Jennifer Lopez’s dismissal of a reporter’s probing question about her rumored divorce from Ben Affleck had fans' tongues wagging with speculation. This interaction reignited talks about her "diva" persona on another occasion, hinting at a deeper layer to the superstar's public image.
Jennifer Lopez recently dismissed a reporter's question about her rumored divorce from her husband Ben Affleck during a press tour in Mexico City for her new Netflix action movie "Atlas" directed by Brad Peyton. She was in the city together with her co-star Simu Liu.
After the question was thrown at Lopez, Liu intervened, promptly shutting down the query by politely saying, "Okay, we're not doing that. Thank you so much, guys. We really appreciate it... thank you, thank you."
Lopez chuckled and smiled in response. Although she maintained her composure, she glanced at Liu and later leaned forward, telling the reporter, "You know better than that." Liu encouraged the press to maintain a positive atmosphere, stating, "Come on, don’t come in here with that energy."
Liu concluded the tour by praising Lopez for her role in the film, highlighting her contributions as a producer and her commitment to representation and diversity. He described her as a "boss," an "incredible creative," and an "icon."
Despite divorce speculation, Affleck was spotted on May 19 driving solo in Los Angeles, wearing a plaid shirt and his wedding ring. This sighting came after he and Lopez reunited on May 16 at an event to support their children.
The duo's recent appearances have done little to quell the rumors, however, as netizens reacted with mixed opinions to Lopez's handling of the reporter's question. Some interpreted her reaction as a confirmation of the divorce rumors.
One user commented, "How can you say we are divorcing without saying we are divorcing." Another expressed concern, saying, "Why aren't you denying it my heart breaks for u if this is true." One noted Lopez's facial expression, stating, "If there was no basis for this, she would've said not true. it's obviously accurate."
Another observant netizen commented, "I don't think SHE shut them down as much as this guy. But on the other hand, it's only a matter of time until the wedded bliss is a vicious break up."
Others defended Lopez, emphasizing her right to privacy. "She has the right not to answer personal questions. I wouldn't either," one supporter commented. Another noted Lopez's feeling about the reporter's question, "She looks so hurt." Someone else urged fellow netizens to give her space, adding"She looks very uncomfortable with the question."
Another chimed, stating, "Oh, just leave her alone please somebody tell me what did she do? I grew up watching her. I love her all of her acting, nowadays No one is accepted !! before you judge someone take a look in the mirror."
The incident also sparked discussion about the reporter's approach to Lopez. "This was so rude and out of place considering she was there to promote a movie and these are not paparazzi they're professional journalists," an opinionated fan said. Another echoed the same observation, "So unprofessional."
However, a netizen offered a different perspective, saying, "'You know better than that' Lol Um ma'am you're in the entertainment industry. Therefore entertain us by answering the question! She literally made a documentary of her life. This is part of it. Lol That's what reporters do get the inside scoop."
Recently, there has been notable criticism of Lopez's public interactions. This was evident at the Met Gala, where she sparked controversy for how she acted toward a guest in attendance at the fashion extravaganza. A video shared by the guest, Anika Reed, depicted Lopez giving her the cold shoulder, and the public was not here for it.
The video showed the Hollywood star walking up the entrance steps with the help of her team. Reed politely asked Lopez, "Who are you wearing tonight?" as the "I'm Real" singer passes by her on the red carpet.
Lopez, who appeared unbothered and uninterested, briefly acknowledged Reed's question, ever so slightly turning her head to look at her, and curtly responded with, "Schiaparelli." She then continued to head in the direction she was going and greeted someone else.
"#metgala co-chair @jlo briefly told me about her look for the night: @schiaparelli ✨," captioned Reed alongside the video of her and Lopez's exchange.
To say the least, many social media users were unimpressed by how Lopez treated Reed and took to online platforms to express their disapproval. "So RUDE," criticized an Instagrammer, while another slammed, "she is always mean. just unclassy." Echoing the sentiment, another social media user simply commented, "AWFULNESS."
Another person who had a lot to say on the matter stated, "The way she answered TELLS YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. Karma got her cause her tour is flopppppping! 😂😂😂."
Reed is a news editor for USA Today and was at the Met Gala as one of the reporters, getting the inside scoop on the ensembles worn by stars of the night. Besides Instagram, the video of the musician and Reed's exchange was also shared on TikTok, where it went viral, reaching nearly 4 million views.
Lopez's disposition toward Reed juxtaposes a previous statement made about her character by her fellow "Hustlers" co-star Constance Wu. After speaking about how Lopez's mother, kids, and sister would visit her on set often in a 2021 interview, Wu divulged%3A%20Her%20kids%2C%20sister%2C%20and%20mom%20would%20come%20to%20set%20a%20lot%20and%20are%20a%20big%20part%20of%20her%20life.%20They%27re%20all%20really%20kind%20and%20down%2Dto%2Dearth.), "They're all really kind and down-to-earth."
However, two years before Wu's assertion, in 2019, Lopez sat down for an interview in which she addressed public opinion about her having a "diva" attitude. She admitted that at times she doesn't "come off as warm," which is something her manager, Benny Medina, once said.
"I think there's some truth to that. I'm incredibly impatient. I want everything now. It's hard for me to tolerate a slow pace. I get annoyed with it. I don't like the word 'no.' Like reallybad. Really bad," disclosed Lopez.
She continued, "If you try to tell me no, I will get into a bad argument with you about why it can happen, and how it can happen, and why you can't do it."
Although she owned up to how difficult she can be sometimes, Lopez was also adamant about highlighting the "double standard" that exists within society when it comes to men and women and different ethnicities. She brought this up in light of past instances in which she was chastised for her actions and revealed what she believes causes this.
"Because I was Latin, and I was a woman, and I was Puerto Rican, and they were not giving me the same pass that they gave everybody else at certain times," the artist reflected. Jennifer Lopez also added that though the critique got to her, "it never took" her "down for very long," as she doesn't like "to harp on the negative or feel sorry" for herself.