Ben Affleck has finally come forward to clear up one of the biggest mysteries from this year’s Grammy Awards – after visible tension between him and wife Jennifer Lopez.
Affleck and Lopez were caught apparently mid-tiff while sitting in the audience at the glamorous event in February.
Social media was soon alight with footage of the tense interaction, with speculation rife as to what was being said – and why Affleck looked ‘miserable’ all night.
More than a month later, Affleck has spoken out. He told The Hollywood Reporter the spat was a “husband-and-wife thing”, insisting he actually had a good time at the Grammys.
While he was eager to listen to some “good music” and have fun, Affleck said he got tense when he saw cameras closing in on him and Lopez, and wanted to make a quick escape.
Lopez, however, was having none of it.
“I saw [Grammy host Trevor Noah approach] and I was like, ‘Oh, God,'” he said.
“They were framing us in this shot, but I didn’t know they were rolling. I leaned into her and I was like, ‘As soon they start rolling, I’m going to slide away from you and leave you sitting next to Trevor.’
“She goes, ‘You better f—— not leave’. That’s a husband-and-wife thing.”
Affleck said his meme-worthy less-than-impressed expression also stemmed from not knowing who some of the acts at the star-studded event were because he doesn’t “keep up”.
The revelations come after Lopez was quick to poke fun at widespread speculation over what had gone down. Days later, she shared a trailer for Affleck’s upcoming film, Air, on Instagram – featuring a photo of her husband looking miserable labelled, ‘My husband’s happy face”, for the cover image.
She’d previously shared loved up pictures and videos of the couple at the event, despite fan speculation they were putting up a front.
Affleck warns stars to keep struggles private
Affleck, who has been in rehab multiple times amid a struggle with alcohol addiction, told The Hollywood Reporter he took particular issue with accusations that he was drunk in the footage that went viral.
“I’ve gone to events and been p—ed off. I’ve gone and been bored. I’ve gone to award shows and been drunk, a bunch. Nobody ever once said I’m drunk,” he said.
“[But at the Grammys] they were like, ‘He’s drunk’. And I thought, ‘That’s interesting’.
“That raises a whole other thing about whether or not it’s wise to acknowledge addiction because there’s a lot of compassion, but there is still a tremendous stigma, which is often quite inhibiting. I do think it disincentivises people from making their lives better.”
Affleck said he had been forced to become the “poster boy” for “actor alcoholism” and recovery, but he was happy that people felt comfortable contacting him for support.
But he often warns them that they should keep their addiction private, emphasising the importance of the “anonymous” part of the 12-step recovery program, Alcoholics Anonymous.
