‘This has made my year’: The internet reacts to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reunion

Couple appeared to confirm they were dating over the weekend with photograph of them kissing

Olivia Petter
Monday 26 July 2021 12:59 BST
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It’s official: the world’s greatest throwback couple has reunited. And the internet couldn’t be happier.

While rumours have been circulating for months and paparazzi photos have shown them kissing, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck had kept their rekindled relationship on the down-low until last weekend, when Lopez shared a photo of the pair passionately embracing aboard a yacht as they celebrated her 52nd birthday.

In the photo, Affleck, dressed in a blue shirt, can be seen embracing Lopez, who is wearing a red and gold bikini underneath a colourful kaftan, with the photo marking the first time the On The Floor singer has posted about the romantic reunion on Instagram.

“5 2 … what it do …,” Lopez captioned the photo album.

Another photograph of the couple on their romantic yacht trip has since gone viral, with Affleck pictured placing his hand on Lopez’s derriere, imitating a very similar photograph taken of the couple in 2002.

Naturally, fans of the couple, known as “Bennifer”, have gone wild over the images.

“This has made my year,” tweeted one person.

“Unlike most sequels…this is better than the original,” added another.

For one fan, the photographs were all too much.

“Thank you everyone for tagging me on all things #Bennifer 2.0. Please understand my soul needs to see messy in real time. So, I appreciate the love,” they wrote.

Many celebrities have commented on the reunion, too, with actor Jodie Turner-Smith commenting “obsessed” as she shared the photo on her Instagram Story.

Additionally, the Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause made a reference to rumours that J Lo’s ex-partner, basketball player Alex Rodriguez, had cheated on her, tweeting: “Every woman that’s ever been cheated on is living for this #bennifer2021 reunion. JLo said BOY BYE.”

Other fans speculated that the couple “always loved each other”, with one fan writing: “They would have stayed together, but the media refused to believe that J Lo was on the same level as him because she was Hispanic woman from the Bronx.

“Hopefully, she is treated better this time around.”

Another person added: “The thing that blows my mind about Jennifer and Ben.. are that they broke up 17 years ago.. 17 YEARS. Imagine waiting that long for someone. The familiarity of each other’s voice, smell, touch, laugh, comfort. Wow. #Bennifer#JLo.”

Lopez and Affleck, who dated from 2002 to 2004, have been rumoured to be back together ever since the pop star split from fiancé, Alex Rodriguez, earlier this year.

They got engaged shortly after they started dating in 2002, but delayed their wedding due to media attention.

In a statement released at the time, as reported by ABC, they said: “Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date.

“When we found ourselves seriously contemplating hiring three separate ‘decoy brides’ at three different locations, we realized that something was awry.”

The wedding was ultimately cancelled in 2004. In 2016, Lopez spoke about the difficulties of maintaining a high-profile relationship to People Magazine.

“We didn’t try to have a public relationship. We just happened to be together at the birth of the tabloids, and it was like, ‘Oh my God.’ It was just a lot of pressure.”

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