The 2023 Grammys was certainly a night to talk about, between big wins from Beyoncé and Harry Styles and Taylor Swift’s heroic red carpet moment. However, let’s get back to the whole Bennifer meme situation, because there’s an update on the viral moment. After Ben Affleck once again became a meme for not looking happy, this time while he was at the music industry’s equivalent of the Oscars, a seat filler who sat next to the couple for part of the Grammys shared what they were really like.
During award shows, productions enlist seat fillers to take the seats often held by big celebrities when they get out of their seat so when the television crew cuts to reaction shots, the theater doesn’t look empty. One seat filler, who apparently took Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s spot for part of the show, went on TikTok to share her experience.
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The social media video was posted following the internet and media perhaps insinuating that Bennifer was not having a good time at Sunday’s Grammys. The TikTok user shared that Affleck didn’t look happy to be there, but the couple were otherwise “super lovey dovey” and their “hands were always intertwined.” Plus, she shared that JLo looked at her phone during the ceremony and saw that Affleck was being meme’d in real time. Affleck apparently responded with “Oh god, this again,’” and proceeded to keep his natural expressions throughout the Grammys.
While the seat filler confirmed that Affleck was not jazzed up to be at the awards show, she also said that the pair were really cute together during the night. Maybe Entertainment Tonight’s source following the night, which reported that “Ben is more of a homebody” and was “feeling tired” during the event, was accurate. Just because they were not smiling all night long doesn’t mean Bennifer is suddenly on the rocks.
A moment of the show that audiences particularly noticed was when Affleck whispered something in JLo’s ear and she looked a bit annoyed as she said something back to him. A lip reader was put on the case and shared they thought Jennifer Lopez told Affleck to “look more friendly, look motivated” after he whispered something to her. People thought perhaps JLo was concerned about how Affleck’s disinterest was showing up on cameras. The day after the Oscars, JLo posted a Grammys recap to Instagram, where she said “Always the best time with my love, my husband,” along with showing off her glam.
While Ben Affleck looked unhappy during some of the cutbacks to him on Grammys night, it sounds like the pair ultimately are still doing great. In between the pair living a glamorous life as Hollywood stars, they are currently looking for a new home. If you missed the Grammys and want to watch it, you can see the awards show in full now with a Paramount+ subscription.