Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were spotted for the first time together earlier this weekend since the former filed for divorce after two years of marriage.
Jennifer, 55, appeared at a Los Angeles County Superior Court on August 20, the second anniversary of their romantic Georgia wedding for friends and family, and filed for divorce pro per.
Ben, 52, has maintained a low profile since then, and has only been seen out and about on a few outings in LA since, usually alone or with members of his team.
JLo, meanwhile, made her first major appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month for the premiere of Unstoppable, which happened to be produced by Ben's company Artists Equity. His best friend and co-producer Matt Damon was also present.
On Saturday, Ben and JLo were seen with their children heading to the Beverly Hills Hotel for lunch, with pictures of the family together quickly making the rounds on social media as well.
While the outing seemingly represents a willingness for the couple to work things out or at least maintain an amicable relationship with each other for the sake of their family (as they do with their respective exes as well while co-parenting), fan opinions are divided.
© Getty ImagesThe pictures happened to catch the couple at a bad time, or looked like they were taken at an unflattering moment, and many social media users thought that Ben looked a lot less enthused about being there (he has spoken extensively about his distaste for media frenzy and excessive publicity over his personal life).
PHOTOS: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's joint outings and support of each other during 4-month separation
Fans reacted with comments like: "Umm he looks mad," and: "Man looks STRESSED," as well as: "Give Ben a freaking break! He knows everyone is dissecting his every move, yet he doesn't give a [expletive]." Many defended him further by explaining that the photos very easily could've been taken out of context.
© Getty ImagesA few others also chose to focus on the positive, especially emphasizing that even in those candid moments, Jennifer looked quite stunning in her high-rise jeans and cropped turtleneck.
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"Say what you want about JLO but wow she looks amazing," one fan wrote, with another adding: "What jeans are those? They look good on her!" and a third commenting: "Jennifer looks AMAZING."
© Getty ImagesAfter a years-long relationship and brief engagement in the early aughts, JLo and Ben rekindled their courtship in 2021 after remaining friends for years, eloping to Las Vegas in July 2022 before hosting a grand affair the following month.
MORE: Jennifer Lopez shocks with appearance in first photos since filing for divorce
Neither party has spoken out explicitly about the failure of their once fairytale romance, although Jennifer alluded to it while speaking with People at the premiere of Unstoppable, a biographical sports drama about American wrestler Anthony Robles. Jennifer plays his mom Judy Robles.
© Getty Images"I struggled on the set a couple of times. I was like, 'Ugh, too close,'" she confessed. "Women who are moms who get in relationships, and you struggle with them, and you find yourself in dynamics that are not healthy, but you care about the person, love the person? That's those complicated dynamics about life that I understand really well."
See more photos from Ben and JLo's reunion below...
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© Getty ImagesBen and Jen out together
The estranged couple were seen out together for the first time since filing for divorce
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© Getty ImagesBen's tense dynamic?
Fans were caught off guard by Ben's demeanor, although many came to his defense by citing the invasive nature of the photography
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© Getty ImagesJLo's latest sighting
It's the latest in a string of appearances for the entertainer following her showings at TIFF
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© Getty ImagesBen's rare appearance
The appearance was a rare one for Ben, who has maintained a lower profile since the divorce
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© Getty ImagesJennifer's stunning styling
Fans on social media gushed over the Hustlers star's fashion choices
