Ralph Fiennes reveals bizarre link to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
Actor joked he was ‘set up’ to look like Lopez’s partner while they filmed ‘Maid in Manhattan’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ralph Fiennes has spoken about being used as a “relationship decoy” for Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck when they first started dating.
The British actor starred alongside Lopez in the 2002 romcom Maid in Manhattan, with filming taking place when she had just begun dating Affleck after meeting him on the set of Gigli.
Appearing on Watch What Happens Live on Tuesday (15 November), Fiennes was asked how he’d reacted to news that the pair were now married.
The Harry Potter star began explaining how he had covered for the pair, with host Andy Cohen responding with a look of shock: “Were you a decoy for their relationship?”
“I was,” Fiennes replied, jokingly adding: “I was set up.”
Cohen then asked if Lopez had suggested the move to make the film look good, to which Fiennes explained: “I was asked out to dinner [by] her two managers… at Cipriani’s in Soho. Nice dinner, chatty chatty chatty.
“I think I was walking home, peck on the cheek, ‘goodnight’, ‘goodnight’, go. A paparazzi, one, pops up, clunk clunk, just as we do the ‘goodnight’ chaste kiss. Somehow the pictures were angled so as she’s walking away, I’m walking after her.”
Laughing, he continued: “I think it said the next day on The Post, ‘It’s Ralph’ or something like that, ‘We know who it is.’”
Lopez and Affleck dated from 2002 to 2004, during which they got engaged but never married. They rekindled their romance in early 2021 and married in July.
Last week, Lopez defended her decision to legally change her name to Jennifer Affleck.
“People are still going to call me Jennifer Lopez,” she said. “But my legal name will be Mrs Affleck because we’re joined together. We’re husband and wife. I’m proud of that. I don’t think that’s a problem.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments