By now, it’s mostly well known that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s relationship isn’t just a bond that’s marked by romance. The two lovers are also joined together by their collaborative spirits as artists. Since they reunited in 2021 and later married in 2022, the two have assisted each other in their receptive creative endeavors. So it should come as no surprise that Affleck made a cameo in Lopez’s new film, This Is Me...Now: A Love Story. However, what I wasn’t expecting is just how wild his role is and, quite frankly, I just can’t unsee it.
This entry on the 2024 movie schedule is a companion piece to JLo’s latest album, This Is Me… Now, which just released this past week. Filled with over-the-top visuals and a slew of stars, it sees the multi-hyphenate performer play a character solely known as “The Artist.” The film chronicles the character’s journey to find true love amid a sea of obstacles – both internal and external. Along the way, others chime in about her circumstances or just provide general commentary, including one particularly eccentric-looking media man.
Throughout the film, there are sporadic appearances from a character known as Rex Stone, a wild-looking pundit who hosts a cable news show. During his appearances, Stone rants about what he views as society’s shortcomings and provides a myriad of critiques. Much of this is meant to be satirical and fits the mold of the movie. Despite that, I’m not sure Prime Video subscribers weren’t expecting to see Ben Affleck portraying Stone. That’s right, the actor dons, prosthetics, a blonde wig and insanely white teeth to portray the character, who you can see below:
So this is a mental picture that’s probably not going to leave my subsconscious for a little while. From a visual standpoint, this may be the Argo director’s most dramatic role yet, and that’s saying a lot for a man who donned a bat costume to play DC’s Dark Knight. I give credit to the man for hamming it up in such a way. On a more humorous note though, I may never forgive him for burning the sight of Rex Stone into my brain for the foreseeable future.
Ben Affleck’s turn in that kooky role wasn’t the only way that he aided his wife in this production, as he also co-wrote the screenplay with her and Matt Walton. JLo also recently revealed that Affleck gave her advice on the visuals for the movie and also encouraged her to step into the realm of screenwriting for this particular project.
At the same time, the Way Back star has gushed about how his wife has helped him with his own productions. Nearly a year ago, he gushed about how “brilliant” Jennifer Lopez was in the way that she helped him understand the cultural aspect of his work on his sports biopic, Air. The singer-songwriter has, of course, also appeared in some of the actor’s wildly successful Dunkin’ Donuts commercials. So, all in all, these two seem to have each other’s backs.
Critics have mostly been high on This Is Me...Now: A Love Story, though their descriptors have ranged from “epic” to “cringe.” JLo and her hubby seem to be proud of the work that’s been done and, admittedly, the film was no small feat. The 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes also suggests that fans are loving it. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if, within that group, there are some like me who can’t quite get over the sight of Ben Affleck’s Rex Stone.
You can stream This Is Me...Now: A Love Story on Prime Video now and, on that same service, you can check out Air.
