It was one of those Toronto International Film Festival afterparties on everybody’s lips. Fresh from the Unstoppable set, Jennifer Lopez was photographed with Matt Damon-the co-producer of the film-in a quiet, intimate moment that quickly got rumor mills churning. Of course, both are known for their years of friendship, but this exchange did come in the wake of Lopez’s highly publicized divorce from Damon’s longtime friend and collaborator, Ben Affleck.
The night had already been a huge one for Jennifer Lopez. Unstoppable, in which she plays the determined mother of real-life wrestler Anthony Robles, was premiering, and the after party was star-studded. Damon, seated with his wife Luciana and actor Don Cheadle, seemed to be in the midst of enjoying the celebration before he and Lopez broke away for a more private chat.
The two had a deep conversation for about 20 minutes, where witnesses described their exchange as serious and lighthearted. One time, they were even holding hands, prompting speculation from many observers that Damon was providing emotional support to Lopez, who continued to navigate the public fallout of her divorce.
Lopez’s Daring Comeback This marked one of Lopez’s first major public appearances since the filing for divorce, but she definitely didn’t hold anything back. Wearing a rather daring, almost completely see-through gown, all eyes were on her, and for her fans, one thing was promptly observed: the missing tattoo of Affleck. The tattoo, once a very public declaration of love to him, was gone-a fact that almost seemed to say Lopez was moving on.
Although the moment between Damon and Lopez did appear to be so tender, a source close to the stars has stated that their relationship is platonic. Damon has always been friends with both Lopez and Affleck, and his support at the after-party may easily be viewed as a gesture of friendship and not really romantic. But online sites were not so slow in jumping on the moment to speculate whether this was a meeting indicating something more.
"It's no secret that Matt and Jennifer have always had a good relationship,"
says one insider.
"Given the timing, it's understandable why people would talk, but it seems more like a supportive friend lending a shoulder during a difficult time."
The absence of Ben Affleck, who was a co-producer of Unstoppable, poured even more fuel into the fire. He was noticeably absent in all this, and the suspicion being thrown about is that he refused to show up, especially after his split from Lopez. This makes things even more interesting because Damon and Affleck have been best friends and business partners for decades.
Celebrity relationship analysts had a few words to say about the possible effect this may have.
"Jennifer and Matt are in a very tricky situation,"
said one analyst.
"Their friendship has always been close-knit, but with the whole Lopez divorce in the spotlight, people are starting to be more apt to read into moments like these. It could affect their public image, especially since Damon is such a close friend of Affleck's.".
However, some say that it would be professional and not on a personal level. That is because Lopez and Damon and Affleck are highly important players within the entertainment field; hence, any change in their interpersonal equation would have a potential effect in future projects.
But for now, those are just rumors. For now, one thing is sure-the intrigue surrounding Lopez and Matt Damon and Affleck isn’t going away any time soon. Whether this was a moment of friendship or something more, the world will be watching what happens next.
