Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck “reunited” on Monday night in New York. There was a screening/premiere of Kiss of the Spider Woman. Jennifer Lopez stars, and Ben’s Artists Equity produced the film. Keep in mind, it’s been well over a year since Ben and J.Lo have been at the same event, much less photographed together. When their marriage was falling apart last year, they did some awkward photo-ops together in LA in which it was abundantly clear that Ben was over the marriage and Jennifer was still trying to make it work. Jennifer filed for divorce on their second wedding anniversary and the divorce was finalized quickly. Ben treated her like absolute dogs-t last year, and I hoped that she was over this Affleck-masochism cycle. Instead, at Monday night’s premiere, you could feel the chemistry between them once again. Ben and J.Lo honestly looked up for another round. So… is this just their dynamic as long as they’re not married to one another?
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have a much better relationship now that they are not married, a source told Page Six. The exes reunited Monday night in NYC to promote their new movie, “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” marking their first public outing since their divorce was finalized in January. Lopez is pinning high hopes on the film to earn her an Oscar nomination. But the talk of the premiere was both her on-screen performance and her cozy red-carpet performance with Affleck, who is a producer on the project.
“They like each other so much more when they’re not married to each other,” a Lopez source said. “They each have roles to play with each other— she’s the glamorous, gorgeous diva superstar on a pedestal, he’s the roguish cad who keeps her at a distance to maintain sexual tension,” the source added. “As long as they are each playing their parts, they’re perfect. The minute they try to be anything more than that— especially something as pedestrian as husband and wife— it’s so doomed.”
Lopez, 56, and Affleck, 53, appeared to be on great terms as Affleck gushed about about his ex-wife, telling “Extra” she’s an “amazing” actress who “really does it all.”
The mom-of-two stars as Ingrid Luna/Aurora/The Spider Woman, while Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity production company got involved as a producing partner before the couple’s split. The project is an adaptation of the 1976 novel of the same name, by Argentine author Manuel Puig, that also inspired a 1985 movie and a 1993 Broadway musical.
Affleck said that Lopez was “born to play” the title role. “She’s amazing in the movie,” he said. “I just can’t wait for you, the audience, to see the movie. I’m as proud of this movie as any that I’ve ever been involved with. I’m really excited to be here tonight.”
He also praised his ex-wife’s work ethic, saying, “Early on in Jennifer’s involvement in this … she just was going to give it her all and she did. She worked enormously hard. You get to see all of her many gifts. She’s somebody that grew up watching classic musicals.”
Those Affleck quotes… that’s how he used to hype her when he was trying to get into her pants. He did the same thing when he was first trying to win her over, when she was married to Cris Judd. He did the same thing when she was with A-Rod!! ENOUGH!! I mean, I get it though. It happens all of the time – all of the fizzle, all of the chemistry is there when two people aren’t really together, but once they actually get together and try to make it work, it doesn’t work. I hope J.Lo stays strong.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
He will always want her, but he will never want what comes with anything but the most casual ‘reunion.’
I guess he’s just a f*ckboi.
He’s avoidant.
Cut and run, JLo!
First, I’m going to see the movie on Friday night and I’m so excited! Inever go to the movies, but there’s just something there. I think this movie is going to be crazy big.
Second, what is Ben? Is he a narcissist? Man baby? Hyper active, vain, smarty pants? I know about his addiction history. I just don’t get him. He strikes me as being deeply insecure but he moves with confidence. Did I just describe men in general…
IDK about “men in general”, but you DEF nailed a couple of my exes…
He probably has a mood disorder.
I posted this in comments above, but imo he’s an avoidant personality.
Can’t really sustain close relationships.
I like to imagine that JLo chose this outfit with the pointy cage contraption as a reminder to herself not to let that man get close to her again.
I was just wondering: is that her version of Melania’s wide-brimmed hats?
Yes. Ben likes to pursue Jen when she’s not available — that makes him a hound dog not a roguish cad. I maintain that if her Amazon movie and the accompanying album was a hit or was even received really, really well he would not have left her.
Her movie is getting great reviews and I bet Bill Condon brought out the best in Jen. Because when she has a good, good director she shines. Ben probably got an advance viewing and see how good she…now he wants to be in her light. He sucks.
I agree with you.
It’s funny how she produces GARBAGE when she’s with Ben (remember Gigli?). It’s like he blinds her judgment. Then when she’s done with him, she finds her professional footing again.
What is that dress??? Did it photograph well from any angle??
I thought from the beginning of all of this that the two of them should have just dated forever. Don’t live together. Don’t get married. That’s what Ben is comfortable with because he’s not a marriage guy. JLo would never agree to that though because she is obsessed with marriage and is so desperate and clingy.
Ben didn’t have to propose to her and certainly didn’t have to marry her without a prenup. He was all in just as much as she was until he wasn’t. Ben always gets a pass even when’s f*cking his kid’s nanny.
😭😭 Maybe it was designed for the theme of the movie.
Ben produced the film so he’s there to promote it. And for the record, when is JLo NOT available? Ben doesn’t have to chase her or bask in her light. Let’s not resurrect the narrative of poor little Jennifer being lovebombed by the big bad insecure wolf.
He looks drunk. I hope I’m wrong.
This thought crossed my mind as well. He looks half in the bag for a few of those pics. Also hope I’m wrong…
That’s what I thought too. Facial flushing and overly animated.
He does appear to have that splotchy/greasy look that screams “drunk”.
Why dont they just do the Woody Allen-Mia Farrow, Goldie-Russel,Sheryl Lee Ralph and hubby type arrangement.
U2 wrote a song about this.
Jennifer Garner knows all about the love bombing and how cold it gets when he turns off the attention. She moved on and JLo will as well.
If they get back together i will cry for her heartbreak at the outset and then just wait for the bomb to go off.
I hope she doesn’t fall for it.
But we’ve all been there, that ex who can pull us to them. It sucks in the long run.
She looks different, but good. Trying to figure out what she had done…..
I think I’m in a relationship like this. Bleurgh. Someone save me (just kidding. Let’s SAVE OURSELVES, JLO! Don’t do it!).
If they were to get back together, they can only be the kind of couple that has their own houses and their own separate spaces. They are fundamentally too different to actually live together and be in each other’s business 24/7. I think they will always have love and admiration for each other and they have great physical chemistry. But the long term actual relationship stuff will always elude them.
You know what I am always here for this pairing. Let’s stop calling them a couple. Some people can’t make normative relationships work and all the great sex isn’t a prelude to a long-lasting marriage. But what if it’s just great sex, whenever they want? Occasionally they can also be good friends to each other. And helpful business collaborators, like with this movie. They just need to keep their interactions to, like, hooking up and sometimes asking for advice and help with work or life, maybe the occasional vacation, maybe the periodic getting together with the kids. Nothing day-to-day where someone is counting on the other person to be a constant presence and steady reliable support. They can’t be that for each other but it’s clear they were meant to be something. Bennifer Threeprise!!!
So just before the p-diddy trial when there was speculation she’d be called as a witness, her and Ben broke up (a pr move likely meant to distance himself and the kids from the scandal) and shortly after diddy got sentenced she gets back together (publicly, they were probably still together this entire time). I dont think this is flakiness on their part. Just protecting two very big brands…which they did.!
They were not together. He ghosted her, his wife. Didn’t talk to her for months. These two are toxic and I hope they never get back together. In fact their back and forth to me just illustrates a level of immaturity and toxicity.
I’m not going on that ride again. They are both professionals and doing their job. The smiles and getting along is helping their movie, and they both have a stake in it. And they are at the point where they both can be cordial with each other. Neither of them wants to serve a meal to the press.
A lot of analysis of what it makes him, but what does this say about her? She’s not a victim unless she volunteers for that role.
Women have their own agency. Let’s not infantaliaze her by pointing to him as the bad guy. It takes two to participate in a toxic relationship and she sure shows up for her part.
THey both are very smart PR wise and many people (like who read gossip sites) are now aware of the movie and that it’s coming out soon where before they might not have been. So SMART of them -two actors who are great at PR and celebrity are teasing the public. And yes the marriage was a mistake. Someone who saw them on their honeymoon said it looked like it was all over then. I believe she felt she had to marry him and wouldn’t be happy if she didn’t because how it fell apart back in 2003. It was the most complicated way to get closure but they did. It was a mistake all around so nobody should blame one or the other. I think he will marry again to someone in their thirties and have another kid. Like so many men I know, late families like George Clooney’s happen so much they are like a cliche. She will also go much younger (again).
His company produced this movie. She’s a lead in the movie. This is business. They both very much want this movie to succeed. These are two pros on the red carpet doing their performative bit to promote this movie and create hype. If they appeared off in any way or he didn’t show up, that’s not good for business. It certainly wouldn’t be good for Artists Equity. They are united on this.
I agree. Her body language to me doesn’t suggest anything. She’s probably pissed off at him while he respects her professionalism but is still dtf.
If Jen G never acted bothered or jealous by the situation I think it’s because she knows him too well. She knew it would end poorly
It makes me think his relesh with Ana de Armas was probably the same. He love bombed her and then cut loose
Nah. Ana dumped Ben.
I think this is actually a brilliant PR move for both of them. Ben came out of that marriage mess looking like a scumbag doofus, and everyone was like J.Lo, WHYYYY him again, girl? Everyone loves to hear that a divorced couple can still find a way to be friends with one another. Brilliant, I’m telling you.
Kiss of the Spider Woman with J Lo is going to be hot trash.
If you want to see a brilliant performance see the 1985 version with Sonia Braga.