Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner both stepped onto the Golden Globes stage this year, yet the moment many observers expected never materialized.
Despite sharing the same room, the same awards night, and a long personal connection through Ben Affleck, the two actresses were not photographed together and did not publicly interact during the ceremony.
Their absence from each other’s orbit was noticeable only because of how closely their lives have been linked over the years. Garner and Lopez were each married to Affleck at different points, and their families remain intertwined.
But at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton, the evening unfolded with careful separation. Garner appeared early in the broadcast, presenting alongside Amanda Seyfried and Teyana Taylor, while Lopez took the stage later to present Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy to Timothée Chalamet.
© Monica SchipperBoth women looked striking in their own ways. Garner marked her return to the Golden Globes after a 13-year absence in a sleeveless black dress with beaded fringe, her first appearance at the ceremony since attending with Affleck in 2013.
Lopez, attending for the first time since her divorce from Affleck was finalized in January 2025, wore a sheer vintage Jean Louis Scherrer gown that she purchased herself. Her last Golden Globes appearance had been in 2024, when she attended with Affleck.
© Axelle/Bauer-GriffinWhile the lack of photos sparked online chatter, multiple sources were quick to emphasize that there was no tension behind the scenes. One insider told Daily Mail, “They get along, they are cool with each other, there are no issues.”
The same source explained that the decision not to pose together was intentional and rooted in practicality rather than discomfort. “They don’t want to drum up headlines by posing together at an awards show; that would be awkward. They don’t want to create a fuss because it would be hard for the kids.”
© Matt Winkelmeyer/GAGarner shares Violet, Finn, and Samuel with Affleck, while Lopez is the mother of twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony. According to insiders, Emme and Finn are especially close, which means the actresses see each other far more often than the public might assume.
“I am pretty sure they see each other like once a week because of the kids, and they talk on the phone, they are co-parenting in a way even though Lopez divorced Ben,” the source said.
© CBS Photo ArchiveLopez has also been spotted in recent months spending time with Garner and Affleck’s children, including outings with Samuel and Violet. Another insider described the arrangement as unusually harmonious, saying, “They are like one big Modern Family, which is nice. They have all been in solid therapy and understand the importance of getting along for the sake of the kids.”
The same source added, “Also Garner is very cool about everything, she is a no drama lady, so there was no way there was ever going to be any weirdness. She is like the nicest person in Hollywood.”
© The Grosby GroupPublicly, both women have been careful and consistent in how they speak about one another. Garner has made it clear that she avoids engaging with gossip altogether. In a recent interview with Marie Claire UK, she said, “It doesn’t serve me to take in gossip about myself or anyone else, much less my kids, so I don’t do it.”
In that same conversation, she reflected on the long arc of her relationship with Affleck following their divorce a decade ago, expressing gratitude for where they have landed as co parents.
“So much about my life surprises me,” Garner said. “That I’m still working, that I’m still alive, that my kids are healthy, that my work relationships which are more like familial friendships are still the same as they were 25 or 30 years ago, but richer and deeper and stronger. It’s all a gift. I just feel so grateful to my job for giving me these people.”
“And then, yeah, that I’m able to co parent at this point in time with peace and equanimity and a partnership that I didn’t know I would ever get back to,” she continued. “I think it’s important for women to know, when they think, ‘Oh, I’ll never see that, I’ll never have that feeling, I’ll never be friends with this person again,’ [that] time is the opportunity. Time is the opportunity to heal. Time is the opportunity to forgive, to move on and to find a new way to be friends.”
© Backgrid/The Grosby GroupLopez, for her part, has also spoken warmly about Garner. In a December 2022 Vogue interview, she called her “an amazing co parent, and they [Affleck and Garner] work really well together.” Sources have echoed that sentiment repeatedly.
One insider told Us Weekly last year, “[They] have spoken a couple of times. Jennifer is one of the few people J.Lo trusts.” Another source told People, “I think the two Jens are great admirers of the other, and I think they’re all co parenting. There is no animosity. They are friendly. We’re always pitting women against women. In this case, it’s just not the truth.”
At the Golden Globes, the decision to remain separate appeared to be less about distance and more about discretion. As one source put it, the moment the two women interact publicly, the focus shifts away from their work and onto their past. For Garner and Lopez, keeping the spotlight where it belongs, and protecting their children from unnecessary attention, mattered more than satisfying public curiosity.
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