‘You protect your children from that’: Jennifer Lopez throws shade at ex Ben Affleck’s compliment, shares managing ‘challenging relationships’ while being a mother

Jennifer Lopez has a knack for making headlines, intentionally or not, and her recent public dismissal of Ben Affleck‘s thinly veiled attempt at flattery following his “never looked back” comment is no exception.

It’s already been a tumultuous year for Lopez, who has faced a barrage of criticism for her scandalous rumors about stealing the voices of artists, and a nauseating sense of entitlement that has left a bitter taste in many mouths. Her latest album, unfortunately, crashed and burned, and the much-hyped tour was unceremoniously axed. To add fuel to the fire, the mere whisper of her ex, Diddy, seems to elicit seething looks from the star. Yes, it appears that regret is the unwelcome houseguest that just won’t leave for Lopez. And just when you think it’s all simmering down, she drops a truth bomb about spending 30 years learning that maybe, just maybe, she doesn’t need a man to make her happy. She spilled these tea leaves during a heart-to-heart with Nikki Glaser, making it clear she’s done waiting around for a fairytale ending.

Jump to Nov.5 at a London screening of her latest flick, Unstoppable, where JLo turned a Q&A into a subtle clapback session. The movie, which is ironically produced by her ex-husband gave her the perfect stage to connect her role to her real-life struggles. She plays Judy Robles, a real-life mom who wrestled with life’s chaos while juggling “challenging relationships” as a mother, something J.Lo found painfully “relatable.”

As she shared Judy’s harrowing tale of shielding her kids from her struggles, it wasn’t hard to catch the undercurrent of her own story with Ben in her words. Lopez touched on the idea of hiding certain aspects of one’s life from their children, protecting them from the harsh realities. “There was a whole different story there that she [Judy] was living, that you hide from your children, you protect your children from that,” she said.

Now, call me a conspiracy theorist, but this looks to be a not-so-subtle jab at Affleck. Bennifer’s sequel was supposed to be the comeback story of the decade. Rekindled after nearly 20 years, their romance reignited hopes for a happy-ever-after that just wasn’t meant to be. Despite the public swooning over their reconnection, behind the smiles, and red-carpet hand-holding, things were less than perfect. And when a source mentioned to People Magazine that Affleck has been blissfully looking forward, not back, it just added salt to the wound.

So, when Affleck recently praised Lopez’s performance in Unstoppable, calling her “spectacular,”  Lopez opted for a frosty approach, saying, “I would describe all of the cast and everybody behind the scenes as spectacular.” Is she sending a crystal-clear message that she’s not anymore buying what he’s selling? It seems to be a clear sign that in the world of Bennifer, the ship has sailed, the music has stopped, and the lights are out.

As for moving on, J.Lo’s been spotted out with her twins and close friend Stevie Mackey on a sneaky dinner date, making the most of her single life. And with rumors floating about a possible reconnection with Drake, it’s clear she’s keeping her options open but her guard high. So here’s to Lopez — whether she’s on screen, on stage, or in the middle of a media frenzy, she handles it all with a certain flair that only JLo could pull off.