Jennifer Lopez has been spared the ordeal of promoting Jersey Girl alongside Ben Affleck, because she dies just 12 minutes into the movie. Kevin Smith insists J.Lo was never expected to promote the movie in the first place. He explains, “There weren’t plans beforehand for (Lopez) to be there at the March 5 press junket in New York, so the break-up doesn’t affect that. But I expect Ben to get hammered with questions.”

Miramax, which will release the movie on March 19, has been playing down her participation in the picture. Lopez barely appears in the trailer, which makes it clear her character dies during the birth of their child early on, and that Affleck’s character moves on to a relationship with more prominently featured Liv Tyler. Lopez doesn’t even appear on posters for the film. Instead it features Affleck with Raquel Castro, who plays their daughter. Smith adds, “Now that the trailer’s out, people are getting (the idea) that it’s not a ‘Bennifer’ movie.” Gigli co-stars Lopez and Affleck called an end to their much hyped romance last week.

Ben Affleck wants to return to his roots.

Now that the beast known as Bennifer is dead, Affleck is busy writing a screenplay with Matt Damon, his buddy with whom he first became a star.

“The script is along the same lines as ‘Good Will Hunting,’” says a source, referring to the 1997 Academy Award winning film Affleck wrote with Damon. “It’s set in Boston and deals with relationships.”

The source says Affleck and Damon hope to be finished with the script within the year, and adds that Affleck is feeling somewhat stung by his treatment in the press lately and “wants to spend more time behind the camera, writing, directing, producing.” Says the source, “He’s tired of his face being on the National Enquirer and wants to dial it all back a bit.”

Reps for Affleck and Damon didn’t return calls.