We’re barely two months into 2023 and a new Ben Affleck meme has already dropped.
In case you missed it, Ben Affleck was spotted at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday 5 February looking like he’d rather be, well, anywhere else.
The Gone Girl actor attended the 2023 Grammys with wife Jennifer Lopez, who presented the award for Best Pop Vocal Album. The newlyweds were seated towards the front of the stage, which allowed cameras to catch their every interaction and memeable expression.
In fact, the Massachusetts-native inspired yet another meme when he was seen at the Grammys wearing a blank expression and seemingly staring off in the distance as his wife danced in her seat to Stevie Wonder’s hit song, “Higher Ground”.
Unsurprisingly, Affleck’s less than enthusiastic reaction to the Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson musical tribute inspired thousands of memes, with Grammys viewers sharing their amused reactions on Twitter.
“Ben Affleck looks like he’d rather be at Dunkin,” read one apt tweet from journalist Philip Lewis.
“Ben Affleck looking miserable with J-Lo at the Grammy’s is giving me life,” said another Twitter user, while one person wrote: “However bad of a day you’re having, I promise you’re not as miserable as Ben Affleck at the Grammys right now.”
“i’m crying why does ben affleck look like he’d rather die than be there,” said someone else.
Others found Affleck’s deadpan expression to be quite relatable, as some people compared the Grammy Awards to any other work event.
“Ben Affleck is every guy at his wife’s work party,” one user tweeted, while another wrote: “Ben Affleck at the Grammys is me any time I have to be on a zoom call.”
For those who are unaware, Ben Affleck first achieved meme status in 2016 with the infamous “Sad Affleck” meme. The meme in question was taken from an interview he gave alongside Henry Cavill, in which the pair were asked how they felt about the mixed reviews of their film, Batman v Superman.
Although Cavill eventually answered the question, Affleck sat by his side in silence looking dispirited. The snippet was edited into a viral video, which zoomed in on Affleck’s face, as Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” played in the background.
Affleck became a meme once more in 2020 when he was photographed struggling with his order of Dunkin’ iced coffees and Munchkins delivered to his door. Not to mention the iconic photograph of Affleck despondently smoking a cigarette that’s now a popular meme.
During his (first) honeymoon with Jennifer Lopez in July 2022, Affleck inspired yet another meme when he was photographed mid-nap on a cruise of the Seine River.
“Ben Affleck really endured years of memes and spilled Dunkin’ Donuts to come out the other side, passed out on a boat married to Jennifer Lopez,” said one fan at the time. “Incredible.”
