Jennifer Lopez Opens Up About Ben Affleck’s Role in Her New Film

Celebrity breakups are rarely private affairs. When two A-listers split, every move, quote, and expression is scrutinized. But every so often, one of them opens up in a way that cuts through the noise, and that’s exactly what Jennifer Lopez did in a recent interview.

Instead of deflecting or pointing fingers, she offered something unexpected: gratitude toward her ex-husband, Ben Affleck. In her sit-down with CBS Sunday Morning, the 56-year-old singer and actress reflected on a year marked by both professional triumph and personal heartbreak.

After officially finalizing her divorce from Affleck in January, Lopez found herself in a unique position—filming one of her most demanding roles while privately going through a painful separation.

The project, Kiss of the Spider Woman, turned out to be not only a creative challenge but also a kind of emotional outlet.

“It was tough. It was a really tough time,” she said, recalling how her personal life often mirrored the intensity of the role. “Every moment on set, I was so happy, and then it was like, back home, it was not great. It was just like, how do I reconcile this? But you get through it.”

Her words illustrate the duality of that period—professional fulfillment on one side, emotional chaos on the other. Lopez didn’t sugarcoat it, calling it both “the best and the worst of times.” That kind of honesty is rare, especially from someone who’s spent decades under constant public scrutiny.

Jennifer Lopez Says Her New Movie Wouldn’t Exist Without Ben Affleck’s Help.

But her biggest revelation came when she admitted that the movie itself might not have existed without Affleck’s help.

"The movie wouldn’t have been made if it weren’t for him and Artists Equity,” Lopez said. “I will always give him that credit. 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.”

It’s a remarkable acknowledgment, given the timing. Most people, after a divorce, wouldn’t rush to praise their ex—especially in such a public way. Yet Lopez’s comments reflect maturity and perspective. Whatever went wrong between them, she seems determined to highlight what went right.

Instagaram

Her reflections also carried a tone of growth.

“Honestly, I have to say it was the best thing that ever happened to me,” she explained. “Because it changed me… it didn’t change me; it helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow. I became more self-aware. I’m a different person now than I was last year, I think.”

That kind of self-awareness seems to define this phase of her life. After years of intense media attention and several high-profile relationships, Lopez sounds like she’s learning to separate her public persona from her personal happiness. Rather than wallowing in heartbreak, she framed it as a transformation.

Navigating Celebrity Relationships

Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a renowned relationship expert, highlights the complexities of navigating personal connections in the public eye. In her work, she emphasizes that gratitude, as expressed by Jennifer Lopez, can be a transformative approach post-breakup. Solomon suggests that recognizing the positive aspects of former relationships can foster emotional healing. This perspective aligns with her findings that practicing gratitude can significantly enhance emotional well-being, allowing individuals to move forward in healthier ways.

For those facing similar situations, she recommends journaling about positive memories and lessons learned, which can help in reframing narratives around past relationships.

Finding Joy After Heartbreak Helped Her Rediscover Life’s Lighter Side.

She also shared that, ironically, the months following her split turned out to be unexpectedly joyful.

“I had so much fun,” she said. “I’m able to enjoy things more. The joy is in living and these moments and really embracing life and everything that it brings to you for the lessons it brings and then for all the triumphs it brings. And the hard times are the lessons, and you have to understand that.”

It’s the kind of statement that could sound clichéd in someone else’s mouth, but in Lopez’s case, it felt lived-in. She wasn’t offering generic wisdom—she was speaking from experience.

“And once you do, everything becomes a little bit lighter, and you can really, really fly,” she added. “If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t understand that.”Getty Images

For fans who’ve followed her long, winding love story with Affleck—from their first engagement in 2002 to their reunion two decades later—it’s the kind of closure few expected.

Their romance, famously dubbed “Bennifer,” has been a pop-culture rollercoaster. But for Lopez, it seems to have ended not with resentment, but with acceptance.

As for Kiss of the Spider Woman—the film that helped her through this chapter—it’s slated for release on October 10. Adapted from the Broadway musical based on Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel, it tells a story of passion, survival, and identity.

In many ways, Lopez’s own path over the past few years mirrors those same themes. In the end, her reflections suggest that real growth doesn’t always come from success or love.

Sometimes, it begins only after both have faded. And for Lopez, that transformation might turn out to be her most compelling performance yet.

In discussions of personal growth, it's essential to consider the insights of Dr. Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist at the Wharton School. He argues that vulnerability in public relationships can lead to deeper connections and authenticity. Grant notes that when celebrities like Lopez openly express their feelings, it invites their audience into a shared human experience, normalizing complex emotional landscapes.

Additionally, he advises individuals to lean into their vulnerabilities, suggesting that doing so can cultivate resilience and foster genuine connections with others. This approach not only aids personal healing but also encourages a culture of openness.

Solutions & Coping Strategies

The candidness displayed by Jennifer Lopez in her reflections on Ben Affleck serves as a reminder that personal growth often stems from our willingness to embrace vulnerability. Experts like Dr. Solomon and Dr. Grant provide valuable frameworks for understanding how expressing gratitude and vulnerability can enhance our relationships and emotional health. By acknowledging the positive impacts of past connections, individuals can foster healing and resilience.

Moving forward, engaging in practices such as journaling and open dialogue can empower individuals to create healthier emotional environments, both personally and publicly. These insights encourage a shift towards a more compassionate and understanding approach to relationships.