We will simply never get enough of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s romance—whether it’s onscreen in Lopez’s genre-bending musical film This Is Me…Now: A Love Story, in a slew of silly Dunkin’ commercials, or simply present in their adoring gazes at one another on the red carpet. But as much as we hoped for another warm and fuzzy moment from Bennifer tonight at the 96th Academy Awards, it unfortunately never came.
Lopez and Affleck opted to skip Hollywood’s biggest night, and although their absence may be disappointing to fans, the reason for it makes a lot of sense. Simply put, neither of them had a project up for any awards this year. They were also not on the list of presenters or performers.
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The pair also opted to stay home for last year’s ceremony, which means they have yet to make their Oscars debut as a married couple. The last time they attended the big event together was in 2003—before they called off their engagement a year later. That year, at the 75th Academy Awards, the “Jenny From the Block” hitmaker looked dreamy in a milky-teal one-shoulder gown, while the Daredevil star looked dapper in a classic black tuxedo.
![los angeles premiere of amazon mgm studios quotthis is menow a love storyquot arrivals](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/ben-affleck-and-jennifer-lopez-attend-the-los-angeles-news-photo-1710090493.jpg "Los Angeles Premiere Of Amazon MGM Studios "This Is Me...Now: A Love Story" - Arrivals")
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The lovebirds did, however, make a glamorous appearance at Los Angeles’s Dolby Theatre (where the Oscars is being held) in February, for the L.A. premiere of A Love Story. For the occasion, Lopez winked at her movie’s inclusion of a “zodiacal council” by wearing an astrology-themed ball gown from Zuhair Murad’s Fall/Winter 2022 couture collection. The piece featured a midnight-black bodice with a plunging V neckline and a sheer skirt decorated with crystals and the emblems of all 12 Western zodiac signs. Affleck was captured looking at his wife lovingly in a suave black suit with a white button-down shirt and black tie.
Christina Perrier is a NYC-based freelance writer who covers culture and lifestyle topics. When she’s not writing, she’s probably watching TikToks of dogs, experimenting in the kitchen, or curling up with a book.
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