Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck found themselves sharing the same red carpet once again on Monday night (6 October), as they stepped out for the New York premiere of Kiss of the Spider Woman.
The moment marked their first public reunion since their divorce was finalised earlier this year in January, but the focus of the evening was firmly on their shared passion for the film.
Lopez stars in the leading role as Ingrid Luna/Aurora/The Spider Woman—a challenging and transformative part in the big-screen adaptation of Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel.
The story, which explores fantasy, identity, and resilience against political repression, has seen previous incarnations as a 1985 Oscar-winning film and a celebrated Broadway musical.
What makes this version particularly special is the creative team behind it. Ben Affleck and his longtime friend Matt Damon served as producers through their company, Artists Equity, backing the project from the ground up.
Direction comes from musical film veteran Bill Condon, known for Chicago and Dreamgirls.
Speaking to Extra on the red carpet, Ben shared why the project meant so much to him—and why Lopez was always the right choice for the role.
“She’s amazing in the movie,” he said. “I just can’t wait for you, the audience, to see the movie. I’m as proud of this movie as any that I’ve ever been involved with. I’m really excited to be here tonight.”
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Billboard reports that he also praised Lopez’s commitment behind the scenes. “Early on in Jennifer’s involvement in this… she just was going to give it her all and she did. She worked enormously hard. You get to see all of her many gifts. She’s somebody that grew up watching classic musicals.”
The film made waves earlier this year with a buzz-worthy premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and awards chatter has been growing ever since. Still, Affleck says recognition isn’t what drives him.
“I like to try to develop my own standard for what I really like and think is great, and as such, I’m enormously proud of the movie. I always will be. I love this movie.”
Kiss of the Spider Woman, also starring Diego Luna and Tonatiuh, hits cinemas this Friday.
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