’t mean we’re at odds.”

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The former star of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath explained that she and Lopez had been in touch in the past year, as both faced the end of their marriage.

“Right after the divorce, we’d text each other loving messages of support,” said Remini, who announced her split from husband Angelo Pagán, whom she’d been with for 28 years, in August.

It was revealed that Lopez and Affleck split — for the second time — when the singer filed for divorce the same month as Remini.