Ben Affleck's Saved Jlo's Name as 'Jennifer Affleck' on His Phone Despite Still Living Apart

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez attended an event together on Sunday, 19 May, to support Affleck's child, Fin, 15, at a school play. As per TMZ, the couple arrived separately for the occasion and was spotted having a chat at a parking lot, each carrying a bouquet. Subsequently, Lopez and Emme were dropped off at their $60 million Beverly Hills estate by the Argo actor, who then returned to his rented home in Brentwood. A source said Lopez "didn’t glam up like the last time she came to a school function."

As per The US Sun, Affleck and Lopez appeared to be in high spirits, driving around California. The pair decelerated and smiled for the photographers, rolling down their windows. The Gone Girl actor at one point raised his cell phone and pointed the device at the papparazi. Although Lopez was seated directly next to her husband in the car, Affleck's phone screen showed that she was ringing his number. The caller ID interestingly read 'Jennifer Affleck', hinting that she might have taken his surname. 

However, critics and fans promptly called it a 'publicity stunt' to silence divorce rumors. "[Ben and Jennfier] are the high school couple that can't exist without drama. It's exhausting!" a fan blasted. "[Ben] looks like he's about to cry!" opined another. "Oh come on, guys! At least make it seem less staged! Why am I amused by all these updates?" a critic trolled.

"Ben is a classic introvert who abhors life in the public eye. It must not be easy for him," a fan expressed criticising the public scrutiny. "It's possible nothing was wrong. It's possible they had a very bad, potentially relationship-ending fight and then patched it up," chimed another critic. 

As per The US Sun, a source claimed the pair is experiencing difficulties due to the difference in their personalities. "The ground rules are, Jennifer and Ben are allowed to go off and do projects, appearances, and work that completely don't involve each other and definitely involve spending weeks at a time apart," the source said. "They give each other a lot of freedom, even when everything is great."

The insider explained, "These are passionate people who love to work, both of them, and love to bet on themselves and the teams they have assembled around themselves over the course of decades. It's the strongest thing about their relationship [because] they're willing to give each other a lot of space when opportunity knocks...They are independent people who don't need to be with one another 24/7 like some Hollywood couples do. Jennifer doing the Met Gala and Ben doing the Brady Roast doesn't look weird to people who know them."