Jennifer Lopez shines at ‘Unstoppable’ premiere with Matt Damon as Ben Affleck is a no-show
Jennifer Lopez rocked the TIFF red carpet and Ben Affleck was out of sight.
Lopez, 55, attended the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, September 6, for the premiere of “Unstoppable,” a sports drama based on a true story that she produced with her now-estranged husband, 53. J.Lo also plays a supporting role in the movie.
While J.Lo shinned on the carpet, Affleck was a no-show. Rumors began to circulate that the “Air” director would be MIA at TIFF shortly after Jenny from the Block filed for divorce.
Lopez submitted her divorce petition in LA on August 20, the second anniversary of her and Affleck’s Georgia wedding ceremony. The couple eloped in Las Vegas in July 2022 but had a lavish star-studded wedding reception to celebrate their nuptials the following month.
Lopez wore a sparkling silver Tamara Ralph gown with black ties. The dress highlighted her famous curves with cutouts on the sides and sky-high slits to showcase her legs.
Though Affleck was absent, his BFF Matt Damon — who also co-produced “Unstoppable” with Affleck and Lopez — was on hand to support the movie. The actor looked dapper in a gray suit and black button-up with his wife, Luciana Barroso, on his arm.
Damon and Lopez appeared in great moods and even posed together on the carpet with the cast.
Lopez was reportedly “excited” to head to Toronto to promote the film. A source told Daily Mail that “‘Unstoppable’ means a lot to her, she wants to support it.”
Based on an autobiography of the same name, “Unstoppable” follows the story of Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and went on to win the 2011 college wrestling national championship.
Lopez plays Robles’ mother.
William Goldenberg directed the film. He also worked as an editor on Affleck’s movies “Air” (2023) and “Argo” (2012), which took home the Oscar for Best Picture.
Lopez and Affleck have partnered together professionally before, starring alongside one another in the notorious “Gigli” (2003) and “Jersey Girl” (2004).
News broke that Lopez and Affleck would join forces again to make “Unstoppable” in March 2023 — production on the film wrapped in January 2024.
A few months later, on April 26, Mr. and Mrs. Affleck separated.
Interestingly enough, on that date — the date of separation listed on Lopez’s divorce filing — the “Hustlers” actress was in New York hard at work filming another movie she’s co-producing with Affleck, “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”
Adapted from a 1993 Broadway musical (which was an adaptation of a novel), the movie stars Lopez, Diego Luna and is directed by Bill Condon (“Dreamgirls”).
Affleck was in LA while Lopez was filming in New York.
The actor has previously spoken about how much he loved working with Lopez on “Unstoppable.”
“What fun, what a joy to do something with her, see her be great, go to work with your wife, go to work with your best friend,” he told CBS Sunday Mornings in March 2023.
“If you don’t like who you’re working with, and if you have difficulty or trouble at work, I think it’s one of the things that can really cause depression, anxiety and pain for people,” he continued.
“And conversely, [if] you love the people at work, you probably have a pretty good life, you know?”
“Can’t make it look like she’s doing it as a favor to me, but actually she is,” the Oscar winner added, praising Lopez.
For her part, Lopez expressed openness to working together again onscreen in a scripted project before the breakdown of their marriage.
“Maybe, in the right thing,” she told Variety in February of continuing to work with Affleck in front of the camera.
She added, “I mean, we love working together and being together, so maybe.”
