Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner sparked rumours they are rekindling their romance after being pictured in a cosy display during a paintball session, but she ‘lacks any signs of commitment’ according to our body language expert.
The Gone Girl actor, 52, who split from second wife Jennifer Lopez in April 2024, was all smiles as he cuddled up to his first wife Garner at the Combat Paintball Park near Los Angeles during a family day out with their children for their son’s birthday party.
Despite the pair, who share children Violet, 19, Fin, 16, and Sam, 13, having separated in 2015 after 10 years of marriage, they remain closer than ever, sparking rumours that they could be giving their relationship another go.
Ben was seen pulling Jennifer in close by her waist as they were photographed laughing and chatting during the day out. Dressed down for the occasion, the pair could be seen wearing jeans and sweatshirts while fully kitted out in paintball gear.
Despite the former couple appearing closer than ever, body language expert Judi James says Jennifer ‘lacks any sign of commitment’ towards her ex-husband.
‘These pics show a rarely-glimpsed body language version of Ben, i.e. one where he is looking happy and carefree and in full fun mode.
‘It’s a world away from the grim expressions he often performed as one half of a Hollywood royalty-style couple and it looks like him instigating the clasps and the grins as he plays paintball with his ex.’
‘Jen’s body language is apparently lacking in any signs of commitment here,’ Judi added.
‘She keeps her eye on the target as Ben places his arms around her and she avoids eye contact as she walks along with Ben despite his intense gaze and wide grin.
‘There’s no sign of pulling away or looking uncomfortable but there are also no signs of her leading the action in these pics, either,’ Judi tells Metro.
Despite a previously rocky relationship, the pair are said to be on ‘great terms’ and often get together to celebrate milestones within their family.
A source also told People: ‘They’re on great terms. Jen’s very happy with Ben. He spends a lot of time with the kids.
‘They get along great. She makes him laugh like no one else can. She seems happy that Ben’s happy.’
Ben and Jennifer have mended their tumultuous relationship in recent years following their divorce. They tied the knot in 2005 but announced their split 10 years later, with their divorce finalised in 2018.
Since their separation, Jennifer has helped Ben through his addiction issues and was famously seen driving him to rehab after staging an intervention in 2018.
Ben opened up on the relationship by saying he would ‘probably still be drinking’ if he stayed ‘trapped’ in his marriage with Jennifer.
Speaking on The Howard Stern Show in 2021, the actor said that, had they not split up, they would have likely ‘been at each other’s throats.’
Ben is now sober after several stints in rehab, and while alcoholism runs in his family, he said ‘part of why [he] started drinking alcohol’ is because he was ‘trapped’.
He thought: ‘I can’t leave because of my kids, but I’m not happy, so what do I do?
Jennifer is happily coupled up with entrepreneur John Miller who she has been dating for five years. The pair are low-key about their relationship.
Meanwhile Ben is now single having split from Jennifer Lopez in 2024, two years after tying the knot at an intimate ceremony in Las Vegas in July 2022.
The pair, dubbed Bennifer, had previously been in a relationship after meeting on the set of the 2003 film Gigli. They had planned to marry that year but ended their relationship in 2004.