Cameras Catch Ben Affleck Standing Alone in Funny (& Awkward) Moment at ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ Premiere

How did no one notice him on stage?

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It was a glittering red carpet event in New York City and one that led to the public (and long anticipated) reunion of Ben Affleck and his ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez. The pair came together to celebrate the premiere of Kiss of the Spider Woman—a film Lopez stars in and Affleck executive produced—held at The Shed in Manhattan earlier this week.

jennifer lopez ben affleck kiss of the spider woman premiere
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But that wasn’t where things got awkward. Once inside the screening, Affleck endured an accidental onstage snafu as the film’s director, Bill Condon, kicked things off with an introductory speech. What happened? Well, the actor went unnoticed as he stood alone behind Condon...for a whopping 7 minutes, according to People. (You can see the pics of Affleck with his hands intertwined here.)

But how? Affleck isn’t exactly a guy who’s easy to miss. Still, apparently, when he entered the theater, he made his way to the front, stopping to set his can of Diet Coke down on the ground, before stepping onto the stage where Condon was delivering his remarks. Then, that’s where he stood just beneath the giant screen, until Condon finally noticed his presence. “I didn’t know you were there,” the director said in surprise before walking toward Affleck to give him a hug.

ben affleck spider woman premiere
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From there, it was on with the show. Next, Condon welcomed Lopez and her costar Tonatiuh to the stage before Affleck took the mic to address the crowds. “I’m humbled and honored to be standing up here,” he said. “I won’t talk for very long, except to say that when we started Artists Equity, my principal goal was to empower great artists, tell moving stories, create opportunities for these kinds of great stories to be told, and work with the best directors in the world and the best actors and the best material. In this movie we did all of that, and it’s an honor to be here. This movie is exquisite.”

All’s well that ends well? But also, raise your hand if you’ve ever gone unnoticed in a crowded room for 7 minutes. (It happens to the best of us, Ben!)



Freelance PureWow Editor