Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Reunite for Premiere of New Film 'Animals'

Ben Affleck, accompanied by his close friend Matt Damon and Damon's wife Luciana Barroso, attended the Los Angeles premiere of their new film "Animals" on Thursday. Affleck, 54, stars in and directed the crime thriller, which is set to be released on Netflix on October 9.

Affleck appeared in a black suit with a striped blue shirt and navy tie. Damon, 55, wore a pinstripe black suit with a grey button-up shirt and matching tie. Barroso, 50, opted for a low-cut silk top beneath a red suit.

The film follows a mayoral candidate and his wife who resort to extreme measures to pay their son's ransom, reportedly uncovering secrets they intended to keep hidden. Affleck plays the lead role of Mark, a character originally slated for Damon before scheduling conflicts arose.

Kerry Washington, 49, who plays Affleck's wife in the film, was also present, stunning in a long white gown with a side cut-out. She accessorized with a zebra print clutch and wore her hair slicked back.

Affleck recently revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) was utilized in the making of "Animals," which he also co-wrote. He described using AI for various aspects of the film, primarily in post-production, to expedite certain processes. "It allowed us to move in some cases more quickly, really mostly in post-production, to do things that otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to do," Affleck stated, though he expressed a desire to maintain the illusion of reality in his work.

This premiere follows recent comments from Affleck about his children's reactions to his relationship advice. Affleck, who has been married twice, to Jennifer Garner and Jennifer Lopez, shared that his three children with Garner—Violet, Fin, and Sam—tend to dismiss his advice with sarcastic remarks.

"I’ll say, 'You know, well the thing about that relationship there…' and the 17-year-old turns to me and goes, 'Oh, like you're the expert on relationships?'" Affleck recounted on Jimmy Kimmel Live, adding that he often catches his children exchanging knowing glances when he attempts to impart wisdom.

Affleck and Garner were married from 2005 to 2018. He was married to Lopez from 2022 to 2024. He also shared an anecdote where one of his children referred to a book titled "I'm Sorry for Everything" as his autobiography.

Initially, Affleck considered casting Jennifer Garner as his co-star for "Animals," but decided against it. "I thought, God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role," he told Entertainment Weekly. However, he realized that portraying a troubled marriage onscreen with his ex-wife could be problematic. Garner also expressed reservations, stating, "We don’t wanna do that. You just get baggage."