EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Lopez 'Getting Her Claws Into Ex Ben Affleck's Best Pal Matt Damon' – As She Reckons Their Friendship Will be Key to Landing Her a 'Revenge Oscar'
Jennifer Lopez is aiming for a 'revenge Oscar' by cozying up to ex Ben Affleck’s best friend Matt Damon, insiders say.
April 15 2025, Published 7:30 a.m. ET
Oscar-hungry diva Jennifer Lopez is cozying up to Matt Damon – despite her split from his best pal Ben Affleck – in a desperate bid to snag a Best Actress "revenge Oscar" at next year's Academy Awards, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The unlikely pals got close while working on the flick Kiss of the Spider Woman, which is set to be released in time for the 2026 awards season. And J.Lo apparently believes Damon can use his Hollywood influence to drum up support for her.
"She's clinging to the friendship with everything she's got in her drive to win an Oscar – which she sees as the perfect revenge on Ben," a source told us.
Damon's growing bond with Jennifer Lopez is stirring tension with Affleck, sources say.
Insiders insisted the friendship is a "calculated move" by 55-year-old Lopez, who is said to have been "devastated" when she failed to land even a nomination for her acclaimed performance in the 2019 film Hustlers.
Sources say along with the status of an Oscar win, Lopez is determined to show ex-hubby Affleck "he made a mistake" dumping her.
"She doesn't really want to be spending so much time with Ben's best bud, but she's determined to prove she's a serious actress," our insider added.
Luciana Barroso isn't thrilled as Damon backs J.Lo's Oscar campaign push, sources say.
Damon, 54, has been "playing peacemaker" between J.Lo and Affleck, 52, ever since their quickie marriage hit the skids last year, a source told us.
They said: "It's a delicate balance because Matt is Ben's business partner and best buddy, but he's also grown fond of J.Lo and wants to help advance her career.
"He thinks she should win an award and he's going to help by telling everyone he knows how fabulous she is and giving the okay to fund a big-bucks campaign to get her into the Oscar conversation."
But Damon and Lopez's sudden friendship isn't likely to go over well with Affleck – or Damon’s wife, Luciana Barroso, 48, another insider said.
Affleck's longtime pal Damon is caught in the middle of J.Lo's 'awards-season strategy.'
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They added: "Jennifer has a reputation for being clingy, and Matt's wife has never been a fan of hers.
"If they get any closer, it's surely going to become a problem for him at home."
Although Kiss of the Spider Woman was produced by both Affleck and Damon through their company, the source noted Damon's the one steering it.
Our insider added: "It's not that Jennifer has any designs on Matt romantically, she just sees him as her golden ticket and is being super-needy about it."
