Candid photos have fans questioning Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s marriage, Ben’s sobriety, and everything about their relationship.

Jennifer Lopez received a lot of criticism for entering a relationship with Ben Affleck again, not because she decided to rekindle her relationship with him, but because of her propensity for seeming to rapidly cycle in and out of love with high-profile celebrities like Marc Anthony, the father of her twins, A-Rod, Sean Combs (aka P. Diddy or Puff Daddy, depending on which era of his career is being referred to) and even her back-up dancers.

But for whatever reason, Ben Affleck seems to be the only one captivating enough to draw her back in, with the pair rapidly rekindling their romance and sending the internet into a frenzy with what has been called “Bennifer 2.0.” And while some have been excited that the two are back together and going strong, others have pointed out some occasions where Affleck seems to be unhappy in Jennifer’s presence, with rumors swirling that Affleck has strict rules he has to obey during the course of their relationship.

The Pair Hit It Off During Their “Bennifer” Era

The early to mid-2000s saw celebrity couples get ridiculous nicknames to describe them, with Bennifer seeming to be the most popular of them all. The term Bennifer was coined when Jennifer Lopez, then known as J.Lo, and Ben Affleck when public with their whirlwind romance.

The pair met in 2002 while filming the box office flop Gigli. Lopez was still married to her then-husband and backup dancer Cris Judd, who she promptly filed for divorce from in June 2022. Just five months later, Affleck proposed to Jennifer and went on to appear in her ‘Jenny from the Block’ music video.

By 2003 the now-engaged couple worked on their second film together, Jersey Girl. They were set to be married in late 2003 but ended up calling off their wedding because of “excessive media attention.” Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck stayed together up until January 2004, and the Bennifer era came to an end.

In 2021, the media began to notice that the two were getting close again, with Affleck visiting Lopez and sources close to the pair saying that “they looked very happy together” on what appeared to be a solo vacation. Sources also went on to say that the pair have always had a love for each other, and it would not be surprising if the two ended up back together.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck continued to be spotted together throughout 2021 at varying levels of intimacy, including a trip to France for Jennifer’s birthday, and spending time with her twins. Things continued to rapidly progress, and the two were engaged and then married in 2022.

Affleck Is Often Photographed Looking Unhappy

Ben Affleck generally looks put together on the red carpet and certainly knows how to flash a smile when the paparazzi are photographing him during those moments. There are, however, plenty of candid images of Affleck looking decidedly troubled or unhappy that can be found all over the internet.

One of the most notable moments is during the interview he did with Henry Cavill to promote 2016’s Batman v. Superman, or the infamous image of him outside smoking and looking absolutely exhausted with life. It’s gotten to the point where “Sad Ben Affleck” has become a part of internet meme culture.

There are even countless headlines poking fun at what seems to be Ben Affleck’s misery in meme form, with some simply calling him relatable, and others apparently laughing at his expense.

And while it may all be in good fun, even Affleck has expressed concern at the possible side effects these memes may have on his kids. “My kids see it and I think, Oh, are they going to think their dad is fundamentally sad, or they have to worry about me? That’s really tough.”

Do The Photos Taken At The Grammys Spell Trouble For The Couple?

There are several candid photos of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck looking happy together while out and about with each other, but for some reason, the photos taken at the Grammys garnered a lot of media attention, specifically due to Ben Affleck’s moody appearance.

According to Jennifer Lopez, however, the two had a great time that evening, even if Affleck once again went viral for looking sad. The internet even speculated that cameras caught the two in the middle of a small spat, though that later turned out to be untrue.

Lopez even posted a video of her and her now husband on the red carpet together (with several shots of her alone) looking quite happy and cozy in each other’s presence with the caption “Always the best time with my love, my husband.”

Twitter still went wild reposting clips of Affleck appearing unhappy or uncomfortable at the awards show with his wife with captions like “Ben Affleck would rather be anywhere else than the front row at the Grammys” and “however bad of a day you’re having, I promise you’re not as miserable as Ben Affleck at the Grammys right now.”

Others began to wonder about Affleck’s health following his appearance at the Grammy’s, with some wondering if he might have relapsed given his history of alcoholism. While some felt that he looked sad or miserable, others said he looked tired or had glossy eyes during the event.

Ben, however, had a lot to say on the subject afterward, bashing claims that he was drunk or upset with his wife. Us Magazine quoted Ben as saying that the “spat” viewers thought they saw between him and his wife was actually Ben joking with her that he was going to slide out of frame when the cameras started rolling.

What’s more, Ben responded to speculation that he was drunk, noting that he had attended events “pissed off” or “bored” before and no one said a thing, but now that the public knows about his struggles with alcohol, there’s compassion but also a “tremendous stigma.”

For Ben, it was just another work function with his wife that perhaps wasn’t the most exciting time of his life—but that doesn’t mean his sobriety or his marriage is in trouble.