Body Language Expert Unpacks Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s Odd Reunion

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck left fans scratching their heads after they put on a shockingly cozy display on Monday in their first red carpet reunion since their divorce was finalized earlier this year. 

Their appearance at the New York premiere of the remake of Kiss Of The Spider Woman — which Lopez stars in and her ex-husband produced — featured Affleck flashing a toothy grin that was a striking contrast from his usual dour appearance on the red carpet.

But now the Daily Mail is delving into what might be animating the unexpectedly frothy meet-up thanks to body language expert Judi James.

According to James, they former couple’s latest appearance showed that the exes had switched roles. 

‘It used to be J-Lo putting in all the pose-producing effort on the red carpet when she was with Ben, while he tended to stand in several stages of reflective, distanced or just impatient-looking body language,’ James explained, adding that Affleck’s usual public demeanor suggested ‘an aversion to being a Hollywood show-pony,’ while Lopez ‘always worked the cameras to create signals of adoration and a perfect A-list romance.’

‘Suddenly though, after two seismic relationship splits, it’s Ben putting in all the body language graft here in what looks like a bid to appear joyful to be standing alongside his ex,’ James continued.

She emphasized how different Affleck’s appearance at the Kiss Of The Spider Woman premiere was compared to his reserved demeanor at other high-profile events. 

‘His staccato, slightly jumpy movements and his insistently animated behavior look off-brand for the man who is usually famous for looking dourer when there are press photographers around, and his teeth-baring smiles here suggest a huge amount of effort is involved to appear jolly,’ James shared.

According to her, Affleck’s high-energy behavior and broad smile indicate he may have an ‘inner tension.’

James singled out how Affleck leaned in for a laugh with one guest on the red carpet, before ‘smiling back at J.Lo with his upper lip raised in a way that bares his teeth in a “snarl” smile that looks performed.’

‘Ben turns quickly to chat and there is what looks like an overkill expression as his mouth opens in a mime of delight,’ she added.

By comparison, James though Lopez’s smile seemed to reveal a similar amount of effort, as she had a ‘wide, teeth-baring [smile] that shows little sign of actual joy.’

The body language expert noted that Lopez appeared to urge Affleck to look happier when they were together, but now the Argo star appeared to have taken the lead.

‘When the couple used to “chat” on the red carpet there were often signs that suggested unhappy words were being exchanged as she would coax him to do some more romantic poses, but here it looks like it’s Ben who is all into pleasing the press, even turning to get his ex for some “alone time” chat in front of the snappers,’ James said.

James went on to suggest that Affleck displayed ‘some animated gesticulation,’ before he learned in, ‘making it a classic “ear whispering” pose that celeb couples often perform to suggest intimacy for the cameras.’

She thought Lopez gave away they game by showing a ‘demure and cool’ expression for the cameras, rather than a more ‘eager and besotted’ visage to match the energy Affleck was putting out.

According to James, ‘It’s clear the couple want to signal an ongoing friendship here but Ben’s rigid, overkill smiles and expressions plus his rather jerkily animated effort to look happy hints at some awkwardness and tension.’

The body language expert added that even Lopez’s outfit appeared to signal a distance between her and her ex-husband.

‘It looks telling how J.Lo seems to have worn a personal “ring of steel” for this red carpet outing with her double-ex Ben, as the hoops from her outfit that come up to either side of her face look like a distancing move, as well as a fashion statement.’

Fans on social media were shocked by the seemingly warm display between Lopez and Affleck after seeing months of tense displays from the two A-listers amid their divorce.

Several fans wondered if the two might have gotten back together again — even though there’s no evidence of anything more than a professional obligation between the exes — while others saluted them for putting their differences aside for the evening.

One fan joked on X, ‘3rd time’s a charm…come on!’

Another poster commented, ‘Thank God,’ while one person wrote that Ben, 53, and Jennifer, 56, were having a ‘reunion with a touch of adrenaline.’ 

One user wrote, ‘These two are a mess,’ adding that they were ‘perfect for each other.’

Another fan suggested they still ‘like each other’ despite not being married anymore.

One poster suggested J.Lo’s friends would be happy to see her looking so ebullient with her ex-husband. 

‘Her besties must be TIRED,’ they wrote.

Another user had a theory that the exes were putting on a show because of fears that the Kiss Of The Spider Woman remake could be a flop. 

‘This film is getting zero press,’ they opined. ‘Must be as bad as Gigli.’

But the majority of commenters spread reconciliation rumors after seeing Ben and J.Lo beaming together on the red carpet. 

One fan posted a .GIF of a stressed out Tiffany Pollard rubbing the temples of her head and writing on X, ‘Lord…they’re gonna start this all over again.’ 

Another said: ‘They are going home together.’ 

The actress and her ex-husband were pictured having an intimate chat together, a little over a year since she filed for divorce, during their surprise red carpet appearance.

The dynamic duo smiled as they looked into each other’s eyes at the event, after Lopez recently praised Affleck for helping the film come to life.

It marked the first red carpet appearance for the high-profile exes since their divorce was finalized in February, after two years of marriage. 

Someone else compared the two to Hollywood legends Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who were also married to each other twice.

‘It’s sort of a modern Taylor-Burton romance. Two toxic personalities who can’t be together but can’t stay apart.’

‘There’s some interesting body language going on there!’ someone else chimed in.

Lopez stunned in a dramatic Harris Reed gown with an exaggerated corset that highlighted her famous hourglass curves. 

Meanwhile Affleck looked dapper in a navy suit with a white button-up underneath, as he posed for photos on the red carpet, with his arm wrapped around his ex-wife. 

Lopez is the star of the musical film, and Affleck serves as an executive producer through his company, Artists Equity.

While on the red carpet the duo also posed with Lopez’s co-star Tonatiuh. They were also joined by director Bill Condon.

Other stars at the premiere included Laverne Cox, who stunned in a gold corset gown. Whoopi Goldberg was also in attendance, sporting a black coat and matching pants.

Ahead of the screening, Lopez thanked her ex-husband while introducing the film. ‘Thank you so much, thank you everybody for being here tonight. Thank you, Ben, this movie wouldn’t have been made without Ben and without Artist Equity,’ she said, according to People. 

Legendary director Spike Lee brought along his daughter Satchel Lee.

Lopez plays an imaginary figure named Aurora, who was dreamed up by jailed gay hairdresser Luis Molina, in Kiss of the Spider Woman, out October 10. 

Just hours earlier, Lopez had a fierce response to an awkward question about her ex-husband during a chat on The Today Show. 

As host Craig Melvin asked: ‘In the middle of filming this elaborate, beautiful musical, your divorce was also finalized with Ben’ with the star cutting him off mid-sentence.

Lopez pointed at Melvin and said: ‘There you go! Look at this guy!’ before laughing awkwardly.

Melvin responded: ‘But then I read that your ex is an executive producer on the film.’

Lopez took the high road and said: ‘If it wasn’t for Ben, the movie wouldn’t have gotten made. And I will always give him that credit.

Earlier in the day Lopez was also seen out in three different looks, for a busy day of promoting the film. 

One look saw her in a brown leather jacket, loose gray slacks, and a white button up. 

She also wore a mint top, a green pencil skirt and a wide-brim hat at another point in the day.

Lopez also went topless under a sizzling busty yellow jacket and a matching skirt during yet another sighting. 

Just last month, Lopez said her divorce from Affleck was the ‘best thing that ever happened’ to her.

While reflecting on their split, the actress admitted that their split ‘changed’ her and ‘helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow.’

Back in August 2024, Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck on their second wedding anniversary, citing ‘irreconcilable differences.’

After their divorce was finalized earlier this year, she said she ‘had so much fun.’

On Sunday’s episode of CBS News Sunday Morning, however, she told Lee Cowan about how she had a ‘tough time’ in the wake of their split.

She recalled working on her new movie which also had her ex serving as an executive producer on the film.

The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January earlier this year, the same month they finalized their divorce.

When asked about how she handled the time when her personal life was ‘not great,’ she said she ‘barely’ could. 

‘It was a really tough time,’ she confessed about working on the same project he was also working on in the wake of their split.

She said working on the film helped her focus on something outside of her heartbreak.

‘It was hard not to think about stuff, but it was like the best and the worst of times, in a way.

‘Every moment on set, every moment I was doing this role, I was so happy,’ she said. ‘And then it was like, back home, it was not great.’

She added: ‘And it was just like, “How do I reconcile this?” But you get through it.’

The On the Floor hitmaker said she later realized their divorce was the ‘best thing that ever happened to me’ as it helped her ‘grow.’

She said their separation ultimately helped her ‘become more self-aware.’

‘I’m a different person now than I was a year and a half ago,’ she told Cowan. 

And following their split, she said she was able to enjoy ‘probably the best summer I’ve ever had’ this year.

‘I had so much fun. I’m able to enjoy things more and be great,’ she said.

She also spoke fondly of her ex when talking about his contribution to her film adaptation of the Broadway musical Kiss of the Spider Woman.

‘The movie wouldn’t have been made if it wasn’t for him and Artist Equity,’ she said of her ex-husband and his production company.

‘I will always give him credit for that,’ she said before explaining that it wasn’t because he was always ‘pushing’ for the movie but rather because ‘they financed it.’

‘I told him this was the role I was born to play and I wanted to do it and he was like, “Okay.” And he helped make it happen,’ she recalled.

Lopez and Affleck were married for two years, from their initial, low-key wedding ceremony in July 2022 up until to the singer filed for divorce in August 2024.

They had previously been in a relationship back in the early 2000s and rekindled their romance in 2021 before tying the knot a year later.