Jennifer Lopez is officially entering her “unapologetic” era.
Just one year after filing for divorce from Ben Affleck, the -year-old multi-hyphenate is proving that life on her own terms is her best look yet. While the internet went into a tailspin following the former couple’s cozy appearance at the New York City premiere of Kiss of the Spider Woman on Oct. , sources tell PEOPLE that a romantic reunion is simply not on the menu.
During the event, the pair—who split in August after two years of marriage—appeared incredibly at ease, sharing laughs and even wrapping their arms around each other. The moment immediately sparked the hashtag BenniferForever, but insiders say the “red carpet reunion” was strictly a “work thing.”
“There is nothing going on between them,” a source tells PEOPLE. Instead, the “On the Floor” singer is leaning into her newfound independence. “Jen feels more comfortable in her skin than ever. There’s a sense of independence and peace about her.”
It’s been a journey of healing for Lopez, who previously called the divorce a “tough time” but ultimately “the best thing that ever happened” to her. Channeling that heartache into her art, she is now earning massive Oscar buzz for her role as Ingrid in the film—a character she admits felt “cursed in love.”
“I was very lucky, because it does come out in the performance,” she told USA Today.
After a rocky that saw the cancellation of her This Is Me… Live tour, Lopez is back on a professional high. Between wrapping her Up All Night tour, preparing for a Las Vegas residency this December, and filming the Netflix rom-com Office Romance, she is “booked and busy.”
But don’t expect her to fill the void with a new flame anytime soon. In a candid sit-down with Howard Stern on Oct. , Lopez joked about her clean breaks, saying, “Once I’m done, you’re dead to me… definitely like, it’s over. I’m gonna move on.”
The superstar also dropped a bombshell when she admitted to Stern that she’s never “truly been loved” in the way she deserved, noting her exes were often “incapable” of giving what she needed. “I didn’t love myself,” she reflected, adding that she has spent the last year learning she is “stronger alone.”
For now, her heart belongs to her -year-old twins, Max and Emme, whom she shares with Marc Anthony. “No matter how busy she gets, her kids come first,” a source notes. “She plans everything around being present for them.”
Even her relationship with Affleck remains centered on the family; the two stay connected primarily for the sake of their blended brood, which includes Affleck’s children Violet, , Seraphina, , and Samuel, .
As Lopez eyes a potential Academy Award nomination, she is focusing on the “liberation” of making decisions without compromise. “She doesn’t have anybody to think about romantically,” the source adds. “Being single is really working for her.”
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