Bennifer's Body Language In Venice Was Deep And Complicated
2000s nostalgia has never looked hotter.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s first official red carpet appearance together since 2003 was a ~moment~. The couple made their red carpet (re)debut at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 10, and the photos of Bennifer 2.0 soaking up the spotlight are almost too sweet for words.
The couple walked (see: dazzled) the red carpet for the premiere of The Last Duel. Affleck co-wrote the film with Matt Damon, and he stars in it as Count Pierre of Alençon. Besides the general wholesomeness of J. Lo supporting Affleck’s career, there’s a lot more to love about this red carpet appearance: namely, Bennifer’s body language.
According to body language expert Traci Brown, Lopez and Affleck have a palpable connection, but that doesn’t mean that their body language is 100% aligned. Per Brown, author of Persuasion Point: Body Language and Speech for Influence, “their attention is not on each other” in many of the pictures. But don’t worry too much. After more than a year of canceled events and quarantine, they simply looked a bit out of practice when it came to posing for the camera. Luckily, they had each other to rely on and get through it.
From tightly holding each other’s hands to sharing inside jokes, this couple had no shortage of ways to handle red carpet pressure. And their body language made one thing very clear: They are seriously close. “They’re pretty tight,” Brown tells Elite Daily. Here’s how she can tell.
They Hold Each Other Close
Lopez and Affleck’s red carpet vibe is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from two A-listers who were engaged 17 years ago and just got back together: an equal combination of awkward and sweet. And although they might be a little rusty when it comes to walking the red carpet together, they definitely remember the basics. Most importantly, they’re not afraid to lean on each other.
“They have their arms around each other, and they’re tight there,” Brown observes. “They look happy. They’re looking at each other in the eye. He’s holding her close.”
Plus, there’s nothing fake about the way they’re looking at each other. Brown adds, “It’s a real look from her, and it’s a real look from him.” All good signs of a seriously deep bond.
They Make Each Other Laugh
These two have history, and it was evident on the red carpet. Throughout their appearance at The Last Duel premiere, Bennifer looked like they were sharing plenty of secrets. A couple of photos captured Affleck whispering in Lopez’s ear. Whatever he said, it looks like it made J. Lo very happy, per Brown.
“They look good here,” she explains, guessing that this moment captures them sharing an “inside secret.” And their closeness is still evident. “Again, they’re tight there,” Brown adds.
But Their Kiss Lacked Intimacy
Although a lot of their body language is optimistic, Bennifer’s kiss looked a little off, according Brown. “He’s more into it than she is. She’s kind of leaning back,” she tells Elite Daily. “This isn’t the most intimate kiss, by any stretch. It seems just like something they have to do.”
To be fair, a kissing pose on the red carpet might not be the time to get overly intimate. According to Brown, as a couple, “they’re handling things the best that they can handle them under a lot of scrutiny” — aka reporters and photographers yelling, “Jen, look over here! Ben, go over there!”
Plus, it’s not like this is Bennifer’s first public makeout sesh, either. Remember when they went IG official with a steamy kiss on the ’gram? Nobody could claim a lack of passion then.
Bennifer 2.0’s red carpet appearances have only just begun, and, based on what we’ve seen so far, there’s plenty to look forward to. Although there are still some tweaks they may need to work out (like which camera to look at first), I’m confident they’ll pick it up in no time. After all, they are Hollywood’s OG favorite couple for a reason.
Expert:
Traci Brown, body language expert
