The stuff is back. And with it comes the revival of one of the favorite couples of the 2000s: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck (aka Bennifer 2.0).
It’s been a while, so here’s a reminder: Jen and Ben first met after filming Gigli in 2002 and what time it was. J.Lo celebrated their love with his song “Dear Ben” on the It’s me album, and he was also in the music video for “Jenny From The Block”. Then, they got engaged later that year. But, just days before the epic nuptials were supposed to take place, they called it off. Soon after, they ended their relationship completely. Since then, each has married, had children and divorced. Fast forward to 2021, and J.Lo almost married Alex Rodriguez, while Ben dated Ana de Armas. After their respective breakups, however, Jen and Ben rekindled their spark.
Almost 20 years since the couple broke up, no one has seen Bennifer 2.0 coming, but like the best of trends, it has been a hit. Apparently the couple think so too, as the PDA was displayed in full screen. (Hey, nobody’s mad at that.)
In fact, it is a good thing, and it comes from someone who knows all There is to know about public displays of affection, Karen Donaldson. The body language expert has examined the couple’s movements since getting back together, and all signs point to smooth sailing on this “ship.” The thing is, they’ve already quit, so Donaldson analyzed their actions to determine whether or not they were there for the long haul. Find all his conclusions to come.
1
They are as close to each other as they have ever been.
“When we hold hands like this, we are trying to maximize the skin-to-skin contact we have with the other person, so that we can be as close to each other as possible,” says Donaldson.
Sure, J.Lo and Ben are smiling and she’s looking at him with that adorable look, but their hands are the biggest gift. Palm-to-palm touch, Donaldson says, and fingers intertwined with someone’s touch some of the most sensitive parts of our body. In addition, “research shows that touch, like holding hands, releases oxytocin, the feel-good hormone,” says Donaldson.
Despite the paparazzi around them, Ben and Jennifer Actually is this taken with each other and not just for the cameras.
2
They are all in this period.
The lack of space between couples means they are bonded to each other, says Donaldson: “[Jennifer and Ben] are hip to hip and groin to groin with no space in between, which showcases their deep bond.
On top of that, Ben’s arms are slung over J.Lo’s shoulders in what Donaldson calls a major protective move. “This type of hug is reassuring,” she explains. “The way J.Lo hugs Ben on the lower back is an intimate, romantic type of hug, which tells us she’s comfortable around him.”
3
When they are together, they make a point of being present.
Again, they’re all glued to each other, and Donaldson totally agrees. Since you already know what this body language means, Donaldson focuses on analyzing Jen and Ben’s closed eyes.
“When people close their eyes when they kiss, it allows them to focus on the present moment and be completely present,” she says. At the Met Gala, where they were surrounded by tons of celebrities and photographers, Jennifer and Ben carved out a moment for themselves. And given how connected they are (remember: the lack of space between their bodies tells us that), it’s probably something they do a lot.
4
After all these years, they still balance each other out.
“In this image, J.Lo takes the lead as he walks,” notes Donaldson. It’s also a great sign that his hand is covering Ben’s. This tells Donaldson that J.Lo takes matters into his own hands when their relationship needs it.
Donaldson can also tell that Ben is probably doing the same for her, because of the hesitant look on J.Lo. “She turns to Ben for reassurance right now,” Donaldson said. “Ben’s stature is upright with his chest open, and his facial expression tells us he’s ready to defend.”
5
Ben is proud to be back with Jennifer.
“Ben has a confident stance as shown by his hand in his pocket, telling us he’s confident in his relationship with J.Lo,” Donaldson said.
By touching Jennifer’s lower back, Ben shows affection and desire, something he wants everyone who looks at them to know he feels for J.Lo. He is proud that they are together again. (And, I mean, wouldn’t you be if you were in her shoes ?!)
Aryelle Siclait
Associate editor
Aryelle Siclait is associate editor at Women’s Health where she writes and edits articles on relationships, sexual health, pop culture and fashion for verticals on WomensHealthMag.com and the print magazine.
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