Ben Affleck found himself in an awkward predicament at the New York City premiere of Jennifer Lopez's new film, Kiss of the Spider Woman. As a producer on the musical, he was ushered onto the stage while director Bill Condon was still addressing the audience. Affleck then spent over seven minutes standing silently behind Condon, hands clasped, clutching a can of soda he eventually set down. The director was completely unaware of his presence until he turned to leave and jumped, exclaiming, "I didn't know you were there!"
The incident is the latest meme-worthy moment for the Oscar-winning actor, who has a history of being photographed looking downcast or uncomfortable. A 2016 image of him in a blue jumper and jeans, looking weary, has become a viral meme symbolising quiet defeat, often captioned with "Literally me." Similarly, a clip from a press junket for Batman v Superman showing him glum while co-star Henry Cavill answered questions was turned into the parody 'Sad Affleck' video, layered with negative reviews.
Affleck has previously addressed the memes, telling the Los Angeles Times in 2022 that they didn't bother him until his children saw them. "Even the 'Sad Affleck' meme – that was funny to me. But then 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," he said.
The premiere also marked a reunion for Affleck and Lopez, who were married for two years until she filed for divorce, finalised in January. Despite their split, the pair appeared cozy on the red carpet, their first public sighting since the divorce was finalised. Affleck later addressed the audience, saying, "I'm humbled and honoured to be standing up here. This movie is exquisite."
