Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Are Reportedly Spending Time Together, in 2021

Photo-Illustration: by Vulture; Photos by Getty Images

Is Bennifer back? A newly single Jennifer Lopez has recently been hanging out with an also recently single Ben Affleck, according to “Page Six.” A source told the outlet, “Security picks him up at a nearby location and drops him off after spending a few hours at her house” — maybe not quite the way you thought you’d see this iconic pair linking back up, but it’s something! “Page Six” also had pictures of Affleck leaving a car that reportedly belongs to J.Lo; sources said that the car dropped Affleck off at a Los Angeles hotel on April 22 and 29 and that the actor was also spotted leaving Lopez’s nearby home on April 28.

Now, before you spend your weekend obsessing over this news, here’s a caveat from a “Page Six” source: “They are friends … they’ve never not been.” Indeed, Affleck seems to have stayed on good terms with Lopez since the couple broke off their engagement in January 2004, considering he recently spoke to InStyle about his ex. Along with calling his Gigli co-star “the hardest-working person I’ve come across in this business,” Affleck mused of Lopez, “Where are you keeping the fountain of youth? Why do you look the same as you did in 2003 and it kind of looks like I’m in my 40s … at best?”

No comment there, but we will note that the two could just be tending the wounds of their recent splits. Lopez broke off her engagement to Alex Rodriguez two weeks ago, with J-Rod telling Today, “We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so.” The news came after a false report of their breakup in mid-March, after rumors that Rodriguez had been chatting with Southern Charm star Madison LeCroy. For his part, A-Rod doesn’t seem to be taking the split too well, posting a bizarre, Coldplay–set tribute to his relationship with J.Lo to Instagram with news of their split. “He still wants to get back together with Jennifer,” a source recently told People. “But to her, their relationship is over.”

Affleck split with his Deep Water co-star Ana de Armas in January, after the two spent most of 2020 consuming an inordinate amount of Dunkin iced coffee together. De Armas reportedly handed Affleck the news, which Affleck responded to by trashing his life-size cutout of De Armas.

Update, May 5: After Jen and Ben’s get-together, multiple sources have confirmed the pair are just friends. As one source put it to Entertainment Tonight, the two “have a cordial, good relationship” and “admire each other professionally, respect one another, and feel comfortable with each other.” After both Lopez and Affleck were in the same building for Global Citizen’s May 2 Vax Live concert — where Lopez performed and Affleck spoke, and which will air on May 8 — a source told E! News that Lopez “kept it all business” backstage. But, another source told People, that won’t be the last the two will see of each other. “They have a great time hanging out,” the source said. “It’s been years since they caught up properly. They have lots to talk about.” Might that include Affleck’s ex-wife Jennifer Garner getting back with her recent ex, John Miller?

Update, May 10: Indeed, last week wasn’t the last we would see of Jen and Ben seeing each other. The pair spent the weekend in Montana after taping Vax Live, sources told E! News, People, and TMZ. “It’s natural between them, and the chemistry is unreal,” a J.Lo source told E!, also confirming Affleck reached out in the wake of Lopez’s breakup. “They picked up where they last left off and are enjoying each other’s company right now.”