Craig Melvin, the talk show host for “Today,” caught Jennifer Lopez off guard by bringing up her divorce from Ben Affleck in the October 6 segment. Though the singer-actor mostly laughed it off on-air, the show producers reportedly drafted a private apology within hours.
The incident unfolded during a live interview tied to Lopez’s new movie, “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” and set off swift efforts behind the scenes to calm tensions and keep the focus on her work.
Jennifer Lopez received an apology for surprising divorce question, says source
While discussing her upcoming movie, host Craig Melvin pivoted to Jennifer Lopez’s divorce and Ben Affleck’s behind-the-scenes role. The talk show host said, “In the middle of filming this elaborate, beautiful musical, your divorce was also finalized with Ben.” Lopez did not miss a beat. “There you go! Look at this guy!,” she shot back, laughing, then moved the conversation ahead.
The Melvin immediately noted, “But then I read that your ex is an executive producer on the film.” Lopez then credited Affleck’s role in getting the movie made, saying, “If it wasn’t for Ben, the movie wouldn’t have gotten made.” She added, “And yeah, things happen, you have to keep going.”
Meanwhile, Rob Shuter’s exclusive report noted that the producers allegedly reached out within hours to express regret and reassure Lopez that future coverage would stick to the movie.
One insider explained, “J.Lo’s friends run Hollywood — and she’s tight with Hoda [Kotb]. They knew they’d messed up.” Another added, “They can’t afford to lose access to her — or her A-list circle.” Staffers have also said Hoda Kotb has been helping to smooth things over off-camera.
Lopez, for her part, kept the spotlight on the movie. She said, “I’m really excited for everybody to see this film,” adding, “It’s a beautiful film about love.” When Melvin suggested the work may have helped her through a rough period, Lopez replied, “It did, it did!”
In the end, Jennifer Lopez steered attention away from her divorce and back to “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” while “Today” reportedly worked to continue to maintain a strong relationship with the star.
Originally reported by Ishika Mishra on RealityTea.
