Jennifer Lopez admits not everyone in her camp initially supported the idea to document her romance with husband Ben Affleck in her upcoming “This Is Me… Now” album and companion film.
“As artists, we have to follow our heart and this is me following my heart and doing something that maybe everybody didn’t think was the best idea, but I had to do it,” Lopez tells me.
Lopez is set to drop “This Is Me… Now,” a new album that marks the 20th anniversary of “This Is Me…Then,” on Feb. 16. The Dave Meyers-directed companion short film will be released at the same time by Amazon MGM Studios.
Sure, Lopez has some worries about putting her and Affleck’s life in the spotlight because “we both have PTSD” caused by the media scrutiny they endured back when they first dated, she said, “but we’re older now. We’re wiser. We also know what’s important, what’s really important in life, and it’s not so much what other people think. It’s about being true to who you are.”
Asked if the film is a scripted feature or doc, Lopez explained, “You have to see it and you’ll have to experience it to understand it. That’s why I call it a ‘musical experience.’ Because there’s music, you can see it, you can hear it and then you’ll get to live it.”
A recent teaser for the film included a clip of Lopez saying, “When I was a little girl, when someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always… in love.”
It was almost a year ago when Lopez told me, at the premiere of her rom-com “Shotgun Wedding,” that she would love to act with Affleck again. They infamously co-starred in 2003’s “Gigli,” which bombed both with critics and at the box office. “We talk,” Lopez said at the time. “We love being together and working together so, yeah, you never know.”
Lopez and Affleck initially dated in the early 2000s. Bennifer, as they were often called, came to an end not long after they called off their wedding in 2003. The relationship was rekindled in 2021 before marrying in Las Vegas in 2022.
Lopez and Affleck’s most recent red carpet appearance took place on Dec. 5 in Hollywood when she was honored at Elle’s Women in Hollywood celebration.
My future mother-in-law said that I “don’t deserve” the real family engagement ring so I gave her a fake one instead and taught her a lesson
Belle’s jubilation over her engagement to David is clouded when Laura, David’s mother, makes an astonishing disclosure about the family ring during the celebration of Laura’s birthday. The revelation causes their familial relationships to alter, creating a conflict.
Laura is not overly thrilled when Belle and David announce their engagement over the celebratory dinner. In her toast, Laura reveals something that totally refutes Belle’s theory on the family ring she was given. Belle, in spite of her best efforts to maintain composure, feels duped and hurt by Laura’s open revelation.
Throughout the evening, Belle struggles to make sense of Laura’s deceit and her preconceived assumptions about their relationship. She is even less convinced of Laura’s sincerity when David seems to be unaware of the ring’s true meaning.Unable to control her feelings of betrayal, Belle devises a plan to inform Laura of the truth. She presents Laura with an assessment kit, which shows Laura the true value of her jewelry collection. As the expert’s evaluations advance and Belle’s objectives become clear, David can feel Laura’s embarrassment.
Laura extends a heartfelt apology to David after he confronts her about her deceit, and they start to communicate again. Despite some early conflict, Laura’s efforts to make things right resulted in the family getting back together and a renewed commitment to transparency and honesty.
After the incident, Belle and David reaffirm their devotion to one another and pledge to prioritize openness and trust in their relationship. Laura extends olive branches of peace, and Belle sees hope for a future in which honesty and respect rule their family dynamic.
Leave a Reply