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There are countless theories surrounding what contributed to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's split, but our biggest tipoff that their marriage might not last has always been their penchant for packing on the PDA. Unfortunately for the former couple, much of said PDA has been captured on camera ... and that means we've all seen the now-very-cringey evidence of the rise and fall of Affleck and Lopez's love story.
First things first, a word on why the two-time lovebirds' public displays of affection had our alarm bells ringing, right from the start. Some may remember that media pressure was one of the things that ended Lopez and Affleck's first relationship. As such, when they cozied up on a boat in Venice knowing photographers were snapping them, we kind of had to hold back a sigh.
Of course, one could argue that they were in a boat and not in public in the purest sense of the word. There's also no denying that they look like two genuinely loved-up movie stars (shocker, that) enjoying the confines of their boat. However, the fact that some pics from the boat ride saw both Lopez and Affleck smile directly at photographers makes us doubt that the twosome was that determined to keep their reconciliation out of the public eye. What's more, even if there was a sweetness to their uber-glamorous rekindled love affair at the time, looking back, it's all a little awkward.
Ben and Jen's Venice Film Festival PDA makes us sad now
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Whether or not Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez intentionally packed on the PDA for the paps ahead of the Venice Film Festival, there was no question that their first red carpet appearance together at the event — which also happened to be their first red carpet appearance as a newly reconciled couple — was intentionally loved-up. From whispering sweet nothings in one another's ears to kissing openly for the cameras, it was every bit the Hollywood fairytale.
Fast forward just a few years later, though, and that fairytale is over — likely for good this time. That makes the pics all the more awkward, but also incredibly sad. Heartbreak is hard enough on its own, and Lopez has been very candid in the past about struggling to come to terms with her and Affleck's first split back in the early aughts. As she wrote in her 2019 memoir, "True Love," of the depths of her heartbreak at the time, "It felt like my heart had been torn out of my chest."
We can't imagine how heartbreaking it must be for both Lopez and Affleck to have so many snaps of their first official outing as a reunited couple out in the world, particularly in light of just how short-lived it ended up being.
There was the time they made out with masks on
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And now, a brief respite from the gushy stuff. If we sighed after Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's PDA-filled boat ride in Venice, we audibly groaned when they attended the 2021 Met Gala a few days later.
For the occasion, Lopez and Affleck decided to show just how responsible they were during the pandemic era by wearing masks. And then they proceeded to make out while wearing said masks. Yeah ... this one wasn't just an awkward moment of Affleck and Lopez's caught on camera, it was pretty gross, too. Plus, nothing says "The spotlight broke us apart the first time but we're going to try again without trying to stay out of said spotlight" quite like a through-the-mask smooch at one of the most photographed events on the planet.
One consolation is that experts didn't seem to think the stunt was a dangerous one, especially since both of them were masked and were likely (read: absolutely, because we saw that too) kissing without the masks on anyway. Even so, we're not sure that makes us feel any less uncomfortable. This particular PDA moment is one we wish we didn't have to see, regardless of whether the couple's antics had any dangerous side effects.
It's a little weird seeing them posing for JLo's film, now
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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's reunion wasn't just limited to pictures of them out and about and at events, it also saw the "I'm Real" singer turn her IRL love story into an album and short film, as well as a documentary about the processes behind both projects. That in itself is a little awkward now that the couple has filed for divorce. However, their appearances for the premiere of the film only add to it. ICYMI, Lopez and Affleck shared a steamy kiss on the red carpet for "This is Me ... Now: A Love Story."
Kissing in front of the cameras aside (again, keeping in mind that the couple had previously parted ways as a result of all the media attention they got), there are a few things that make Lopez's project very awkward, post-breakup. For starters, the documentary saw Affleck poke fun at the fact that their love story never being told was being turned into a massive project called "The Greatest Love Story Never Told." "That seems kind of, like, telling it," he mused in a confessional (via Entertainment Tonight).
It's possible the situation led to one of Affleck and Lopez's tense moments, though Lopez has said her estranged husband ultimately saw where she was coming from in, ahem, telling it.
Some experts weren't convinced by the couple's PDA
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Speaking of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's tense moments, it bears mentioning that even before the former's album-movie-documentary project, some were unconvinced by the amount of PDA the then-couple showed. In fact, one expert even claimed that their love fest on the red carpet for "The Flash" was scripted.
Speaking to Mirror, Judi James pointed to a number of factors that suggested Affleck wasn't super comfortable canoodling at the premiere. "Jennifer looks smitten throughout, turning to face her husband and reach up for some adoring-looking kisses but Ben's subliminal signals suggest he's still less of a fan of posing up for the cameras," the body language expert told the outlet. One such signal she pointed out was the fact that his jaw appeared to be clenched.
James also pointed out that it seemed to be a trend that even when Lopez looked perfectly composed for the cameras (seriously, have we ever seen her not looking her best?), Affleck wasn't quite as adept at hiding his true feelings. Said feelings when it came to red carpets? Not exactly warm and fuzzy. This is a man whose gloomy appearance has spawned a million memes (and even prompted a response from the man himself), so no surprises there.
Seeing Ben and Jen at their last Lakers game is pretty sad
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Okay, we took a pause from the sadder stuff, and now we're back. Though Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez seemed pretty loved up early on in 2024, things took a turn over the summer. Just before that, though, the couple headed to a Lakers game alongside the youngest of his and Jennifer Garner's children, Samuel Affleck. And, while they did hold hands and Ben's arm was around his then-wife, it turned out to be one of the last times we saw them together.
Tempting as it may be to attribute the less-than-happy expressions on their faces to martial woes, something tells us that had more to do with the game itself. After all, Samuel's expression is similar to his dad and stepmom's, and they're all looking in the same direction.
Sadly, after the Lakers game and a walk around the neighborhood two weeks later, Affleck and Lopez's PDA-filled excursions dwindled down to a quick smooch here and some hand-holding there before the loved-up Bennifer sightings totally ceased — and we guess that's the most awkward aspect of all of it. The greatest love story never told seems to have finally come to an end. Who knows, though — perhaps they'll reconcile once more. However, on the off chance that does happen, we hope they'll learn from the past and keep it on the down-low.
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