Ben Affleck's Children Reject His Relationship Advice
The actor shared that his teenage children humorously dismiss his attempts to offer guidance on relationships, citing his own marital history.
Ben Affleck, 54, has revealed that his children do not take relationship advice from him, often responding with sarcastic remarks. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Affleck recounted instances where his attempts to impart wisdom were met with dismissive responses from his teenage children. He shared that his 17-year-old son once retorted, "Oh, like you’re the expert on relationships?"
Affleck, who has three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner—Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Sam, 14—explained that he sometimes tries to parent his children at the dinner table. However, he has noticed them exchanging eye-rolls, realizing he has become a "caricature."
He recalled a particular moment when they visited a bookstore, and he saw a book titled "I’m Sorry for Everything." His son, with a deadpan expression, commented, "Oh look, dad, it’s your autobiography."
Affleck was married to Garner from 2005 until their separation in 2015, with their divorce finalized in 2018. He was later married to Jennifer Lopez from 2022 to 2024, after a previous engagement ended in 2004.
Earlier, Affleck discussed why he initially considered casting Garner in his crime thriller "Animals" but ultimately recast the role with Kerry Washington. He thought Garner would be "amazing" and that it would allow them to coordinate their schedules better for seeing their children. However, he and Garner decided against it, recognizing that playing a couple with a rocky marriage onscreen might be perceived negatively given their shared history and co-parenting relationship.
"I talked to Jen, and she was like, 'We don’t wanna do that. You just get baggage,'" Affleck explained. He expressed a desire to work with Garner in the future, stating, "She’s fabulous, and we’re really good friends, and I’m profoundly grateful to her, and we have a great thing."
Despite their past marriages, Affleck and Garner maintain an amicable co-parenting relationship, often seen with their children and spending holidays together post-divorce.