Matt Damon refused to talk to Jennifer Lopez about her ex Ben Affleck at the after party for their new film Unstoppable, according to sources, who claim the actor made it clear that he will ‘always have Ben’s back.’
Eyebrows were raised when Lopez, 55, and Damon, 53, were spotted holding hands during a private moment at the event held at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday night.
The Jenny From the Block singer and the Bourne Identity star had their heads close together and looked serious as they engaged in a reported 20 minute conversation.
Lopez was said to be keen to talk to Damon about her estranged husband in the wake of their divorce, but Damon was reportedly ‘not having any of it.’
‘Matt Damon shut down any attempt that JLo made to discuss Ben at the premiere,’ an insider told DailyMail.com exclusively.
‘It was her timing that was so awkward because she would have known that pulling Matt aside at the event to have an intimate talk was going to get picked up and go viral.’
Matt Damon refused to talk to Jennifer Lopez (pictured) about her ex Ben Affleck at the Unstoppable afterparty on Friday night, insiders have told DailyMail.com
According to sources, Damon made it clear that he will ‘always have Ben’s back’ amid the couple’s ongoing divorce (Affleck and Lopez pictured in 2023)
The source continued: ‘Her whole hand on his hand was a nice touch – but he was not having any of it.
‘He told her he is glad she is doing well and is thankful for her participation in the film – but he made it clear he was not there to talk about Ben at all.’
At one point, the pair were sat together at the corner of the party and Lopez had her hand on Damon’s while he bowed his head as if in prayer.
Despite how fans have interpreted the images, the insider insisted that Damon ‘was not “praying” with her’ and that he stressed that he would ‘always have Ben’s back no matter what.’
Lopez turned heads in a disco ball-inspired revenge dress for the event, marking her first red carpet since filing for divorce from Affleck on August 20. The date marked exactly two years since they tied the knot at his Georgia mansion.
Damon and Affleck are producers on Unstoppable – a sports drama about Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and goes on to become a champion wrestler in college – but Affleck opted to stay home rather than risk a very public run-in with his ex on the red carpet.
Lopez, who plays a supporting role in the film, appeared to be in great spirits on the night as she continues to push forward after the collapse of her marriage.
A source previously told DailyMail.com that the Let’s Get Loud hitmaker was happy to ‘head to the Toronto Film Festival to promote this film because Unstoppable means a lot to her, she wants to support it.’
‘Matt Damon shut down any attempt that JLo made to discuss Ben at the premiere,’ the insider told DailyMail.com
Damon and Affleck are producers on Unstoppable, however Affleck opted to stay home rather than risk a very public run-in with his ex on the red carpet (pictured in January 2024)
‘It is a true life story that is very inspirational and she is proud to be a part of it. Acting in the movie was a high point for her,’ the insider said.
‘The movie has been getting a lot of attention and Jennifer wants it to do the best it can.
‘She is very professional and always works hard to give her movies their best opportunities.’
Both sides have been briefing against the other since their split, with Lopez’s camp claiming Affleck was ‘selfish, sullen and a loudmouth,’ while his team have painted his ex as fame-obsessed, while he hated their relationship being so public.
The singer famously made an album, musical film and documentary based on her love story with the actor and the letters he sent her in the early days of their relationship.
In the documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, Affleck talked of enjoying the celebrity spotlight less than his wife, but admitted it wouldn’t be ‘fair’ to Lopez to remove her from it.
Before their split was made public, it was reported that Damon advised Affleck to ‘focus on his work’ and not lose sight of his professional goals.
‘Matt tried to warn Ben when he got back together with JLo that this could happen,’ an insider told DailyMail.com.
‘Matt was there to help Ben get it together after their first split and he felt like this would happen again.’
Lopez and Affleck, 52, first got engaged at the end of 2002 but broke it off a year later before calling quits on their relationship for good in 2004
The couple rekindled their love in 2021 and married in a Las Vegas ceremony the following July, before throwing a lavish wedding at his Georgia estate in August 2022 (pictured)
Affleck has always held his friends’ opinion in high regard, especially thanks to the fact Damon has enjoyed a loving marriage with wife Luciana Barroso for over 18 years.
The friends of over 40 years broke onto the scene in a big way in 1997, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting.
While Affleck would later say they had considered going their separate ways professionally, this didn’t happen, and they worked on a number of projects together again.
The close pals still have another flick to promote with Lopez in the coming months – a movie musical, Kiss of the Spider Woman, in which she is also a co-producer.
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