Jennifer Lopez Calls Out Craig Melvin Live on Today for Asking About Her Divorce

06 October 2025

Craig Melvin and Jennifer Lopez on the 'Today' show. The Today Show/NBC

During her October 6 appearance on NBC’s Today show to promote her musical film Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jennifer Lopez faced a delicate moment when host Craig Melvin brought up her recent divorce from Ben Affleck. In the middle of discussing the film, Melvin posed a question tying her divorce to the period during which production took place “In the middle of filming this elaborate, beautiful musical, your divorce was also finalized with Ben.” Before he could finish, Lopez interrupted him with a playful but pointed rebuke: “There you go! Look at this guy!”

Melvin attempted to clarify, reminding Lopez that Affleck served as an executive producer on the film and that his role was relevant to the project. She responded with respect, crediting him for helping bring the film to life: “If it wasn’t for Ben, the movie wouldn’t have gotten made—and I will always give him that credit.” She added that she sees art and storytelling as emotional lifelines in difficult personal times, explaining that creating the movie had helped her cope through the painful moments surrounding her split.

The exchange was brief but revealing. Lopez addressed the tension of discussing personal turmoil in a promotional setting while maintaining focus on her craft. She admitted that she took a break after completing the film before returning to public life, underscoring how much strength it took to step back into this spotlight.

Her reaction also reflects a balancing act common among celebrities navigating exposure and privacy. On one hand, Lopez is promoting a deeply personal work; on the other, she guards against having her personal life overshadow her artistic identity. Her remark to Melvin though lighthearted asserted that she would not be ambushed by questions about her personal past while doing the work.

Lopez and Affleck’s romantic history has long captured media and public attention. They first dated in the early 2000s, rekindled their relationship in 2021, married in 2022, and officially divorced in January 2025, citing irreconcilable differences. Their split has been treated with relative dignity publicly, and Lopez’s comment in this interview continues that tone she refuses to dwell on the end but is clear about preserving respect in her narrative.

Kiss of the Spider Woman a musical drama in which Lopez plays a central role is thematically about escape, identity, and transformative love. Lopez explained that the story’s emotional resonance mirrored what she was experiencing in her personal life during production. Her investment in the project, she described, was more than a job it was part of the healing process.

By calling out Melvin’s line of questioning, Lopez showed that she expects interviews to stay tethered to the work at hand not to be sidetracked into personal delving. Yet when necessary, she does not shy from acknowledging the past, nor downplaying its influence on the narrative she now tells.

This moment will likely be remembered as one of the more candid celebrity news exchanges of 2025: a reminder that for entertainers, publicity often means walking a tightrope between personal authenticity and public exposure.