Once again, footage of Ben Affleck looking desperately dismal has sparked a bit of a furore on social media, fuelling rumours that his marriage to Jennifer 'Jenny from the Block' Lopez is on the rocks.
Stepping out for an iced coffee in Santa Monica, California on Tuesday (local time), the pair were snapped by paparazzi strolling hand-in-hand and happily chatting.
But despite the snaps being innocuous enough, video footage from the same outing - which has since gone viral on social media - paints a different picture, with paparazzi capturing a disgruntled-looking Affleck slamming a car door after opening it for his wife.
The clip, which has been viewed more than 20.5 million times on Twitter at the time of writing, shows Affleck swinging his arm dramatically after slamming the door, before pausing at the driver's side to shoot a baleful glare at the paps and raising his hand in a 'what are you doing, man?' type gesture.
J.Lo also appears stone-faced, wearing a large pair of sunglasses and appearing to look down as she hops into the sleek black car.
Affleck's morose appearance has prompted further speculation about the state of the couple's marriage, which has been a hot topic on social media this year. The rumour mill was rampant in February after a clip of the Pearl Harbor star looking glum at the Grammys - and seemingly being chided by Lopez for looking "bored" and "miserable" - circulated online. However, Affleck later confirmed that this was not the case.
But the new footage has once again added fuel to the fire, with many theorising his deflated demeanour is down to a rough patch in their relationship.
"LMAOOOOO nah Ben tired of her shit," one person tweeted, with another describing Affleck as "literally the unhappiest, most pressed husband in Hollywood".
"The way he closed the door, I know she's driving him insane," wrote someone else, with a fourth adding: "Lmfaoo Ben looks like he hasn't had peace in a while."
However, others were quick to point out that based on the dirty look he shot at the nearby paparazzi, his mood was likely due to the presence of the cameras as the couple tried to remain inconspicuous.
Others referenced the photos of the two strolling hand-in-hand and chatting just moments earlier - before they noticed the cameras.
"Looks to me like he's frustrated by the paparazzis," one tweeted, with another agreeing: "I think y'all reaching, I think he's tired of the paparazzi hence the 'what the f**k bro' posture."
A number of people have since taken to Twitter to call out the ongoing "misogynistic" narrative that Affleck appears to find J.Lo tiresome or 'hard work', noting that many seem to just want the actor to "hate his wife".
"I think it's so weird and sorta pathetic that some of you want this man to hate his wife so much. He is clearly annoyed with the paparazzi, not her," one weighed in.
In agreement, another said it's "disturbing" how so many people are "rooting for their marriage and family to crumble".
More have since pointed out that Affleck has a documented history of looking downcast in paparazzi photos - long before his marriage to J.Lo.
"This dude just looks stressed all the time lol, way before J.Lo - so people jumping to blame it on her is so weird."
In January, a video of Bennifer having a seemingly tense conversation at the premiere of her film Shotgun Wedding also sparked speculation of an argument, with many claiming they were squabbling over Affleck's drinking.
The couple, who were engaged for a brief period in the early 2000s, rekindled their romance in 2021 - 20 years after they first met - and announced their second engagement in April 2022. They married in a Las Vegas ceremony on July 16, 2022.
During an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast earlier this year, Affleck not only debunked the debacle at the Grammys, but addressed his down-in-the-dumps public demeanour, saying: "One of the reasons why people always think I look sad or pissed off is because... you only see me at the times where I'm standing there with my kids and five guys are following me and shouting things, which brings a feeling out in you that is not a happy feeling."
