Jennifer Affleck is the rising star of social media and a cousin-in-law to Hollywood’s Ben Affleck. The charm offensive to the Internet seems to have happened again. In the latest from Jennifer on TikTok, she is playfully channeling the energy of no other than Jennifer Lopez herself while lip-syncing to the pop icon’s hit song “Jenny from the Block.”
The 25-year-old reality star, best known for appearing in Hulu’s new series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, captioned her video with a cheeky nod to the superstar, writing, “The new Jenny from the block.” While the intention seemed light and playful, it sparked an online debate in no time.
Ben Affleck’s cousin Jennifer Affleck calls herself “the new Jenny from the block” in new video featuring the song:
“The new Jenny from the block 🙈” PIC.TWITTER.COM/L20G1RB2DN
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) SEPTEMBER 5, 2024
Fans of Jennifer Lopez, 55, didn’t hold back in the comment section, pointing out the possible insensitivity of the song choice at hand in light of J.Lo’s recent divorce from Ben Affleck. Jen A., who is married to Ben’s second cousin Zac Affleck, was again at the forefront of criticism as many TikTok users accused her of living off of Lopez’s fame and personal struggles.
Despite the backlash, it would appear that Jen Affleck’s most recent video has been more to reach her fanbase rather than to create some sort of controversy. Jen has been very vocal about her creative process and decision to tend to an ever-growing audience by keeping things fun, light, and above all, relatable on social media.
In recent interviews, she has said that her content is representative of her love for music, dance, and pop culture-a combination that works for her followers, many of whom like her because of her blunt take on fame and her famous last name. “I want my videos to be a place where people can escape and laugh,” she said. “I’m just having fun with it, and I think people forget that sometimes. Jennifer has always taken pride in her association with the Affleck name, often using PJs about her family connection to the Hollywood megastar. Case in point, this TikTok-but she really seamlessly sews together humor and pop culture into personal-life content that really cuts through for her growing base.
As a matter of fact, this is not the first time she has referred to her ties to Ben Affleck on social media.
She had once shared, in November 2022, a humorous video where she danced to children’s songs, and the caption then read, “When you thought you were going to be the next J. Lo, but instead … she stole your name and you’re busting it down to Ms. Rachel.” At that time, the video had her fans in stitches due to her great sense of humor and self-deprecation that was endearing.
While some of her viewers shamed her for “capitalizing” off the divorce of Ben and J.Lo, most found the video simply a harmless, fun nod to her connection with the Affleck-Lopez narrative. Her followers love her sense of humor; they refer to her as entertaining and relatable, which is why the count of her followers continues increasing.
Other than her social media fame, Jennifer is also going to leave her mark on reality television. She was to star in the upcoming series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which promises a sneak look at a group of TikTok moms living in Utah. Soon to air, the show will track Jennifer navigating her life both as a mother and an influencer, along with her relationship with Zach Affleck. For Jennifer, headlining this reality show is a big step up. Though she has already built a decent online following, the exposure through this television debut will afford her even greater reach by meshing her relatable TikTok personality with a deeper dive into both her personal and family life.
After all, the new Jennifer Affleck video isn’t just another viral moment but part of a strategy to reach her audience by other means than traditional ones. Thanks to the contribution of pop culture references, such as J.Lo’s famous song, the singer keeps her relevance and fun going. And pending the premiere of her reality show, Jennifer will be even more in the spotlight among followers, social media included.
