<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hollywood rarely flexes its soft power muscles these days.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Studios once extolled the glories of the Founding Fathers, rallied the troops during times of war and otherwise exported tales of American exceptionalism.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, if a studio has a message to send, it’s often pointing out the country’s flaws, be it slavery’s enduring stain (“Till”), gender discrimination (“She Said”) or corporate greed (“The Wolf of Wall Street&#8221;).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And that product gets shipped around the globe.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s why “Air” feels like a movie made during a different era.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The true story behind the Air Jordan sneaker that revolutionized sports marketing comes from a curious source – progressive superstars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Boston buddies crashed Hollywood with 1997’s “Good Will Hunting,” and their friendship remains intact. Their latest collaboration, following the 2021 box office dud “The Last Duel,” recalls Nike attempt to lure rookie Michael Jordan into its endorsement arms, and the precarious negotiations that sealed the deal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Air” tracks how a Nike executive named Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) convinced Jordan’s mother (Viola Davis) to weigh the company’s pitch over similar pleas from Converse and Adidas. The latter were the go-to sneakers for ‘80s era basketball giants, and Damon’s character needed to change that thinking or suffer the consequences.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He could lose both his job and professional clout if his sales pitch falls flat. His hunch tells him it’s the right move, though, and he can’t ignore his gut. What’s comical is how Damon gained weight for the role, inflating said gut to make him far less athletic than the stars he pursues.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sonny turns to Nike CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) for help. He needs cash to dangle in front of Team Jordan, but the guru-like Knight isn’t initially sold on the pitch.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We all know what happened next. The Air Jordan sneaker became a sensation that endures even today, and Jordan became the greatest basketball player of his generation — if not of all time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Air” delivers nostalgia, colorful characters, and a can’t-miss narrative based on actual events. That’s not the only story in play.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The drama is a love letter to American capitalism, acknowledging the risks many face when they dream big. Courage, faith, and grit can yield substantial results, and you don’t need a killer jump shot to make it happen.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sonny is the story’s hero, alongside co-conspirators played by Chris Tucker and Jason Bateman. They know Sonny is attempting a Hail Mary pass, to mix sports metaphors, but they’re betting everything they have that he just might score a touchdown.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s a moment late in the film where most moviegoers will expect a woke detour. Mrs. Jordan is mulling the Nike offer, and she knows her son’s value off and on the court.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here comes &#8216;The Lecture™&#8217;, the moment when a Hollywood film uncorks a monologue about the racial inequities in play, the country’s tragic past, and the imbalances within the western financial scene.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, Davis’ character reminds Sonny of her son’s worth, and skill, and why signing him will be a win-win scenario.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">No lecture. No attempt to guilt Sonny into a deal via racial discrimination. It’s all about merit and getting paid what you’re due.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alex Convery’s screenplay never wags its finger at Nike, corporate greed, or capitalism’s inevitable inequities. Instead, it praises ingenuity, guile, and perseverance. Sonny works ‘round the clock to seal the deal, as do several colleagues.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, when the chips are down, they turn to Nike’s sneaker guru (Matt Maher) to turn their vision into reality.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not every capitalist sinks the winning shot, of course. Many dreamers watch their hopes dashed by reality. Others fail and fail again before crafting their success story.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One wrong word from Mama Jordan, and we’d be wearing Michael Jordan kicks from Adidas today.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The system rewards bold and courageous souls who believe in their ability to defy the odds. The latter is personified on-screen by Chris Messina, stealing the film as Jordan’s cranky agent.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Air” doesn’t diminish the free market. It celebrates it without question or hand wringing. The film is generating mostly raves from professional critics, too, save a nasty swipe from </span><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/04/17/air-movie-review-paint" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Yorker</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> due to its fiscal framing.</span></p>
<blockquote><p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This movie, in short, kneels at the altar of high capitalism.</span></em></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s important to remember how left of center the film’s stars remain. Damon famously played, and mercilessly mocked, future Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the height of the 2018 confirmation hearings.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Affleck once told Playboy Magazine he’s </span><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ben-affleck-has-a-hard-time-watching-republican-actors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">uncomfortable watching Republican actors</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<blockquote><p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">When I watch a guy I know is a big Republican, part of me thinks, I probably wouldn’t like this person if I met him, or we would have different opinions. That s*** fogs the mind when you should be paying attention and be swept into the illusion.</span></em></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s not the first time the Affleck-Damon pairing took a pragmatic approach to their art. The duo collaborated on Project Greenlight, a docuseries meant to foster young filmmakers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The show, which ran for four seasons and is being rebooted by actress/producer Issa Rae, followed indie filmmakers attempting to make a movie. Affleck and Damon co-produced the show, and their collective star wattage powered it above and beyond your average docuseries.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They knew better than anyone what it takes to beat the Hollywood odds, and they wanted to share those lessons with others.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The series didn’t launch any new superstars, but several of the directors in question enjoyed modest careers following their show appearance. It likely inspired more than a few wannabe directors watching at home to give filmmaking a try.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chances are someone will see “Air,” note how the main characters gambled on their guts … and won. That’s soft power in real time, an American sentiment worth sharing both here and across the globe.</span></p>
<p><em>Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>. </em></p>
<p><em>The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.</em></p>


2023 SXSW Conference And Festival – Day 9

Affleck, Damon Deliver With ‘Air,’ A Pro-Capitalism Three-Pointer

Affleck, Damon Deliver ‘With Air,’ A Pro-Capitalism Three-Pointer

Ben Affleck

Entertainment

Hollywood

Matt Damon

Michael Jordan

Movies

Nike

Readers Pass

U.S.

<p>Ben Affleck said he was &#8220;miserable&#8221; during the filming of &#8220;Justice League,&#8221; remarking it almost made him quit Hollywood altogether.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-affleck">50-year-old</a> actor said he was drinking way &#8220;too much&#8221; when he had to be away from his kids in 2016 while filming the DC superhero movie in London, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/ben-affleck-air-production-company-grammys-memes-justice-league-1235353301/">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.</p>
<p>&#8220;[&#8216;Justice League&#8217;] made me go, &#8216;I&#8217;m out,'&#8221; Affleck told the outlet. &#8220;I never want to do any of this again. I&#8217;m not suited.&#8221;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ben Affleck&#39;s next shot. </p>
<p>The actor, filmmaker and budding CEO on the disruptive production company he launched with Matt Damon, why he’s done with DC, getting Michael Jordan’s blessing for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AirMovie?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AirMovie</a> and the advice he took from wife Jennifer Lopez: <a href="https://t.co/yBVuMoYBYp">https://t.co/yBVuMoYBYp</a> <a href="https://t.co/QbAuaXRJRN">pic.twitter.com/QbAuaXRJRN</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1636353069943508992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>&#8220;That was the worst experience I&#8217;ve ever seen in a business which is full of some sh***y experiences,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It broke my heart.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;And I started to drink too much,” the actor continued. &#8220;I was back at the hotel in London, it was either that or jump out the window. And I just thought, &#8216;This isn&#8217;t the life I want. My kids aren&#8217;t here. I&#8217;m miserable.'&#8221;</p>
<p>The &#8220;Gone Girl&#8221; star and husband of Jennifer Lopez also said that the experience left such a bad &#8220;taste&#8221; in his mouth he decided not to direct his own &#8220;Batman&#8221; film.</p>
<p>Initially, Zach Snyder was in charge of directing the DC movie but left during production after a death in his family. Joss Whedon stepped in to help, but Affleck said it just made things worse.</p>
<p>&#8220;There was an idea of someone [Whedon] coming in, like, &#8216;I&#8217;ll rescue you and we&#8217;ll do 60 days of shooting and I&#8217;ll write a whole thing around what you have. I&#8217;ve got the secret,'&#8221; the &#8220;Good Will Hunting&#8221; star said. &#8220;And it wasn&#8217;t the secret. That was hard.&#8221;</p>
<p><b data-stringify-type="bold"><a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-16648">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a></b></p>
<p>Affleck said if DC came to him now and asked him to direct a movie he wouldn&#8217;t work under James Gunn, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-affleck-says-no-to-directing-dc-movies-under-new-studio-head-james-gunn">reported</a>. Gunn and Peter Safran recently took over as heads for DC Studios.</p>
<p>&#8220;I would not direct something for the [James] Gunn DC,&#8221; Affleck said. &#8220;Absolutely not.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I have nothing against James Gunn,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Nice guy, sure he&#8217;s going to do a great job. I just wouldn&#8217;t want to go in and direct in the way they&#8217;re doing that. I&#8217;m not interested in that.&#8221;</p>
<p>The &#8220;Deep Water&#8221; star was previously married to actress Jennifer Garner for more than a decade. The two share three kids. Lopez and Affleck rekindled their romance in 2021 and finally walked down the aisle at a chapel in Las Vegas in July 2022, 18 years after they got engaged for the first time.</p>


Los Angeles Premiere Of Amazon Studio’s “The Tender Bar” – Arrivals

‘Miserable’: Ben Affleck Reveals What Almost Made Him Quit Hollywood

‘I Was Miserable’: Ben Affleck Reveals What Almost Made Him Quit Hollywood

Celebrities

Jennifer Lopez

<p><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-affleck">Ben Affleck</a> set the record straight in a recent interview about the viral clip in which he appears grumpy while sitting next to his wife <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-lopez">Jennifer Lopez</a> at the 2023 Grammys.</p>
<p>The 50-year-old actor said he&#8217;s gone to previous awards shows and been &#8220;pissed off&#8221; or went to them and &#8220;been bored,” but this year&#8217;s Grammys was not the case, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/ben-affleck-air-production-company-grammys-memes-justice-league-1235353301/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.</p>
<p>&#8220;I had a good time at the Grammys,&#8221; Affleck said. &#8220;My wife was going, and I thought, &#8216;Well, there&#8217;ll be good music. It might be fun.&#8217; At movie award shows, it&#8217;s speeches and, like, sound-mixing webinars. But I thought this would be fun.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I saw [GRAMMY host Trevor Noah approach] and I was like, &#8216;Oh, God.&#8217; They were framing us in this shot, but I didn’t know they were rolling,&#8221; he added.</p>
<p>&#8220;I leaned into her and I was like, &#8216;As soon they start rolling, I’m going to slide away from you and leave you sitting next to Trevor.&#8217; She goes, &#8216;You better f***ing not leave,’” Affleck continued. &#8220;That’s a husband-and-wife thing. I mean, some of it is, I&#8217;m like, &#8216;All right, who is this act?&#8217; Like, I don’t keep up. My wife does, obviously. And yeah, it is your wife&#8217;s work event.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>WATCH:</strong></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lip reader reveals what was said during the tense exchange between Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck that was caught on camera during The Grammys. <a href="https://t.co/iWwOGQvMgd">pic.twitter.com/iWwOGQvMgd</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Mike Sington (@MikeSington) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSington/status/1622939647704973317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The &#8220;Gone Girl&#8221; star said he&#8217;s gone to awards shows and &#8220;been drunk, a bunch,” but no one &#8220;ever once said I’m drunk” until this year. Affleck, a recovering alcoholic, has been very open about his sobriety struggles.</p>
<p><b data-stringify-type="bold"><a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-374010">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a></b></p>
<p>&#8220;[But at the Grammys] they were like, &#8216;He&#8217;s drunk,’” the actor explained. &#8220;And I thought, that&#8217;s interesting. That raises a whole other thing about whether or not it&#8217;s wise to acknowledge addiction because there&#8217;s a lot of compassion, but there is still a tremendous stigma, which is often quite inhibiting. I do think it disincentivizes people from making their lives better.”</p>
<p>The &#8220;Deep Water&#8221; star was previously married to actress Jennifer Garner for more than a decade. The two share three kids. Lopez and Affleck rekindled their romance in 2021 and finally walked down the aisle at a chapel in Las Vegas in July 2022, 18 years after they got engaged for the first time.</p>
<p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/twitter-cant-get-enough-of-ben-affleck-looking-miserable-at-the-grammys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter Can&#8217;t Get Enough Of Ben Affleck Looking &#8216;Miserable&#8217; At The Grammys</a></strong></p>


65th GRAMMY Awards – Show

Ben Affleck Is Setting The Record Straight About His Viral Grumpy Grammys Moment

Grammys

<p>Actor <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/are-you-all-right-this-morning-dunkin-donuts-drops-outtakes-from-ben-affleck-super-bowl-ad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Affleck</a> says he won&#8217;t direct any DC movies under new studio head James Gunn — despite previous plans to direct a Batman film after donning the crusader&#8217;s cape himself.</p>
<p>Affleck explained his position in an <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/ben-affleck-air-production-company-grammys-memes-justice-league-1235353301/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> published Thursday by The Hollywood Reporter, saying that doing &#8220;Justice League&#8221; had changed his perspective on the superhero film genre in general, leaving &#8220;the most monstrous taste&#8221; in his mouth.</p>
<p>&#8220;You could teach a seminar on all the reasons why this is how not to do it,&#8221; Affleck said of making &#8220;Justice League. &#8220;Ranging from production to bad decisions to horrible personal tragedy, and just ending with the most monstrous taste in my mouth. The genius, and the silver lining, is that Zack Snyder eventually went to AT&amp;T and was like, &#8216;Look, I can get you four hours of content.'&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="https://dailywire.com/news/ben-affleck-questions-netflixs-assembly-line-filmmaking-process-how-can-they-make-50-great-movies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Affleck</a> went on to say that the extra &#8220;content&#8221; Snyder had provided was mostly slow motion he had shot in black-and-white — along with one day when Affleck says they shot in Snyder&#8217;s backyard.</p>
<p>&#8220;He was like, &#8216;Do you want to come shoot in my backyard?&#8217; I was like, &#8216;I think there are unions, Zack. I think we have to make a deal.&#8217; But I went and did it. And now [<em>Zack Snyder’s Justice League</em>] is my highest-rated movie on IMDb,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;Retroactively, it’s a hit. All of a sudden I was getting congratulated for the bomb I’m in,&#8221; Affleck continued, adding that his experience on &#8220;Justice League&#8221; was what made him decide he was not going to direct a Batman film after all. &#8220;[It] made me go, &#8216;I’m out. I never want to do any of this again. I’m not suited.&#8217; That was the worst experience I’ve ever seen in a business which is full of some sh***y experiences. It broke my heart.&#8221;</p>
<p>Lamenting the constant use of green screens, adding, &#8220;You want to go to work and find something interesting to hang onto, rather than just wearing a rubber suit, and most of it you’re just standing against the computer screen going, &#8216;If this nuclear waste gets loose, we’ll …'&#8221;</p>
<p>When asked whether he&#8217;d consider coming back to direct a DC movie, Affleck was adamant. &#8220;I would not direct something for the [James] Gunn DC. Absolutely not,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I have nothing against James Gunn. Nice guy, sure he’s going to do a great job. I just wouldn’t want to go in and direct in the way they’re doing that. I’m not interested in that.&#8221;</p>


2023 NBA All Star – Ruffles Celebrity Game

Ben Affleck Says No To Directing DC Movies Under New Studio Head James Gunn

James Gunn

Marvel

<p>Actor <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/j-lo-reveals-the-three-words-ben-affleck-had-engraved-on-her-engagement-ring-theyre-not-what-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Affleck</a> repped his own favorite coffee-and-donut fix — Dunkin&#8217; Donuts — in a Super Bowl spot alongside his new wife, singer Jennifer Lopez.</p>
<p>The ad debuted during Sunday&#8217;s matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs — the Chiefs <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/chiefs-clinch-super-bowl-win-with-just-8-seconds-left-on-the-clock/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clinched the win</a> with a field goal with just eight seconds left to play — and featured <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/ben-affleck-spotted-working-a-dunkin-donuts-drive-thru-window/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Affleck</a> working the drive-thru as unsuspecting customers pulled in for coffee and donuts.</p>
<p>&#8220;They say go big or go home so Ben went big and came home to Massachusetts,&#8221; the chain tweeted from the brand Twitter account, sharing the commercial that showed Affleck working at the drive-thru in Medford, Massachusetts, surprising customers and posing for selfies as the realized who he was.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">they say go big or go home so Ben went big and came home to Massachusetts <a href="https://t.co/PctBV6McLR">pic.twitter.com/PctBV6McLR</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dunkin&#39; (@dunkindonuts) <a href="https://twitter.com/dunkindonuts/status/1624920081162547200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The last customer Affleck served was his wife, and as Lopez recognized him through the window, she asked, &#8220;What are you doing here?&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re embarrassing me in front of my friends,&#8221; Affleck complained.</p>
<p>&#8220;Is this what you do when you say you&#8217;re going to work all day?&#8221; Lopez pressed.</p>
<p>&#8220;I gotta go, guys,&#8221; Affleck said to the other employees, and Lopez shouted after him, &#8220;Grab me a glazed!&#8221;</p>
<p>But some of Affleck&#8217;s favorite interactions did not make the final cut — &#8220;It&#8217;s Boston, after all, so we had some rather coarse and agitated people who were willing to voice their displeasure in a colorful way. I&#8217;m still lobbying to include the most interesting of those in some of the edgiest social spots.&#8221;</p>
<p>Dunkin&#8217; Donuts shared a second video after the ad aired, including some of the outtakes.</p>
<p><strong>WATCH:</strong></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Dunkin’ ‘Drive-Thru’ Outtakes Starring Ben" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dDagvdEa0D8?start=60&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>&#8220;Welcome to the Medford, Massachusetts, Dunkin&#8217;, scenic Medford,&#8221; Affleck said over the headset. &#8220;Why travel when you&#8217;re already there? That&#8217;s our slogan. You can have a &#8230; whatever you want for free.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m struggling,&#8221; Affleck said, and then apologized as he spilled a drink as he handed out the window. Poking the touch screen, he added, &#8220;I cannot make it function. Malfunction! Not as easy as it looks operating this apparatus.&#8221;</p>
<p>Affleck proceeded to ad-lib, telling one customer that they were out of coffee and donuts and all they had was water. &#8220;You&#8217;re s****ing me,&#8221; was the man&#8217;s response.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m trying to compensate with comedy for my ineptitude,&#8221; Affleck replied.</p>
<p>He then attempted to repeat a customer&#8217;s order back to her, mangling it so badly that she asked, &#8220;Are you all right this morning?&#8221;</p>


‘Are You All Right This Morning?’: Dunkin’ Donuts Drops Outtakes From Ben Affleck Super Bowl Ad

Dunkin' Donuts Drops Outtakes From Ben Affleck Super Bowl Ad

Super Bowl

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Photos of </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-affleck"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ben Affleck</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> looking miserable at the 65th </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/grammys"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grammy Awards</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> alongside his new wife, </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-lopez"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jennifer Lopez</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, have been making the rounds on social media.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans are delighted with multiple shots of the 50-year-old actor sitting in the front row with a sour look on his face, which are all reminiscent of a viral meme featuring Affleck looking sad. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lopez and Affleck did not walk the </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment"><span style="font-weight: 400;">red carpet</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> together, but they were spotted several times when cameras panned to them in the Grammys audience. One of those instances was during an appearance by Stevie Wonder, Chris Stapleton, and Smokey Robinson. Lopez looked like she was enjoying the show while her husband of six months seemed less than enthused.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Ben Affleck would rather be anywhere else than front row at the [Grammys] watching Stevie Wonder crush Higher Ground,” one person </span><a href="https://twitter.com/mattwilstein/status/1622413284984123393"><span style="font-weight: 400;">reacted</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to the clip. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[H]owever bad of a day you’re having, I promise you’re not as miserable as Ben Affleck at the Grammys right now,” another Twitter user </span><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerAlthouse/status/1622414464002695169"><span style="font-weight: 400;">agreed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">however bad of a day you’re having, I promise you’re not as miserable as Ben Affleck at the Grammys right now <a href="https://t.co/OQxA54H9P1">pic.twitter.com/OQxA54H9P1</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerAlthouse/status/1622414464002695169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The “Good Will Hunting” actor had previously opened up about one of the original “sad Affleck” memes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;I got to a place where [the public perception] was so different from who I am that I just stopped reading and stopped caring,&#8221; he </span><a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-01-07/ben-affleck-tender-bar-amazon"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The Los Angeles Times last year of how fans saw him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;But then, as my kids got older and started seeing the internet themselves, that&#8217;s the difficult part,” he continued. “Even the &#8216;Sad Affleck&#8217; meme — that was funny to me. I mean, there&#8217;s nobody who hasn&#8217;t felt that way at a junket. But then my kids see it and I think, &#8216;Oh, are they going to think their dad is fundamentally sad or they have to worry about me?&#8217; That&#8217;s really tough.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The father of three made headlines last year when he married Lopez a full 18 years after their first engagement was called off.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They feel like they are in the same place in life now and relate to each other on another level,” a source said at the time of their relationship, as The Daily Wire previously </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-affleck-jennifer-lopez-get-married-18-years-after-first-engagement"><span style="font-weight: 400;">reported</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “Ben feels younger around Jen and like she brings out his best self. He loves that he doesn’t have to try very hard and can just be himself. Jen loves being around Ben no matter what they are doing.”</span></p>


Twitter Can’t Get Enough Of Ben Affleck Looking ‘Miserable’ At The Grammys

Twitter Can't Get Enough Of Ben Affleck Looking 'Miserable' At The Grammys

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dunkin’ Donuts customers in Medford, Massachusetts, were in for a real surprise Tuesday when they saw Oscar-winning actor </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-affleck"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ben Affleck</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> serving their orders out the drive-thru window.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 50-year-old </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities"><span style="font-weight: 400;">actor</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was almost unrecognizable as he donned the full Dunkin’ Donuts employee uniform, including the apron, baseball cap, and headset. But </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fans</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> might have noticed the camera crew set up nearby documenting the whole thing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Customer Lisa Mackay </span><a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/ben-affleck-spotted-serving-dunkin-at-a-mass-drive-thru/2941115/?e"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Boston&#8217;s NBC affiliate that Affleck was “incredibly funny and quick-witted&#8221; while serving her coffee. She also snapped a picture of the “Good Will Hunting” star and posted it on social media. </span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ben Affleck was recently spotted working a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru in Massachusetts. <a href="https://t.co/qJE8Ov1BBE">pic.twitter.com/qJE8Ov1BBE</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Pop Base (@PopBase) <a href="https://twitter.com/PopBase/status/1612905287555624961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mackay also said she signed a form authorizing the use of her image. She said crew members informed her that Affleck was there because he was shooting a commercial, which TMZ speculated could be slated to air during Super Bowl LVI in February.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook user Melanie Ann also shared a photo on the platform, noting that Affleck’s wife, Jennifer Lopez, was also there serving coffee, though she wasn’t wearing the employee uniform. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was served ‘free’ coffee today by these lovely guests! I got mad that they were messing with me over the intercom about my order…. Drove up and almost died! I didn’t take a picture a friend did! Ben and J-Lo!” she </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/melanie.powers.14/posts/pfbid0URckX4ELd5DbF6nRu9K5CkBeT11Wj6djwBKNX9vuxPgxC38eKSX7xBvZSLfHePprl"><span style="font-weight: 400;">wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Affleck is a Boston native and has been frequently photographed enjoying Dunkin’ Donuts products, making a partnership between him and the Massachusetts-based chain logical.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The actor shared his love for the product while speaking with </span><a href="https://collider.com/ben-affleck-interview-triple-frontier/#netflix"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Collider</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 2019. At the time, the “Justice League” star was excited for Dunkin’ to be opening locations near his home in Los Angeles.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have Dunkin&#8217; Donuts every day,” Affleck said. “It’s very weird, I have it every day and people are always like, ‘Where is that? Is that near here?’ So, I feel like I’m spreading the word.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Affleck and Lopez just got married last year after reuniting in 2021, having previously dated and gotten engaged between 2002 and 2004. Lopez </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-still-carries-tradition-jennifer-lopez-says-she-was-shocked-after-nyt-op-ed-upset-she-took-ben-afflecks-last-name"><span style="font-weight: 400;">took heat</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for taking Affleck’s last name, but she said it’s because she respects “tradition.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I can understand that people have their feelings about it, and that’s okay, too,” Lopez said of the backlash. “But if you want to know how I feel about it, I just feel like it’s romantic. It still carries tradition and romance to me, and maybe I’m just that kind of girl.”</span></p>


Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles – September 16, 2022

Ben Affleck Spotted Working A Dunkin’ Donuts Drive-Thru Window

Ben Affleck Spotted Working A Dunkin' Donuts Drive-Thru Window 

Massachusetts

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actor </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-affleck"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ben Affleck</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> had some criticism for </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/netflix"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Netflix</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">’s approach to filmmaking.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The “Argo” star made the remarks at The New York Times&#8217; Dealbook Summit this week while promoting his new company with longtime collaborator Matt Damon.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m sure there’s wisdom in that and I’m sure they had a great strategy, but I would have said, &#8216;How are we going to make 50 great </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies"><span style="font-weight: 400;">movies</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">? How is that possible?&#8217; There’s no committee big enough. There aren’t enough — you just can’t do it,” Affleck said, per the </span><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11492683/Ben-Affleck-swipe-Netflixs-assembly-line-process-production.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daily Mail</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s a thing that requires attention and dedication and work and resists the assembly line process,” he continued. “[Netflix’s head of original films] Scott Stuber is a really talented, smart guy who I really like … but it’s an impossible job.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Oscar winner admitted that he understood the tactic to some extent, but still preferred to focus on artistic integrity for any projects he’s part of.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There’s bigger audience for action movies than there is for small dramas. I get that. Certain genres play more broadly and you can’t not be mindful of that. But let’s do a good one, let’s surprise the audience, let’s make them care about it,” he said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Affleck and Damon announced their new endeavor, Artists Equity, earlier this year. It was described as an “artist-led studio that partners with filmmakers to empower creative vision and broaden access to profit participation.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Affleck and Damon got their big break after co-writing the 1997 drama “Good Will Hunting” and have remained friends and associates ever since. Affleck said in a statement to Deadline that their new company will focus on quality and creativity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It will also be “providing fair and equitable compensation to everyone involved while also making movies that are of high quality and have commercial appeal,” per </span><a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/30/ben-affleck-artists-equity-dealbook"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Axios</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Artists Equity was conceived from Matt’s and my longtime passion for the art of storytelling and our shared desire to help creators deliver on their vision, as we have been fortunate to do throughout our careers,” the statement </span><a href="https://deadline.com/2022/11/ben-affleck-matt-damon-launch-production-company-with-redbird-capital-1235178013/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in part.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">RedBird Capital is reportedly making “a significant financial commitment” to the new company’s launch, the publication noted. </span></p>


New York Times DealBook Summit Held In New York City

Ben Affleck Questions Netflix’s ‘Assembly Line’ Filmmaking Process: ‘How Can They Make 50 Great Movies?’

Ben Affleck Questions Netflix's 'Assembly Line' Filmmaking Process: 'How Can They Make 50 Great Movies?'

Netflix

<p>Jennifer Lopez revealed the one movie role she wished she hadn&#8217;t turned down — in the 2002 romance, thriller &#8220;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250797/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unfaithful</a>&#8221; — with the leading roles going to Richard Gere and Diane Lane.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-lopez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">53-year-old</a> actress opened up about a wide variety of topics for <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/73-questions-with-jennifer-lopez">Vogue&#8217;s</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVAb-iLIwfA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">73 Questions with Jennifer Lopez</a> in a clip posted on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVAb-iLIwfA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube</a> on Wednesday. One of the questions from the magazine was &#8220;is there a movie you really regret turning down.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Unfaithful,&#8221; Lopez answered as she shook her head yes. She did not however explain what role it was she turned down.</p>
<p>When asked which of her movies she would most like to make a sequel to, her answer was the movie she and husband Ben Affleck met and starred in together, and that was &#8220;Gigli&#8221; that came out in 2003.</p>
<p><strong>WATCH:</strong></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="73 Questions With Jennifer Lopez | Vogue" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AVAb-iLIwfA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Among the other revelations the &#8220;Marry Me&#8221; star shared was what she would do if she could go &#8220;unrecognized for 24 hours.”</p>
<p>Her answer was simple: &#8220;walk through a crowd.&#8221;</p>
<p>Other questions arose such as what her favorite holiday is — to which Lopez replied, &#8220;Christmas&#8221; as she shared it’s the one time of year she eats those special foods like &#8220;pasteles&#8221; and &#8220;pernil.&#8221; She also said it&#8217;s her favorite because it&#8217;s &#8220;the most sparkly holiday of all.&#8221;</p>
<p>When asked by the magazine what she wanted for Christmas, the &#8220;Jenny From The Block&#8221; hitmaker replied, &#8220;I have everything I want.&#8221;</p>
<p>In a recent interview, the &#8220;Hustlers&#8221; star spoke about how she and Affleck found each other again for what she called their fairy-tale ending after she went through three marriages and two broken engagements, according to <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/jennifer-lopez-december-cover-2022-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vogue</a>.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-lopez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lopez</a>, after she and former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez called off their engagement, she got an email from Affleck, for whom she said she always felt &#8220;real love.&#8221; The two continued talking, then started seeing each other privately.</p>
<p>&#8220;Obviously we weren&#8217;t trying to go out in public,&#8221; the singer explained. &#8220;But I never shied away from the fact that for me, I always felt like there was a real love there, a true love there. People in my life know that he was a very, very special person in my life. When we reconnected, those feelings for me were still very real.&#8221;</p>
<p>Lopez and the &#8220;Good Will Hunting”&#8221;star were first engaged in 2003 before breaking things off in 2004, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jennifer-lopez-opens-up-about-why-she-was-going-to-quit-hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. In 2021, the two started dating again, and eighteen years after their initial break, they finally walked down the aisle in July.</p>
<p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jennifer-lopez-finally-reveals-whether-she-or-ben-affleck-reached-out-to-rekindle-their-romance">Jennifer Lopez Finally Reveals Whether She Or Ben Affleck Reached Out To Rekindle Their Romance</a></strong></p>


Jennifer Lopez-2

Jennifer Lopez Reveals The One Movie Role She Wishes She Hadn’t Turned Down

Jennifer Lopez Reveals The One Movie Role She Wishes She Hadn't Turned Down

Marriage

Music

<p>Singer <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/jennifer-lopez-finally-reveals-whether-she-or-ben-affleck-reached-out-to-rekindle-their-romance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Lopez</a> revealed the three simple words her new husband — actor Ben Affleck — had engraved on her engagement ring when he proposed to her for a second time nearly two decades after the pair had gone their separate ways.</p>
<p>Lopez made the revelation during an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, noting that the words were repeated in the title of the sixth track on her latest album. The singer explained this was really about her finding Affleck again and reconnecting when the time was finally right for both of them.</p>
<p>The album is “This Is Me … Now” and is meant, according to Lopez, to capture a snapshot of her life at this moment; the song is titled “Not. Going. Anywhere.”</p>
<p>Lopez explained that the significance of the words came directly from the couple’s reunion after years apart — and signified their commitment to making it work this time around.</p>
<p>“That’s how he would sign his emails when we started talking again,” Lopez said of Affleck, explaining that the words were meant to reassure her that he was going to stand by her for the duration. “Like, ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.’”</p>
<p>And while Lopez said that she and Affleck had been on the same page from the moment they reconnected, the added reassurance from Affleck may have provided additional comfort after their first engagement ended badly.</p>
<p>“Once we called off that wedding 20 years ago, I was … it was the biggest heartbreak of my life. I honestly felt like I was going to die. It sent me on a spiral for the next 18 years,” the “Jenny from the Block” singer admitted.</p>
<p>Lopez made it clear in the interview that she was grateful for the lessons learned during their time apart — and for the things they’d accomplished as individuals — but her underlying message was one of hope to anyone who felt like giving up.</p>
<p>Encouraging them not to give up even if the road ahead seemed dark, Lopez reassured her fans that “true love does exist.”</p>
<p>After nearly two decades apart, Lopez and Affleck were married twice in 2022 — once in a simple <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/ben-affleck-jennifer-lopez-get-married-18-years-after-first-engagement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Las Vegas ceremony</a> and then in a <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/love-is-patient-twenty-years-patient-jennifer-lopez-goes-all-in-with-ben-affleck-by-changing-her-last-name/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lavish event</a> in Georgia.</p>
<p><strong>WATCH:</strong></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8d8fq0OFxOo?start=2048" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>


Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles – December 15, 2021

J. Lo Reveals The Three Words Ben Affleck Had Engraved On Her Engagement Ring – They’re Not What You Think

J. Lo Reveals The Three Words Ben Affleck Had Engraved On Her Engagement Ring – They're Not What You Think

<p><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-lopez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Lopez</a> finally revealed whether it was she or husband <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-affleck" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Affleck</a> who reached out to rekindle their romance before the two tied the knot at a Las Vegas chapel in July 2022.</p>
<p>The 53-year-old actress spoke about how she and Affleck found each other again for what she called their fairy-tale ending after she went through three marriages and two broken engagements, according to <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/jennifer-lopez-december-cover-2022-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vogue</a>.</p>
<p>According to Lopez, after she and former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez called off their engagement, she got an email from Affleck, for whom she said she always felt &#8220;real love.” The two continued talking, then started seeing each other privately.</p>
<p>&#8220;Obviously we weren&#8217;t trying to go out in public,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jennifer-lopez-opens-up-about-why-she-was-going-to-quit-hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">singer</a> explained. &#8220;But I never shied away from the fact that for me, I always felt like there was a real love there, a true love there. People in my life know that he was a very, very special person in my life. When we reconnected, those feelings for me were still very real.&#8221;</p>
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<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t know that I recommend this for everybody,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Sometimes you outgrow each other, or you just grow differently. The two of us, we lost each other and found each other. Not to discredit anything in between that happened, because all those things were real, too. All we&#8217;ve ever wanted was to kind of come to a place of peace in our lives where we really felt that type of love that you feel when you&#8217;re very young and wonder if you can have that again.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Does it exist? Is it real?&#8221; Lopez continued. &#8220;All those questions that I think everyone has. You go through all these relationships, and you&#8217;re searching and you&#8217;re connecting and you&#8217;re disconnecting with people, and you&#8217;re like, God, is this just what life is? Like a carousel, roller coaster, carnival ride? And then it settles. But the journey to that is the mystery for everybody.&#8221;</p>
<p>The &#8220;Jenny From The Block&#8221; hitmaker and the &#8220;Good Will Hunting&#8221; star were first engaged in 2003 before breaking things off in 2004, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jennifer-lopez-opens-up-about-why-she-was-going-to-quit-hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. In 2021, the two started dating again, and eighteen years after their initial break, they finally walked down the aisle.</p>
<p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-still-carries-tradition-jennifer-lopez-says-she-was-shocked-after-nyt-op-ed-upset-she-took-ben-afflecks-last-name">&#8216;It Still Carries Tradition’: Jennifer Lopez Says She Was Shocked After NYT Op-Ed Upset She Took Ben Affleck&#8217;s Last Name</a></strong></p>


Ben Affleck and JLo

Jennifer Lopez Finally Reveals Whether She Or Ben Affleck Reached Out To Rekindle Their Romance

<p>Jennifer Lopez said she was shocked after learning about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/23/opinion/jlo-jennifer-lopez-ben-affleck.html">The New York Times</a> op-ed that expressed disappointment when the singer took Ben Affleck&#8217;s last name after the two tied the knot at a Las Vegas chapel in July.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-lopez">53-year-old</a> singer admitted the idea of taking the name of the person you love &#8220;still carries tradition&#8221; and was something she didn&#8217;t even think about not doing when she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/love-is-patient-twenty-years-patient-jennifer-lopez-goes-all-in-with-ben-affleck-by-changing-her-last-name">married</a> the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-affleck">50-year-old actor</a>, <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/jennifer-lopez-december-cover-2022-interview">Vogue</a> reported.</p>
<p>&#8220;What? Really?&#8221; Lopez asked. &#8220;People are still going to call me Jennifer Lopez. But my legal name will be Mrs. Affleck because we&#8217;re joined together. We&#8217;re husband and wife. I&#8217;m proud of that. I don&#8217;t think that&#8217;s a problem.&#8221;</p>
<p>The singer laughed when the interviewer asked if any part of her would want the &#8220;Good Will Hunting&#8221; star to be Mr. Lopez.</p>
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<p>&#8220;No! It&#8217;s not traditional,&#8221; Lopez explained.  &#8220;It doesn’t have any romance to it. It feels like it&#8217;s a power move, you know what I mean? I&#8217;m very much in control of my own life and destiny and feel empowered as a woman and as a person.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I can understand that people have their feelings about it, and that&#8217;s okay, too,&#8221; she added. &#8220;But if you want to know how I feel about it, I just feel like it&#8217;s romantic. It still carries tradition and romance to me, and maybe I&#8217;m just that kind of girl.&#8221;</p>
<p>In the July NYT op-ed titled, &#8220;Why It Matters That J. Lo Is Now J. Aff,&#8221; the writer called the idea of taking a man&#8217;s last name &#8220;cringe-y,&#8221; &#8220;peak patriarchy,&#8221; and more.</p>
<p>&#8220;Ms. Affleck may be surrendering to the power of love with this, her fourth marriage,&#8221; the op-ed read. &#8220;But given the cringe-y history behind the practice, a woman taking her husband&#8217;s last name feels to me like a submission — a gesture that doesn&#8217;t say &#8216;I belong with him&#8217; so much as &#8216;I belong to him.&#8217; And at this fraught moment for feminism in America, a woman like the former Jennifer Lopez deciding to change her name feels especially dispiriting.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jennifer-lopez-opens-up-about-why-she-was-going-to-quit-hollywood">Jennifer Lopez Opens Up About Why She Was &#8216;Going To Quit&#8217; Hollywood</a></strong></p>


‘It Still Carries Tradition’: Jennifer Lopez Says She Was Shocked After NYT Op-Ed Upset She Took Ben Affleck’s Last Name

Jennifer Lopez Shocked After NYT Op-Ed Upset She Took Ben Affleck’s Last Name

New York Times

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