Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Share Lesser Known Details of First Kiss in Resurfaced Interview

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have been one of the most lasting and adored celebrity couples. Fans have experienced a range of emotions, from their early dating in the early 2000s to their rediscovered love story decades later. The circumstances of their first kiss, which came in a rediscovered interview from 2003, provide a delightful peek into the early days of their relationship.

In 2003, Lopez and Affleck spoke up about their first kiss in an interview with Access Hollywood, and it happened on screen while they were filming their movie Gigli. Affleck was first at a loss for words when asked to explain the experience, which seemed to fluster him a little. The reporter asked him, "People are going to watch this movie and try to figure out if you're in love."

Affleck admitted that Gigli would be appealing to viewers "for that reason" and acknowledged that it was "part of the attraction." His main thoughts were "trying to make the scene work, trying to make it good." 

Affleck and Lopez discussed a lot of their early dating experiences in the interview, reported The Things. They responded to a query about their initial encounter during Gigli's first read-through. When asked when their romantic emotions for one another began, Affleck responded, "You can't pinpoint that. We became friends first."

Given that JLo was married when she and Affleck acted in Gigli, their relationship may not have started as straightforwardly as it seems. They developed a friendship in the beginning; Affleck said, "Because the whole thing was totally off limits, you know, we did end up becoming friends... When you're not trying to impress somebody because you don't think that you're ever going to be dating them..."

Affleck lauded Lopez throughout the charming and touching Access Hollywood interview. Affleck described her role in Gigli as "fabulous" in response to a question. "Beautiful. That's not hard to do. She always looks great," he said.

Although their relationship was wonderful initially, both celebrities acknowledged that they found it difficult to deal with the media attention as it developed. In a 2023 Variety interview, Lopez talked about having PTSD as a result of their past experiences and stressed the value of remaining loyal to who they are. She stated, "We're older now. We're wiser. We also know what's important, what's important in life, and it's not so much what other people think. It's about being true to who you are."

After their eventual split in 2004, the Justice League actor later reached out to the pop star and asked her out. Affleck had just split with his ex, Ana de Armas, and emailed Lopez. She shared, "I always felt like there was a real love there, a true love there," and so they started a relationship again, giving fans a beautiful fairytale wedding later.