Jennifer Lopez Cuts off ‘Today’ Host Craig Melvin After Comment About Ben Affleck Divorce

Jennifer Lopez is tired of talking about and being asked about Ben Affleck. While appearing on Today to promote her latest film Kiss of the Spider Woman, she made it known there would be no Benifer talk.

Lopez and Affleck famously ended their engagement in 2004 before rekindling their relationship nearly 20 years later. This time they made is down the aisle, but they divorced after two years this winter after months of speculation they were headed for splitsville. 

“In the middle of filming this elaborate, beautiful musical, your divorce is also finalized with Ben—” Craig Melvin said to her before she cut him off mid-sentence with a laugh. “There you go,” she said. Melvin continued, “Well, but—” “Look at this guy,” Lopez shot back. “But then I read that your ex is an executive producer on the film!” Melvin clarified. “He is,” Lopez said. “If it wasn’t for Ben, the movie wouldn’t have been made and I will always give him that credit. You know, things happen.”

Of filming the movie amid splitting from her two-time ex, Lopez added the film “is about escapism.” “It’s about how movies and art save us in the hardest time of our lives,” she said. “Doing this project was such a dream come true for me … it really got me through a moment that was really difficult.”

Despite rumors of lifestyle differences and Affleck’s desire to keep their personal life out of the spotlight while Lopez put it on full display, Affleck has said they are amicable. He said there was “no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue” behind the separation in conversation with GQ earlier this year. “The truth is, when you talk to somebody, ‘Hey, what happened?’ Well, there is no: ‘This is what happened,’” Affleck said. “It’s just a story about people trying to figure out their lives and relationships in ways that we all sort of normally do.”