Last week, Ben Affleck was in Texas, and had likely already started filming on his latest movie. We knew that Jennifer Lopez and Ben were about to be separated for the fall, with him filming in Texas and Jen headed to Canada to film something there. We knew that they were targeting a big reunion for Christmas (her people indicated as much to People). But we also knew that there would probably be opportunities for them to visit each other. And wouldn’t you know, Ben found the time. He traveled to New York this weekend to watch his lady perform at the Global Citizen festival, and then on Sunday, they headed out for a paparazzi photoshoot at Madison Square Park. I love this.
Ben Affleck is Jennifer Lopez’s No. 1 fan! A source tells PEOPLE that the 49-year-old actor flew to New York City to meet up with Lopez, 52, ahead of her performance at Global Citizen Live on Saturday.
“Jennifer and Ben were apart for a few days earlier this week. They met up in N.Y.C. yesterday,” the insider says. “Ben wanted to be by her side and attended the event. He watched her perform.”
“They are always supportive of each other’s careers,” the source adds. “Ben has to be in Texas to film this coming week.”
Affleck had been in Austin for production on his latest project, but made a stop in Los Angeles to visit his kids before reaching his final destination in New York.
I’m not going to speak about J.Lo’s Global Citizen performance because I saw some of the clips and the singing was not great. But I love that she was there for a good cause and I love that Ben came out to support her. And then they did this pap stroll through a public park, with Jen wearing this Big Picnic Energy look. Autumnal Bennifer, please enjoy it while we can.
Ben Affleck holds Jennifer Lopez's hand as he meets her after her show-stopping Global Citizen Live set in NYC https://t.co/29MvUJwqvF
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) September 26, 2021
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
They just look so stinkin’ happy, and for once I don’t think it’s for the cameras. Mazel.
right?! That was exactly my take – they look happy! congrats to them, I hope it lasts.
I totally agree. Ben seems happier and healthier than he has been in years. Maybe she was always “the one” for him.
I totally agree. they look thrilled and smitten with one another. she apparently owns an apartment in that area which is why i think they were strolling around that neighborhood. it was a gorgeous day in nyc and i dont blame them for wanting to enjoy it!
these people love being papped. they probably have 10 copies of every magazine that has published these shots.
They need two dogs. His pap walks with Ana and their dogs were cute and funny.
very cute. and what about the coffee runs. he loved to do those too, but maybe JLo does not drink caffeine so he is stuck doing mainly glamorous pap strolls.
I see they’re both wearing outerwear, long sleeves and such.
I noticed that, too.
Is it freezing in NYC or something?
No. I don’t get her outfit at all. It was very warm in NY this weekend.
eh, it was a little brisk in the AM. warmed up a bit in the afternoon. but in the morning and in the shade (in the afternoon) it was probably cool enough for her outfit.
No it wasn’t freezing. I live in Connecticut. We were in our pool over the weekend. She must have been sweating like crazy for this pap stroll.
It’s a COAT! OMG, she’s wearing a COAT!!
Actually, now that I think about it, they are likely wearing this (or J.Lo is) at the request of designers who are trying to push their fall and winter collections. I don’t know if Meghan is doing this as well or if her reasons are different, but in J.Lo’s case, this makes the most sense to me.
they are wearing these outfits at the request of designers. when celebs are dressed for the wrong seasons it’s usually to wear clothing at the request of designers who gifted them merchandise
When I first saw the picture I thought she looked like Debra Messing from Will & Grace. That outfit looks just like something Grace would wear – especially with JLO’s new hair color. (Or maybe it’s the light in that photo that’s making it look redder.)
And everyone around them is in t-shirts and shorts. It was a gorgeous weekend in the Northeast, I can’t imagine wearing a coat in it!
I kind of love her dress and her coat but I’d have melted wearing that.
I love this for us. We’ve earned a big splashy for the cameras romance involving two mega stars.
They are so extra and over the top but seemed genuinely happy and in love. It’s so nice to see. It’s so cute that he traveled all the way up to New York to support her
Love this! They seem so happy and relaxed this time around.
Genuine question- why the pap stroll is MSP?
I love their love and I love her plaid situation and I don’t get why they need to do an obviously staged loved up stroll like this.
Someone tell me the inside baseball here.
Also given that Ben did this daily w AdA I’m thinking he might be driving some if their pap strategy?
Jlo was doing a lot of paps strolls with arod too especially at the beginning.
About bennifer. I don’t know, maybe a way to control the narrative? Or choose what they are giving or not? Could be multiples reasons.
Right, in order to explain Ben’s intention, one needs to bring up their timeline because there is a song involved here:
Celebitchy did an article on 20 May 2020: https://www.celebitchy.com/715901/ben_afflecks_mind_is_totally_blown_with_the_way_jlo_has_taken_care_of_her_body/.
In the article, anonymous sources explained that they sounded out each other before Ben wrote her secret yearning emails in February. The anonymous source gave one example: Ben heaped praised on JLo in a podcast. I checked out related news. That podcast was released on 14th Janurary when Ben talked about the film “The Way Back” he did last year.
On 13th January though, JLo released the music video for In The Morning. JLo has described herself as an autographical artist repeatedly in the past. I won’t say who that song was about here. The lyrics are all over the internet for everyone to see. But surface to say, the song is a scathing shade to somebody who Jennifer thought was a coward. There are several big clues though to help to decode the song:
1. She used a tattooed ink to deliver a secret message to somebody. At 00:12, the ink on her arm reads “I loved you even more than I loved me”, and at 2:36, she scrubbed clean those ink from her arm after she broke away the bondage applied on her; You can also see a disappointed Jennifer beginning at 1:33.
2. A tear was seen on Jennifer’s face that looks like her Jersey Girl era (at 0:49), particularly her hair style. In Jersey Girl, JLo’s charater was killed prematurely after Bennifer 1.0 ended to avoid awkwardness and further commericial damage.
3. Jennifer was famously left at the altar at the end of Bennifer 1.0. there was a giant wedding cake in the music video, and she was standing on top of it with some device that looks like an elaborated jeweled veil.
4. Per one People article (https://people.com/music/jennifer-lopez-releases-in-the-morning-music-video/), the music video’s theme is about fallen angel and mermaid, and it has rich symbolisms. We know the story of the little mermaid though. Not the Disney version, but the original one written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Her ending is a tragedy. She was beautiful and exotic and the prince fell in love with her, but his family opposed their love affair. In the end, the prince ditched her and married the temple goddess everyone thought was suitable for him. Unable to kill her beloved prince, the little mermaid sacrificed herself and died. Lyrically speaking, the mermaid theme was first appeared in her 2014 song Let It Be Me. The two songs might be linked in Jennifer’s life mythology.
A lot of people on celebitchy have said that Jennifer never looked happier when she was with Alex, in comparison to her with Ben.
Perhaps this song can helps us understand the new dynamic and why Ben seems all in this time, with the yacht, the venice red carpet, and now in the New York city.
omg Nana living for this breakdown THANK YOU. I am all up in mythology and symbolism (from the Celtic/scandi/germanic perspective as that is my heritage) and this hits.
also I just love the insight into why/how celebs communicate their creative projects. fascinating stuff
Great breakdown!
gah, thank you. And In the Morning was actually released in November 2020, around which time there were rumours that Jennifer and Alex’s relationship was hitting on a rock. And of course, based on the song’s lyrics and Let It Be Me, it seems very likely that Ben and Jennifer were sneaking around in the download back in 2014/2013. Didn’t around the time she and the backup dancer Casper were on a break? And we all know Jennifer boasts herself that she likes her relationship to be clean-cut, however short time the interval between the two is. I bet something huge happened between them before she went on to see Alex in 2017. Alex may have been a rebound too all along.
Regarding your last comment about the 2014/2013 timeline has made me think about that infamous moment at the 2015 Oscars when Ben approached Jen while she was sitting next to Meryl and whispered in her ear. that was a huge buzz! I BELIEVE there was a photo of it but I can’t find it anywhere anymore. so not sure i was imagining it. but there is a photo of Ben speaking to bradley cooper right after stopping my Jennifer’s seat.
After seeing the photos of Ben from this weekend I’m convinced he had some new work done. Something is off around the mouth and chin area.
He has shaved and with all the weight he dropped he looks kinda gaunt. He really needs to grow back his beard,much better with it.
Agree, something is off. He looks unhinged. Is it new veneers? And he went from glowing to gaunt in a matter of weeks. Geez I’m judgmental.
Something about his face does look completely different in these pics.
He’s lost weight in the past couple of years and stopped trying out fillers and botox. He probably looks different to some because it’s been a long time since he’s been photographed his beard.
Nailed it!!!😂😂😂❤️
Thank you, Gossip Gods! And please, nobody complain! I need this in my life. I deserve it. They are so deliciously extra. Like a decadent, dark hot chocolate on an autumn day, sans the calories. LOVE IT!
YES exactly! all during covid we were bored and complaining about the lack of celeb gossip and here it is! can’t believe so many people are complaining in other pages. lets enjoy the fun 🙂
From Austin, to Los Angeles, and then to New York. And back to Austin. Crazy program even for a Superman.
That’s no joke, even by private jet
I would have NEVER recognized Affleck in that top pic! WTF happened to his face? He also looks very different in the other pics, but that first one… It’s not just weight loss, is it?
The shaved beard now really brings out the weightl osss.
I think it’s just because he shaved his beard and we aren’t use to seeing him without it? Plus his weight loss from last year that is showing.
Big picnic energy! I can’t wait for the Bennifer holiday collection.
He needs to bring back the beard, it suits him.
Love her coat!
So staged, good god 😂😂🤡
Lovely pictures. I don’t care if was a paper stroll.
Amy bee!
I’m with you. It’s cute, harmless and radiates happiness. Paps strolls or not I’m here for it
What’s up with the heavy fall/winter clothes and its hot in NYC? Cracking up about the photos where you see people wearing short sleeves and shorts in the background. Anyhow, like Meghan and Harry hey are probably being paid to wear them.
Look at Ben’s smile!!!!! Has he ever looked this happy?
Yeah, it’s performative walking, but I love her outfit. Ben looks great but his jacket is too short and ill-fitting.
and they paused long enough so the paps could get nice clear shots of them looking into each others’ eyes and kissing, also, notice how they get dressed up for these shots? He has stepped up his pap game. With Ana he always looked like he rolled straight out of bed.
I love that green dress so much. It’s something I’d wear and I love how fresh and youthful she looks even when dressed like a librarian. (I’m not a librarian but that’s how I describe my own style)
I watched the Global Citizen Live special last night. I was shaking my head the entire time. How can celebs stand on stage in front of THOUSANDS of people (almost no masks and zero social distancing) and talk about how we “have to end the pandemic”. It’s like do you not know how this virus spreads? YOU are the problem ! Just like some of the celebs flew out to Paris to get up on a stage in front of thousands of people to talk about climate change. Ummm you probably just flew on a private jet to Paris yet want to talk about saving the planet? Start with your own carbon footprint. You could have zoomed that speech !
Everyone at the event is vaccinated and it’s outdoors. I don’t see the problem.
I still wouldn’t venture out into a big crowd these days, but that’s me.
JLo wears incredibly high heels all the time. I don’t know how she does it. ouch!
@Margo: Ouch is right but her feet are probably numb to the pain after years of wearing these stilts.
I’m too lazy to Google but how tall is JL – even with the high heels she looks wee tiny (second thumbnail pic in the park) compared to Ben.
p.s. I love the kissing photos – they are straight out of a romantic comedy I’d want to watch.
Big picnic energy! Love it
Love her coat & outfit! The color is gorgeous! I love long sweater coats in the fall!
I don’t know how she was not hot wearing all that, though! I would bet she changed that outfit after the paps got their pics.
Ben is so thin! I have to agree with another comment that said she liked him better with a beard.
I was thinking he is starting to look older, but could be something else.
I was on edge about her performance at the GI but I thought she owned that stage! She easily keeps up w/her dancers ( not krepsing around like LaDonna) and when singing was on tune ( they did several close ups and it’s definitely her ) all in all I’d give her solid 9
We are living in the time of an Iconic Gossip Moment!!
They are so extra and ridiculous but they are clearly in love too. It’s nice to see Ben looking so genuinely happy after a few rough years. He looks giddy
Agree 100%. Love them together.❤️
I’m just here for the coat – I really love it.
I love this, I love them!
C’mon. That coat is one of the most hideous plaids ever created. The colors are nice, but the plaid and that fringe. No. Only J. Lo could look halfway not terrible in it.