Ben Affleck Is Reportedly Working Hard to Establish This Image of Him & Jennifer Lopez After Divorce

With a relationship and breakup as public as Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez‘s, everything feels like a PR move. From Lopez’s posts on Instagram to Affleck’s real estate moves, it’s like the world is analyzing their every move to understand where they’re at and how they’re feeling.

Most recently, Affleck and Lopez surprised us all as they were spotted at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Alongside Affleck’s kids, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12, and Lopez’s twins, Emme and Max, 16, Lopez and Affleck were seen chatting, holding hands and even reportedly kissing.

According to new sources, their unexpected family outing was all a part of Affleck’s plan. “It was Ben Affleck’s idea to meet there,” an insider told Page Six. “He wanted to show that they are friendly exes.”

With that goal of proving they’re mature exes, the Oscar winner invited Lopez and her kids to the restaurant, a Beverly Hills hotspot that is usually covered by paparazzi. “He wanted those photos,” the source explained. “You go there when you want to be seen. Paparazzi hang out there.”

When they all got there, however, not everything went according to plan. Per the source, Affleck and Lopez, who had been separated since the beginning of the summer, had some palpable chemistry.

“They have always had a lot of sexual chemistry,” the source said. “That was not planned. They are still attracted to one another.”

In fact, some might suspect that their outing might have Affleck rethinking their split. “Once they were together, he could not keep his hands off,” the source said. If you ask us, that doesn’t sound like a freshly divorced couple…

Prior to the source dishing on Affleck’s plan, sources gave a peak on what their Polo Lounge date looked like. “Ben and JLo are currently at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel holding hands and kissing,” a source told Page Six. “The kids are with them, but at a separate table.”

As a reminder, Lopez and Affleck started their love story decades ago on the set of the film Gigli. They started dating soon after and got engaged by the end of 2002. They were broken up shortly before their wedding in 2004.

In 2021, Lopez and Affleck rekindled their romance. A year later, they got engaged and married in a lavish ceremony. Then, after months of speculation, per TMZ, Lopez filed for divorce on Aug. 20, noting the date of separation is April 26, 2024. We’ll stay tuned for what they get up to next.