Ben Affleck Recounts Teen Knife-Point Robbery by Future Killer

Actor Ben Affleck has shared a harrowing personal experience from his youth, recounting how he was robbed at knifepoint as a teenager by an assailant who subsequently committed murder. The 54-year-old actor detailed the incident on the "Street You Grew Up On" podcast with Kerry Washington.

Affleck, who grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said the encounter occurred when he was 15 years old. He described walking home from high school and noticing two individuals approaching him from opposite sides of the street, wearing hoods. Recalling his instincts, Affleck stated he considered running but ultimately decided against it, adopting a stance of defiance.

The attackers then approached him, brandished a knife, and demanded his money. In that moment, Affleck realized he recognized one of them from playing baseball. "I guess I'm off the hook," he told the podcast, implying his recognition de-escalated the immediate threat. The attackers left without further physical assault.

However, Affleck later learned that one of the youths who robbed him went on to kill someone with a knife several years after their encounter. This individual was subsequently imprisoned for 20 years. "So there was that, you know what I mean? And you were kind of aware of it," Affleck remarked.

He also revealed that he did not tell his mother about the incident at the time, explaining his reluctance to worry or scare her. His mother, who passed away in June at 83, later asked why he hadn't shared the experience, to which he couldn't articulate his reasons beyond not wanting to cause her distress.

Affleck, who is a father of three, stated that his own experience has influenced how he communicates with his children. He emphasizes to them that they can tell him anything, a contrast to his own guardedness growing up. He noted that his children sometimes react with mild exasperation to his persistent invitations to share their thoughts.

The actor also touched upon the social environment of his youth, describing his high school years starting in 1986 and the general atmosphere of the 1980s. He characterized the area as having a significant presence of working-class and impoverished individuals who felt a sense of struggle and competition. He recalled a racially charged fight that resulted in a student's death at his high school in 1981, underscoring a palpable awareness of ethnic divisions and distinct social groups, though he also noted that friendship often transcended these boundaries.

Affleck and Washington are set to appear together in the upcoming film "Animals," scheduled for release on October 9 in theaters and on Netflix.