Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck better together after split

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have a much better relationship now that they are not married, a source told Page Six.

The exes reunited Monday night in NYC to promote their new movie, “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” marking their first public outing since their divorce was finalized in January.

Lopez is pinning high hopes on the film to earn her an Oscar nomination. But the talk of the premiere was both her on-screen performance and her cozy red-carpet performance with Affleck, who is a producer on the project.

“They like each other so much more when they’re not married to each other,” a Lopez source said.

“They each have roles to play with each other— she’s the glamorous, gorgeous diva superstar on a pedestal, he’s the roguish cad who keeps her at a distance to maintain sexual tension,” the source added.

“As long as they are each playing their parts, they’re perfect. The minute they try to be anything more than that— especially something as pedestrian as husband and wife— it’s so doomed.”

Lopez, 56, and Affleck, 53, appeared to be on great terms as Affleck gushed about about his ex-wife, telling “Extra” she’s an “amazing” actress who “really does it all.”

The mom-of-two stars as Ingrid Luna/Aurora/The Spider Woman, while Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity production company got involved as a producing partner before the couple’s split.

The project is an adaptation of the 1976 novel of the same name, by Argentine author Manuel Puig, that also inspired a 1985 movie and a 1993 Broadway musical.

Affleck said that Lopez was “born to play” the title role. “She’s amazing in the movie,” he said. “I just can’t wait for you, the audience, to see the movie. I’m as proud of this movie as any that I’ve ever been involved with. I’m really excited to be here tonight.”

He also praised his ex-wife’s work ethic, saying, “Early on in Jennifer’s involvement in this … she just was going to give it her all and she did. She worked enormously hard. You get to see all of her many gifts. She’s somebody that grew up watching classic musicals.”

On Monday, Lopez awkwardly laughed off a question by “Today” co-host Craig Melvin about the split — but she also admitted that, “If it wasn’t for Ben, the movie wouldn’t have gotten made … and I will always give him that credit.” 

The singer and actress filed for divorce on her and Affleck’s second wedding anniversary in August 2024, after months of split speculation.

They were engaged for two years before calling it quits in 2004 and reconciled in 2021.

Lopez said she took some time off after filming the movie, explaining how that helped save her.

“It’s funny, the movie is about escapism. It’s about how movies and art save us in the hardest times of our lives,” she shared. “Doing this project was such a dream come true for me that it really got me through to kind of survive a moment that was difficult in my personal life as well.”