Ben Affleck is not a 'creep', insists woman who revealed she rejected him on Raya in viral TikTok

Ben Affleck had a viral moment this week when a TikToker who matched with him on the dating app Raya – and then rejected him – shared a video message he sent her to prove he wasn’t a catfish.

And Nivine Jay, the woman who posted the video, wants to make it clear that the Academy Award-winning actor/director, 48, wasn’t being a ‘creep’ when he reached out to her on Instagram after she unmatched the star on Raya, thinking he was an imposter.

‘I’m seeing a lot of comments calling him a creep and l don’t think that’s fair. l wasn’t making fun of him in the video,’ Nivine told E! News. ‘l was making fun of myself for thinking he was a catfish and it was just supposed to be funny.’

Nice guy! Nivine Jay, the woman who rejected Ben Affleck on the dating app Raya and then shared a TikTok of him reaching out to her after, defended the actor against comments calling him a 'creep' and said she was mostly making fun of herself in the video

Nice guy! Nivine Jay, the woman who rejected Ben Affleck on the dating app Raya and then shared a TikTok of him reaching out to her after, defended the actor against comments calling him a ‘creep’ and said she was mostly making fun of herself in the video

For laughs: 'I'm seeing a lot of comments calling him a creep and l don't think that's fair. l wasn't making fun of him in the video,' Nivine told E! News . 'l was making fun of myself for thinking he was a catfish and it was just supposed to be funny'

For laughs: 'I'm seeing a lot of comments calling him a creep and l don't think that's fair. l wasn't making fun of him in the video,' Nivine told E! News . 'l was making fun of myself for thinking he was a catfish and it was just supposed to be funny'

For laughs: ‘I’m seeing a lot of comments calling him a creep and l don’t think that’s fair. l wasn’t making fun of him in the video,’ Nivine told E! News . ‘l was making fun of myself for thinking he was a catfish and it was just supposed to be funny’ 

In the original video’s caption Nivine explained what happened, writing: ‘Thinking of the time I matched with Ben Affleck on Raya and thought it was fake so I unmatched him and he sent me a video on Instagram.’ 

The Batman V Superman actor is then seen in an Instagram video speaking directly to camera, attempting to confirm his identity as he asks the woman: ‘Nivine, why did you unmatch me? It’s me.’

The video sparked a feverish response from his fans, while helping to launch her to five minutes of stardom.

Unsurprisingly, Jay, 29, became the subject of much speculation in the hours after she posted her TikTok video.

Although she was certainly not a household name prior to her viral TikTok video, Nivine, who is from Houston but lives in Los Angeles, is not totally unfamiliar with the spotlight, having worked as both a stand-up comedian, an actress, and a model in the last ten years. 

Relationships and dating have also played a major role in many of her past professional endeavors; a 2013 YouTube clip of the budding comedian performing on stage shows her dissing ex-boyfriends, making risque quips about prostitution and date rape, and praising women for ‘manipulating’ men into ‘paying for drinks and meals’. 

Viral star: Jay became the subject of much speculation on Monday went she posted a video of Ben Affleck pursuing her on Instagram after she unmatched him on Raya

Viral star: Jay became the subject of much speculation on Monday went she posted a video of Ben Affleck pursuing her on Instagram after she unmatched him on Raya 

Behind the scenes: Prior to her brush with viral fame, Nivine had worked as an actress, model, stand-up comedian, and an author

Behind the scenes: Prior to her brush with viral fame, Nivine had worked as an actress, model, stand-up comedian, and an author

The video – which was shared on Nivine’s personal YouTube page – was filmed at California comedy night Leche Lounge in July 2013, and sees her taking to the stage in a black dress and a flower crown, before cracking several jokes about her dating life.  

At the start of her routine, she accuses ‘all men’ of ‘getting creepy’, before describing a scenario in a bar when she makes eye contact with a guy, and then strikes up a conversation with him. 

‘He like, “What do you want to drink?” And I’m like, “Cranberry vodka – hold the rape,”‘ she quips, having already joked about an ex-boyfriend who had a folder on his computer entitled ‘naked b****es’. 

In one of her earliest Instagram posts, Nivine shared an image of a business card on which she described herself as a ‘comedian/pervert/cake lover’, while joking that she had been ‘making parents proud since ’92’. 

However in recent years, Nivine appears to have made a move away from comedy in favor of pursuing an acting and modeling career. 

Throwback: When Nivine was performing as a stand-up comedian, she did routines at venues in Texas and California

Throwback: When Nivine was performing as a stand-up comedian, she did routines at venues in Texas and California 

Tongue-in-cheek: During one performance at California's Leche Lounge in July 2013, Nivine made several jokes about sex and dating

Tongue-in-cheek: During one performance at California’s Leche Lounge in July 2013, Nivine made several jokes about sex and dating 

Joker: Back in 2013, Nivine shared an image of her business card on Instagram, revealing that she described herself as a 'comedian/pervert/cake lover'

Joker: Back in 2013, Nivine shared an image of her business card on Instagram, revealing that she described herself as a ‘comedian/pervert/cake lover’

She has two credits to her name on IMDB: a 2014 movie called The Donut Split, and a more recent 2021 project entitled Space Juice. 

Both appear to be independent projects.  

In 2018, Nivine also tried her hand at writing, publishing a book entitled Cry Baby, in which she documented ‘the five stages of grief… after heartbreak’ in a series of poems, basing it largely on her own experiences after ending a relationship.  

The budding author also shared several excerpts from the book on her Instagram Stories, sharing one poem in which she looked back on the pain of ‘giving up’ on a relationship. 

‘The day I gave up on us I cried for hours,’ the first line begins. ‘I cried until my fave was so wet, it looked like I had risen from the surface of the deepest waters.’

Interestingly, she also tackled the concept of rejection – perhaps a page that Ben could borrow in light of the couple’s bizarre Raya encounter. 

Moving on: In recent years, Nivine (seen left at the Playboy Mansion) appears to have tried to rebrand herself as an actress, model, and influencer

Moving on: In recent years, Nivine (seen left at the Playboy Mansion) appears to have tried to rebrand herself as an actress, model, and influencer

Moving on: In recent years, Nivine (seen left at the Playboy Mansion) appears to have tried to rebrand herself as an actress, model, and influencer

Influencer: The social media user boasts an impressive 18,000 followers on Instagram, where she regularly uploads photos of herself enjoying the LA lifestyle

Influencer: The social media user boasts an impressive 18,000 followers on Instagram, where she regularly uploads photos of herself enjoying the LA lifestyle 

Project: In 2018, Nivine published a book about heartbreak, which she based on her own experiences while grieving the end of a relationship

Project: In 2018, Nivine published a book about heartbreak, which she based on her own experiences while grieving the end of a relationship 

Raya is often described as the celebrity version of Tinder, as the dating app requires a membership and a vetting process, which is enticing to big movie stars like Affleck. 

The app – which launched in 2015 – describes itself as being ‘an exclusive dating and networking platform for people in creative industries.’ 

Demi Lovato revealed that she signed up to Raya after she split with ex-boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama in 2016. 

It has also been rumored that actor Channing Tatum became a member after his split from British singer Jessie J. 

Rumors that Affleck has been on the dating app have been rife for the past couple of years, though it was unclear up until now if it had been a fake profile.

The actor officially divorced his ex-wife Jennifer Garner in 2018, and has enjoyed a few romances since then with SNL producer Lindsay Shookus and actress Ana de Armas respectively.  

Past love: Ben Affleck split with actress Ana de Armas in January this year after a whirlwind romance

Past love: Ben Affleck split with actress Ana de Armas in January this year after a whirlwind romance

Not a match: Ben also split with SNL producer Lindsay Shookus after a brief romance in 2019

Not a match: Ben also split with SNL producer Lindsay Shookus after a brief romance in 2019

Over the weekend, Affleck was pictured with his newly-single ex-flame Jennifer Lopez prompting more rumors surrounding his romantic life. 

Earlier this year, the Oscar-winner opened up about his romance with Lopez on a podcast for The Hollywood Reporter saying he was ‘depressed’ when it ended in 2004.

‘I was depressed, had depression when I was younger, that was very difficult… I kind of had to develop a sense of, like, “I’m going to get through this no matter what. No matter how s****y it feels”‘ he explained.

Affleck also confirmed in that interview that the pair remain friends, saying: ‘I don’t think I met anybody that worked harder than Jennifer Lopez.’

ThThe Good Will Hunting star shares three children with his ex-wife Garner; Violet, 15, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, nine.

Romantic: The Good Will Hunting star shares three children with his ex-wife Garner; Violet, 15, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, nine. (the pair pictured above in 2007)

Romantic: The Good Will Hunting star shares three children with his ex-wife Garner; Violet, 15, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, nine. (the pair pictured above in 2007)

source: dailymail.co.uk