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Ben Affleck is a very busy guy. He is constantly in the directors chair, helming ensemble films like Air, produces movies with his best friend Matt Damon, and is notably the face of Dunkin Donuts, participating in a number of wildly successful ad campaigns. Not to mention, he has been a movie star for decades and still is a major draw for audiences. However, it seems that the Oscar winner always has time for his wife Jennifer Lopez. The director for her most recent film, This Is Me…Now: A Love Story opened up about how Affleck acted as a ghost mentor throughout production, and the positive impact his presence had.
Director Dave Meyers recently sat down with ScreenRant to discuss his recent musical project with JLo and how the visual film acted as a companion piece for her latest album, This Is Me…Now. The movie was a big artistic undertaking for the multi-talented performer, and asked her to put a lot of her own reservations aside to achieve her desired output. The director acted as a guiding light throughout, but Meyers also credited Affleck and his own artistic input, and explained how he acted as a mentor to both Lopez and Meyers. The filmmaker said:
Then we had blessings from Ben Affleck. As certain scenes came up, Jen would be able to get him to have a review and do a little tweak here or there. [He was] kind of a ghost mentor. It was really a blessing to have him watching out for both of us really, and it was there.
Affleck is a prolific filmmaker in his own right, directing a number of movies like Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Best Picture winner Argo. He has a strong visual eye, and his contributions seem to have been very welcome when making the movie. Lopez also credited her husband for contributing to many of the visuals for This Is Me…Now: A Love Story and for giving his input when she asked for it.
Their relationship dynamic was essential to not only the actual act of making the film, but also had a major narrative influence. The movie follows Lopez and her metaphorical journey to find love, and finding out that the love was always there. There are many references to her actual relationship with Affleck, and their enduring love that spanned decades. The director hides Affleck in unrecognizable cameo roles throughout, indicating that he has “always been there.” Meyers also explained this narrative influence, saying:
I don’t know how much Jen wants to talk about that, but it was a beautiful part of this, especially since generally the movie is about love and the pursuit of love, to see them so happy. We didn’t want to make the movie about Ben, but it’s clear to the real world, and obviously in the [BTS] piece you spoke about, that there’s a real strong, always-meant-to-be love that’s going on there. I think the public may have their own opinions, and I think they’ll hopefully have a nice time realizing the truth of their love.
One of the ways this is done in the film is by disguising Affleck as a man named Rex Stone who conducts a news report on Lopez’s love life. While seemingly ridiculous, Lopez and Meyers seem to feel that its through these cameos that they are able to metaphorically reference the Good Will Hunting star’s influence. While Affleck has admitted to wanting a more private life, he seems endlessly supportive of Lopez’s desire to express herself through the visual narrative. His mentorship and dynamic with Lopez is documented in the “making-of” documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told.
Fans can check out This Is Me… Now: A Love Story as well as the companion documentary now with an Amazon Prime subscription. Ben Affleck’s latest directorial feat, Air, is also now available to stream on the platform. For more information on other films hitting the big and the small screen later this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.