Ben Affleck Looks 'Relaxed' With Ex Jennifer Garner But 'Tense Even Angry At Times' With Jennifer Lopez: Report

Ben Affleck seemingly gave off different signals around his ex-wife and his spouse.

The "Batman" star was previously married to Jennifer Garner from 2005 to 2018. In 2021, he reconnected with Lopez, whom he dated in the early 2000s before he married Garner, and they had a secret wedding in Las Vegas in July 2022.

Due to Affleck's ties with the two women, he has been photographed with them on various occasions. Interestingly, one unnamed insider claimed he appeared tense around Lopez but relaxed when he's with the "Yes Day" actress.

"He seems so relaxed and, well, happy when he's with Jen, but with J. Lo, he seems tense, even angry at times," the source told Life & Style. "Ben put Jen through hell when they were together, but they've worked past all of that. There's been a lot of healing, and they may be closer now -- as friends -- than they were when they were a couple."

Patti Wood, a body language expert and author of "Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language & Charisma," also weighed in on Affleck's gestures around Garner and Lopez. Based on their photos, Affleck allegedly looked tense and sad around the "Marry Me" actress.

Meanwhile, in one photo where Affleck placed a hand on Garner's shoulder while they talked, Wood said it appeared "playful."

"The arm on her shoulder is almost 'now, now, now, come on.' It's an interaction that's almost like he said something funny or absurd, and she's going, 'Oh, my God, I can't believe you said that!'" Wood explained to Life & Style.

In another photo, Garner seemingly laughed while Affleck was smiling beside her. The expert said the exes appeared to be sharing a laugh.

"What I like is she's truly happy. She has that great open mouth, front upper teeth fully exposed, and you can see what I call 'a smile crushed eyes,'" Patti explained. "I also like that his body lean is toward her. That tells me they're sharing a laugh. He's got a grin. He's getting a little secret pleasure from the moment."

In another picture showing Garner and Affleck facing each other, Wood noticed how their feet, pelvises and bellies were pointing toward each other, suggesting that both were "grounded together."

"Even their hearts are centered and pointed toward each other," she added.

She also analyzed PDA-packed photos of Affleck and Lopez. In one photo, they kissed, but the "Justice League" actor seemed stiff.

"He appears slightly worried, and you can see the worry from the indent in the middle of his brows, his raised eyes and the tenseness around his mouth," Patti said. "She's fine. Her head is forward, and she's got her body forward."

Another snap was taken from the premiere of Lopez's movie "The Mother," where they seemed to have an animated conversation. However, Wood claimed that Ben looked vulnerable, while J.Lo seemed "done" with whatever they were talking about at the time.

"He's showing worry, fear, surprise and sadness," Wood said. "His forehead is raised, his jaw drops open, so that's surprise and a little bit of fear. The finger up and pointing is expressive of the message, 'Hold on a minute.' She's just done and said something, and he's going, 'What?' He's in a very vulnerable and emotional state."

Aside from looking uncomfortable, Wood pointed out how Affleck appeared "sad" in one shot with Lopez.

"Ben's hand is on his head. He's trying to hold in his emotions, but the predominant emotion is sadness, and you can tell that because his gaze is directed downward -- that's No. 1 for sadness," Patti said. "And his mouth is opened in anguish. It's like, 'ugh.'"

In February, Lopez released a tell-all documentary about their love story, and even if Affleck had some hesitations before its launch, he supported his wife. Following the release of the project, the couple was spotted looking "puzzled." However, body language expert Judi James noticed how the "Gone Girl" star looked after his wife despite his "inner anxiety or tension."

Tags

Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lopez