Reports have revealed that Ben Affleck will be absent from the Sundance Film Festival, where Jennifer LopezThe film “Kiss of the Spider Woman” will debut.
The “Accountant” star is credited on the film as a producer alongside his best friend Matt Damon. Meanwhile, Lopez plays the role of the main female protagonist and executive producer.
Jennifer Lopez is also expected to be at the festival alongside some of her co-stars and the film’s director.
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Ben Affleck doesn’t want the film festival to focus on his ‘interactions with his ex-wife’
A preliminary red carpet schedule obtained by Daily Mail revealed that Ben Affleck has “no plans” to attend the upcoming Sundance Film Festival for the premiere of his ex-wife Jennifer Lopez’s film.
The project, titled “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” stars Lopez in the lead role, alongside her involvement as executive producer.
Affleck is also part of the production team through his production company, Artists Equity, which he launched alongside his best friend Matt Damon.
It is now believed that the actor will miss the event as he knows it would only divert the focus of the film towards his “interactions” with his ex-wife.
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“Ben worked hard on the film, and it’s something he’s proud of,” a source told the outlet. “But he knows that if he goes to Sundance, his appearance will mean the focus won’t be on his works, but rather on his interactions with his ex.”
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Ben Affleck ‘completely left’ his ‘failed marriage’
According to the source, Affleck has “completely moved on in his life” although he and Lopez only recently finalized their split.
“The last thing he wants is for his work to be overshadowed by his past relationship. He wants us to talk about the film, not his failed marriage,” the source added.
Besides Affleck, there’s also a high probability that Damon will be absent from the premiere despite being listed as a producer on the film, just like his best friends.
“The last time Matt went to support a movie starring Jennifer, it became all about drama with Matt and Jennifer talking,” a source shared, referring to the actor’s appearance at the premiere. from Lopez’s “Unstoppable.”
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“That was all people focused on, and the film received no recognition – only the fact that they were talking and making physical contact,” they added.
When the premiere takes place on January 26, Lopez will likely only be in the company of director Bill Condon and producers Barry Josephson, Tom Kirdahy and Greg Yolen, who were on the preliminary red carpet lineup.
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The ‘Accountant’ star recently finalized his divorce from Jennifer Lopez
Recently, Affleck finalized his divorce from Lopez, officially ending their nearly two-year marriage.
When they got married, the duo had no prenuptial agreement, which apparently led to their decision to hire celebrity attorney Laura Wasser to negotiate their divorce.
As part of the settlement, Lopez kept all of the winnings she made since their April 2024 split, as well as the more than $5 million engagement ring she received from the actor.
Affleck, meanwhile, retained his stake in his production company, which he founded in 2022.
Meanwhile, the couple will share profits from the sale of their $61 million Beverly Hills mansion. The property has been on the market since last July but has yet to attract committed buyers despite being publicly listed by the duo.
Why the couple didn’t become petty during their divorce
Following their divorce settlement, an insider revealed to In touch that Affleck and Lopez never intended to “get petty” with each other and plan to remain friends.
“Jennifer and Ben are officially divorced, and the only good thing is that they never got ugly. Many thought their lawyers would do the nasty nitpicking on behalf of each of them, but they both decided to leave the marriage as friendly as possible,” the source told the outlet.
The source further noted that while “there was a lot at stake,” the former couple was determined not to fight over their assets.
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“Ben and Jennifer weren’t about to pay each other money, they respected each other way too much for that,” the source noted. “I’m not saying it never crossed their minds, it just wasn’t worth it. They have too much history together. In fact, they parted ways as friends.”
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck remained friendly
Moving forward, it appears that Lopez and Affleck have chosen to remain friends after their split.
Since filing for divorce, they have been spotted together on several occasions, including when Lopez visited Affleck’s home.
Most recently, Lopez visited Affleck before the Golden Globes, where they were seen sharing a heartfelt hug with his 12-year-old son, Samuel.
She also reunited with her former partner in December, exchanging gifts to mark the festive season.
“They have every intention of continuing to be in each other’s lives even if they don’t have a romantic relationship,” said a close source. Page six about the duo’s continued connection.