NEED TO KNOW
Jennifer Lopez’s fans aren’t the only ones who think she is “incredible.” Ben Affleck does, too.
Affleck made a surprise appearance at the New York City red carpet premiere of Lopez’s latest film, the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, on Monday, Oct. 6. Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity co-produced the film, which is based on the Broadway musical by Terrence McNally, John Kander and Frank Ebb and the novel by Manuel Puig.
At the event, Affleck shared his admiration for Lopez in an introduction to the film. “My goal was to empower great artists and tell moving stories and great opportunities for these kinds of great stories to be told and to work with the best directors in the world and the best material,” Affleck began. “In this movie, we did all that and it’s an honor to be here.”
Affleck later called Lopez “incredible” and praised director Bill Condon for an “amazing job.” He also jokingly welcomed actor Tonatiuh, who plays Luis Molina/Kendall Nesbitt, to a “lifelong stardom.”
Likewise, Lopez thanked Affleck for attending the screening, adding that Kiss of the Spider Woman “wouldn’t have been made without Ben and without Artists Equity.”
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Before the screening, Affleck spoke with Extra, praising Lopez’s work ethic on the film, in which she stars as the titular character.
“She worked enormously hard. You get to see like all of her many gifts, she’s somebody that grew up watching, you know, classic musicals,” Affleck said, adding that she “really does it all in this movie!”
Kiss of the Spider Woman hits theaters on Friday, Oct. 10.
