Latest Ben Affleck News | Fox News

Jennifer Aniston supports Justin Theroux baby news as A-listers turn break-ups into friendships

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 12:00:11 -0400

When a Hollywood power couple marriage falls apart and ends in divorce, the news of the split inevitably becomes tabloid fodder.

However, many A-list celebrities have made the decision to transform the pain of their failed marriage into a lifelong friendship with their former partner, something that previously has been unusual in the business.

Jennifer Aniston most recently liked ex-husband Justin Theroux's baby announcement — which he shared in a joint Instagram post with his wife Nicole Brydon Bloom. Aniston and Theroux were married from 2015 until 2018, and have remained friends since their divorce.

Other stars who have remained friendly with their exes include Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, Courtney Cox and David Arquette, and more.

SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS TOPPED CELEBRITY SCANDALS OF 2024

In 2024, Theroux told The Times that Aniston "is still very dear to me."

Theroux and Bloom got engaged in 2024 and married the following year.

Aniston is currently in a relationship with Jim Curtis.

GWYNETH PALTROW EMBRACES TREND OF LIVING APART FROM SPOUSE AS EXPERTS WARN IT CAN MAKE OR BREAK A MARRIAGE

Aniston reacted to her ex-husband Theroux sharing news that he and wife Bloom welcomed their first child.

The star liked the post announcing the news on Instagram.

The picture featured Theroux cradling his newborn son on his chest. Theroux and Bloom posted the joint photo with the caption: "He’s here. We are so in love."

BRAD PITT, ANGELINA JOLIE REACH DIVORCE SETTLEMENT AFTER BITTER 8-YEAR LEGAL BATTLE

Paltrow and Martin split in 2014 via "consciously uncoupling," but the former lovebirds have remained friends since.

Last year, Paltrow talked about the status of her relationship with Martin, whom she shared two children with.

Paltrow told Vanity Fair: "It’s not quite brother, but we are complete family. He is there for me through anything, and vice versa," she said of Martin.

KATY PERRY AND JUSTIN TRUDEAU SPARK DATING RUMORS, JOINING HIGH STAKES WORLD OF CELEB-POLITICIAN ROMANCES

Ben Affleck and ex-wife Jennifer Garner have also maintained friendly relations despite splitting in 2015.

Last year, Garner wished Affleck a happy Father’s Day on her Instagram, posting a picture of him with one of their kids. She captioned it: "Happy Father’s Day to 3 people’s favorite landing spot."

Affleck told GQ in January 2025 that he is "really lucky" to have a "really good co-parent and partner in Jennifer Garner."

CHRISTINA HAACK ACCUSES ESTRANGED HUSBAND OF 'INTIMIDATION' AFTER ALLEGEDLY SPOTTING HIM IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD

The actor added that Garner is "wonderful and great and we work together well."

In 2016, Garner explained why she became friends with Affleck despite their divorce.

"The main thing is these kids. And we’re completely in line with what we hope for them," she told Vanity Fair. "If you see your kids love someone so purely and wholly, then you’re going to be friends with that person," she told Vanity Fair.

NICOLE KIDMAN, RACHEL RAY, TED DANSON KEEP MARRIAGES HOT WITH UNCONVENTIONAL RULES

Demi Moore has been supportive of ex-husband Bruce Willis — even almost 30 years after their divorce. They were married from 1987 until 2000.

Moore and Willis, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023, share three daughters together: Rumer, Tallulah and Scout.

On Willis, Moore told People last year "that regardless of what the outside relationship has been, we have maintained being a family in various forms. The foundation of making our children our priority has never wavered."

CHANNING TATUM AND HIS GIRLFRIEND INKA WILLIAMS PUT THEIR PDA ON DISPLAY DURING COSTA RICA TRIP

After they split, Moore and Willis still attended premieres together and traveled to Paris — and during the COVID pandemic, they isolated together.

Moore attended his wedding to his now-wife Emma Heming in 2009, four years after he attended her wedding to then-husband Ashton Kutcher.

Willis welcomed two more daughters with Heming: Mabel and Evelyn.

ORLANDO BLOOM ADDRESSES KATY PERRY BREAKUP IN FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS SINCE SPLIT

After his diagnosis, Moore signed a note alongside Heming and his five children: "We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that."

Courteney Cox and David Arquette are another friendly ex-couple.

The duo, who are parents to daughter Coco, were married from 1999 until their divorce in 2013.

JOHN STAMOS AND JERRY O’CONNELL BURY THE HATCHET AFTER YEARSLONG RIFT OVER REBECCA ROMIJN

Cox and Arquette also worked on Scream 5 in 2022 and Scream 7, released earlier this year.

In 2010, he spoke about working with his ex-wife during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

"Well, we co-parent. So, we’re in touch quite a bit. It’s great. But we always love working together."

NICOLE KIDMAN'S FIRST POST-DIVORCE INSTAGRAM POST LEAVES A-LIST FRIENDS STUNNED

Adding: "She’s an incredible actress, so it’ll be fun to bring these characters back to life and see where they’re at… co-starring’s the easy part."

Cox recently cast David’s sister Patricia Arquette for her new project, "Evil Genius." Cox serves as the director and as one of the movie’s producers.

Miranda Kerr revealed in February that while her marriage to Orlando Bloom didn’t bring "out the best in each other," their relationship post-divorce has been much different.

The Victoria's Secret model said that "Orlando and I are great friends," during an appearance on "We Need To Talk" podcast in February.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

The duo share a son, Flynn, and Kerr said they both prioritized him by working to "completely forgive each" other and "make peace."

The supermodel noted that "having animosity towards someone else because they didn’t live up to your expectations is very draining."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"I just wished him a happy birthday and he told me, thank you to me for being such a wonderful mother to Flynn and a great friend to him, and how grateful he is to have me in his life. And I feel the same."

Kerr appeared at the Environmental Working Group's Know Your Worth Earth Day Dinner on April 22, and spoke to E! News about her co-parenting relationship with Bloom.

"Put the needs of the child first. That’s so important to think about, ‘Is this in the best interest for the child?’ And that's what we've done from day one with Flynn, and that's helped navigate so many challenging situations that have come up. Kids first," she told the outlet.

Bloom and his ex-fiancée Katy Perry also co-parent their daughter Daisy.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A source told People in December that "they’re both super committed to keeping this family dynamic," noting that it’s "all amicable and pretty easy."

Perry, who is in a relationship with Justin Trudeau, recently shared an image of Bloom with Daisy on her Instagram — proving they are friends.

Jennifer Garner details sacrifices and challenges of co-parenting with Ben Affleck

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:47:01 -0500

Jennifer Garner has learned quite a bit when it comes to co-parenting with ex-husband Ben Affleck.

During a recent appearance on Bustle's "One Nightstand" podcast, the "Alias" actress — who split from Affleck in 2015 — opened up about the sacrifices made while raising their three children together.

"When your kids grow up in two separate households, I become mom and dad, and he becomes dad and mom," said Garner. "You kind of can't help it, right? Because you don't have the benefit of both sides, the yin and yang being in the same house, so you have to have a bit of both in the way you parent."

BEN AFFLECK RELISHES JENNIFER GARNER FAMILY TIME, STARK TURNAROUND FROM RED CARPET LIFE

"There's a little bit of loss in that, but there's also something gained in that," she added. "You also just learn, it's made me let go and not focus so much on the bringing up."

Affleck and Garner met on the set of 2001's "Pearl Harbor," but didn't spark a romantic relationship until 2004, after starring alongside one another in the 2003 film "Daredevil." They married in 2005, but eventually called it quits in 2015.

"After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce," the couple said in a joint statement at the time. "We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time. This will be our only comment on this private, family matter. Thank you for understanding."

In her first interview since announcing the split, Garner said Affleck was the "love of her life."

"I didn't marry the big fat movie star; I married him," she told Vanity Fair in 2016. "And I would go back and remake that decision. I ran down the beach to him, and I would again. You can't have these three babies and so much of what we had. He's the love of my life."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"We still have to help each other get through this," she added, referencing their divorce. "He's still the only person who really knows the truth about things. And I'm still the only person that knows some of his truths."

After his divorce from Garner, Affleck rekindled his relationship with Jennifer Lopez. The couple's marriage lasted roughly two years. Lopez and Affleck married in 2022 and finalized their divorce in January 2025.

In December 2024, a source close to Affleck told Fox News Digital that the "Argo" actor had been enjoying time away from the spotlight, as he continued to relish quality time with Garner and their three children.

"Ben and Jennifer Garner have a really great co-parenting relationship," the source said. "They are still family for the sake of the kids. They talk all the time and Jennifer wants what's best for him because it's best for their kids. There is no bad blood between them, and she's really been there for him and their kids as they navigate life post split from Jennifer Lopez."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"Ben seems to be in a really great place in his life," the source added. "He's got a few things work wise to wrap up the year, but he seems less stressed than he did six months ago. He's focused on work and staying busy and seems excited for his project in the new year."

WATCH: JENNIFER GARNER'S SECRETIVE RELATIONSHIP GIVES OFF ‘UNSUPPORTIVE’ VIBES, EXPERT SAYS

In 2020, Affleck appeared on "Good Morning America," where he admitted that he and Garner would be "connected" forever.

"I didn't want to get divorced, I didn't want to be a divorced person, I really didn't want to be a split family with my children," he said at the time. "It upset me because it meant I wasn't who I thought I was and that was so painful and so disappointing. In myself."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"When you have children with somebody, you're connected to them forever," he said. "And I'm very lucky she is the mother of my children. I'm very grateful and respectful of her. Our marriage didn't work, and that's difficult. Both of us really believe that it's important for kids to see their parents respect one another and get along, whether they're together or not."

Brooks Nader breaks silence on Ben Affleck dating rumors

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:15:58 -0500

Reality star Brooks Nader is shutting down any speculation that she's seeing Ben Affleck.

Over the weekend, Deuxmoi, an anonymous pop culture site, shared on Instagram that a source informed them that Nader and Affleck have "never met." The reality star confirmed that statement in the comment section of the post.

"Haven’t met him in my life," Nader wrote.

Prior to her rumored romance, Nader was in a relationship with "Dancing with the Stars" pro Gleb Savchenko. The "Love Thy Nader" star divorced her ex Billy Haire in 2024. The former couple met in 2015 and married four years later. She announced their divorce in 2024 after five years of marriage.

BROOKS NADER'S SISTERS DISCOVER BASKET OF NEEDLES, STAGE INTERVENTION OVER ‘CONCERNING’ WEIGHT LOSS DRUG USE

Affleck has spoken briefly about relationships after his divorce from Jennifer Lopez in 2024.

"It’s not easy for anyone figuring out relationships, particularly at the very early part, where you’re trying to gauge, ‘What does this signal mean? Is this person looking at me? Do they like me? Am I going to humiliate myself if I go over there?'" he said in a clip shared by Page Six 2025.

In October, Nader told Page Six that she was embracing her "single era" after years of relationships.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"So, now that I’m in my single era, I feel like I’ve come into this new version of myself, and it’s so exciting and fun to discover her. The new Brooks!"

Her relationship with "DWTS" partner Gleb Savchenko made headlines in 2025, but Nader admitted she's content being single until she finds exactly what she's looking for in a partner.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"To impress me, it’s all about personality," she told Maxim magazine. "I did the whole pretty boy thing. I just want you to make me laugh. And someone who is a great listener, respectful, caring, chilled out, someone who supports my dreams – and is cool with my chaos!"

"I feel like I’m always making the plans, so I find it sexy when someone takes control and plans a date – whether you’re picking me up in a car or helicopter."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright contributed to this report.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon criticize cancel culture's permanent consequences

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:11:33 -0500

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are tackling cancel culture.

During a recent interview on "The Joe Rogan Experience," the movie-making duo discussed their latest film together, "The Rip," and spoke candidly about how cancel culture takes things to an extreme level.

"I bet some of those people would have preferred to go to jail for 18 months or whatever and then come out and say, ‘No, but I paid my debt. Like, we're done. Like, can we be done?’" Damon said about those who have been canceled. "Like, the thing about getting kind of excoriated publicly like that, it just never ends."

Damon added that once someone has been publicly called out for something, the public won't let them forget it, and the mistake "will follow you to the grave."

COMEDIAN WARNS 'WOKE IS NOT DEAD' AS CANCEL CULTURE STILL LOOMS OVER COMEDY

Affleck agreed with Damon, adding that people "have dark, f---ed up instincts to isolate people," and even "get joy out of" seeing someone else get in trouble, theorizing it brings them joy because they aren't the ones in trouble.

"Maybe because part of us is saying 'it's not me,' So if you can point the finger, everyone's looking over there. We feel safer, you know?" Affleck said.

"And to take any forgiveness out of it is a really f--ed up thing, because then it makes it impossible to actually go, ‘All right, yeah, I did that... That was wrong. I get it,’ You know, because it doesn't matter. Once you've said you've done it, you become like an outcast."

He added that he doesn't believe "anybody wants to think" that "the sum total of who you are is your worst moment."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

The two Academy Award winners appeared on the podcast to promote their latest film, "The Rip," which premiered on Netflix on Friday. Loosely based on a true story, the crime thriller tells the story of a group of Miami police officers who find millions of dollars, leading to the officers questioning who they can trust.

Affleck and Damon's working relationship goes back to their childhood, as they grew up doing local theater and auditioning together in Massachusetts. They achieved mainstream success when they wrote and starred in the 1997 movie, "Good Will Hunting," winning the Academy Award for best screenplay together in 1998.

Prior to collaborating on the 2021 movie, "The Last Duel," the duo took a long break from working together, having previously collaborated on six other films, including "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" in 2001.

"Well, we had gone, I think it was probably almost 20 years working together, and I think partly because when 'Good Will Hunting' came out, all that time ago, we were so seen as a team, that I think we wanted to not kind get typecast," Damon said of their break from working together during an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in January.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

He continued: "But yeah, I was watching that Peter Jackson documentary and at the end of it, on the fourth one at the end, The Beatles play that live show on top of the roof and it was so great, and I was watching it with my daughter, and he put up this chyron that said 'This is the last time The Beatles played live together.'"

Damon went on to say that the moment made him emotional, thinking about how much more The Beatles could have done together, adding it was "the kind of emotional impetus" for him to turn to Affleck and say "let's do this" and "go out on our shields at least together."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Ben Affleck downplays AI fears in film industry, says 'laws already exist' to protect artists' likeness

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 12:29:36 -0500

Actor Ben Affleck pushed back on some of the fears surrounding artificial intelligence's impact on the film industry, arguing that the technology will be used as a "tool" to streamline workflows in "all the places that are expensive and burdensome" to produce manually, rather than creating entire movies.

During an appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience," Affleck discussed how he believes AI will change film production, downplaying concerns other Hollywood figures have expressed about the technology.

"I actually don't think it's very likely that it can — it's going to be able to write anything meaningful or and, in particular, that it's going to be making movies from whole cloth like Tilly Norwood, like that's bulls---. I don't think that's going to happen," he asserted.

JAMES CAMERON SAYS THE 'FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE' WITH PUTTING GUARDRAILS ON AI IS THAT HUMANS CAN'T AGREE ON MORALS

Tilly Norwood, mentioned by Affleck, is an entirely AI-generated virtual actress created by Eline van der Velden's company, Particle6, in 2025. The virtual actress went viral after being announced, stirring controversy within the film industry about AI's role in replacing human roles.

Instead of using AI to replace human roles and creativity, the actor contended that, despite what many believe, the technology isn't quite at that level just yet.

"I think it actually turns out the technology is not progressing in exactly the same way they sort of presented it," he said. "And really what it is going to be is a tool just like sort of visual effects and, yeah, it needs to have language around it."

Affleck added that while "you still need to protect your name and likeness," there are different methods and laws that already exist to protect actors and actresses from their identity being used without their consent.

HERE'S HOW WE CAN LIVE AND WORK WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WITHOUT LOSING OUR HUMANITY

"I can't sell your f-----g picture for money. I can't. You can sue me. Period. I might have the ability to draw you to make you in a very realistic way, but that's already against the law," he noted, adding that unions and guilds will eventually step in to regulate AI usage.

According to Affleck, another possible use for AI, which would not come at the cost of a human's job, would be using the technology to simulate hard-to-reach locations which typically drive production costs through the roof.

"For example, we don't have to go to the North Pole, right? We can shoot the scene here in our parkas, and you know whatever it is, but then make it appear very realistically as if we're in the North Pole," he explained. "It'll save us a lot of money, a lot of time. We're going to focus on the performances and not be freezing our a-- off out there and running back inside."

The actor said fears surrounding AI are likely rooted in a human sense of "existential dread" tied to the emergence of powerful tools that have the capability of changing the world as we know it.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

"It kind of feels to me like … there's a lot more fear because we have the sense of this existential dread. 'It's going to wipe everything out.' But that actually runs counter, in my view, to what history seems to show, which is adoption is slow. It's incremental," he argued.

Aside from the human element of fearing the unknown, Affleck claimed that a lot of the "rhetoric" about AI changing the world comes from the corporations who are building and utilizing the technology in an effort to rationalize the amount of money they've invested.

"I think a lot of that rhetoric comes from people who are trying to justify valuations around companies where they go, 'We're going to change everything in two years. There's going to be no more work,'" he contended.

"The reason they're saying that is because they need to ascribe a valuation for investment that can warrant the CapEx spend they're going to make on these data centers with the argument that, 'Oh you know as soon as we do the next model, it's going to scale up can be three times as good,' except that actually, ChatGPT 5 — about 25% better than ChatGPT 4 and costs about four times as much in the way of electricity and data. So they say that's like plateauing. The early AI the line went up very steeply, and it's now sort of leveling off."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon say police are ‘underappreciated’ and ‘underfunded’

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:56:48 -0500

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon believe police officers are "underappreciated" and "underfunded."

During a recent appearance on "The Howard Stern Show," the longtime friends discussed their latest movie, "The Rip," where the actors play Miami police officers who seize millions while uncovering scandal in their own force, according to IMDb.

Affleck and Damon were discussing their roles and the physical preparation that went into transforming into "honest cops."

"These are hardcore guys," Stern said of their characters. "I mean, you really captured that angst. Like, I'm an honest cop, but everyone's looking at me like I'm dishonest."

'GOOD WILL HUNTING’ 25TH ANNIVERSARY: HOW BEN AFFLECK, MATT DAMON WENT FROM ‘DRAMA GEEKS’ TO MOVIE STARS

This comment from Stern led Damon and Affleck to advocate for members of law enforcement.

"One of the things that I remember talking to Matt about with this was these people, who, as you say, don't make a lot of money," Affleck began.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

He continued, "It's about going out and doing a honest day's work and the integrity and the meaning of that... underappreciated, under suspicion often..."

"Underfunded," Damon chimed in.

"Underfunded. So to me, that was exactly what you described was at the heart of this thing," Affleck said to Stern.

On Tuesday, Affleck and Damon were guests on the "Today Show" and discussed spending time in Miami with police officers, researching their profession.

"We went down and met the people who do this work and rode along with them and spent some time with them. That was great," Damon began. "A lot of the language, the way the cops relate to each other, all of that was kind of already baked into the script. That research piece is always the fun stuff for us."

"They were really gracious with their time and shared their stuff with us," Affleck added. "A lot of them are in the movie in the supporting parts, so it was cool."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Damon and Affleck’s friendship is one of Hollywood’s most enduring bonds, dating back to their childhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The longtime pals rose to fame together after co-writing "Good Will Hunting," which earned them Academy Awards and cemented their creative partnership.

The friends joked about their friendship on the "Today Show." Damon said in "little ways" they have gotten sick of each other over the past 40 years, but never in "big ways."

"The Rip" stars Damon and Affleck and debuts in theaters on Jan. 16.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Ben Affleck's 13-year-old son asked him for money to bet on sports

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:06:19 -0500

Ben Affleck's son has a new hobby, which he may have picked up from his grandfather.

During a recent appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" the 53-year-old actor shared that his son has started to show an interest in sports betting, something which runs in Affleck's family.

"My son asked me like a month ago, [he] was like, ‘Hey, um, can I get like 100 bucks to bet on sports?’" Affleck shared. "It’s like, what? [He’s like,] ‘My friends get $100, but if they lose it, then that’s it.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s a real standard, what discipline! Like, so that you don’t come twitching back going, ‘I know that Green Bay is going to cover the over in the second half.’"

Earlier in the interview, Affleck shared that his father also had a special interest in gambling, revealing that while his father "worked at a bar mostly," he made a lot of "his money sort of being a small-time bookie."

JENNIFER LOPEZ ADMITS SHE’S NEVER FELT TRULY LOVED, SAYS EXES WEREN’T 'CAPABLE'

He explained that "at the time it was, like, shameful and kind of illegal," but then quickly apologized to his dad for outing his illegal activity, adding, "I mean, the statute of limitations has run out."

"I remember our first washing machine, our first VCR, in fact, Dad coming home like, ‘You can thank Steve Grogan for this,’ the quarterback of the Patriots. ‘Everybody keeps betting [on] the Patriots to beat the spread,’" Affleck said. "And so I really was grateful that the Patriots were terrible; just thank Steve Grogan’s knees for our VCR."

When his 13-year-old son asked him for money to place a bet, Affleck joked he told him, "There's a reason your grandfather's broke."

The "Good Will Hunting" actor also shares Violet, 20, and Fin, 16, with his ex-wife, actress Jennifer Garner.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

The father-son-duo went viral in March 2025, when Samuel was caught on camera asking his dad if he could buy him a pair of $6,000 Dior sneakers while the two were out at a sneaker convention. Upon seeing the hefty price tag, Affleck told his son, "That's a lot of lawns you gotta mow there."

"That's what happens when you tell a motherf---er they have to mow a lawn," he told Access Hollywood about the viral moment at the time. "All of a sudden they don't want those shoes, and he was like, ‘But I always said they were tough.’"

He asked the reporter if she had any children, then explained, "It's always some grift why I need to be … I'm like, 'Man, you do not need thousand-dollar shoes!' He's like, 'We have the money.' I'm like, 'I have the money, you're broke!'"

Garner and Affleck were married for nearly 10 years before announcing their separation in June 2015. They met while filming the 2001 movie, "Pearl Harbor," and began dating in 2004.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Following their divorce, Affleck reunited with his former fiancé, Jennifer Lopez, in April 2021, shortly after she called off her engagement to former professional baseball player, Alex Rodriguez.

They got married in a small ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada in July 2022, before throwing a larger celebration a month later at Affleck's estate in Georgia. The two were married for two years before Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Steven Spielberg once blacklisted Ben Affleck from major film project during Gwyneth Paltrow relationship

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:15:54 -0500

Steven Spielberg reportedly once had a grudge against Ben Affleck — who was dating the famed director's goddaughter, Gwyneth Paltrow, at the time.

During an appearance on Stephen Baldwin's "One Bad Movie" podcast, director Mike Binder opened up about the time Spielberg opted out of working on a film due to Affleck's involvement.

At the time, Binder was developing the 2006 film "Man About Town," and Affleck had signed on to star in the movie.

GWYNETH PALTROW ADMITS HER 'ICY' REPUTATION ISN’T ENTIRELY WRONG, SHARES THE REAL REASON

"No. Can’t do it with him," Spielberg reportedly told Binder. "We just bombed with a movie with him, he’s got that whole J. Lo (Jennifer Lopez) thing going on now, and I have other problems with him."

Spielberg reportedly detailed a time in which Affleck threw the director's son in the pool.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"My son was a little boy, he was playing in the pool, and he got out of the pool, and Ben came in fully dressed, and my son pushed Ben into the pool," the "Jurassic Park" director reportedly told Binder.

"And Ben got really mad at him, and he came out of the pool and picked him up and threw him back into the pool, and made my son cry," Spielberg added.

GWYNETH PALTROW THOUGHT BRAD PITT WASN'T 'SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH' FOR HER HOLLYWOOD TASTES: BOOK

"I just don’t like to work with him," Spielberg reportedly explained. "Plus, his last two movies bombed. Find somebody else. Anyone but him. He’s cold as hell."

When Binder told Affleck that Spielberg was out and the project was put on hold, the actor suspected the reason.

"Ben calls me up, he says, ‘Did Steven Spielberg tell you I threw his kid in the water? Is that what happened? Is that why I’m not on your movie?’" Binder told Baldwin during the podcast.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"I said, ‘No, he didn’t say —’ ‘Yes he did! He told you I threw his kid in the water. That’s why I’m not on the movie,'" he recalled.

Representatives for Affleck and Spielberg did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Affleck and Paltrow dated on and off between 1997 and 2000 before eventually going their separate ways.

In 2018, during Sirius XM's "The Howard Stern Show," Paltrow was asked if she was ever in love with Affleck.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"How did you know not to marry him? You were never in love with him," Stern inquired.

"It’s interesting, I think there’s certain boyfriends where you are trying to work stuff out, right? Like, you’re trying to heal certain stuff from your childhood and he was very much a lesson in that way," she explained. "I’m not sure exactly what I was trying to heal in that instance, but it was ...he was, ya know, it was specific."

Jennifer Lopez admits she’s never felt truly loved, says exes weren’t 'capable'

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:25:14 -0400

Jennifer Lopez is opening up about why her most recent divorce ended up being "the best thing" for her.

During a recent interview on SiriusXM's "Howard Stern Show," the 56-year-old actress and singer discussed her 2024 divorce from Ben Affleck, detailing what she learned from the split.

"When I got divorced this last time, it was the best thing that ever happened to me," she explained. "Because it really made me journey into — I mean, I had a religious coach. I had a therapist, a couple's therapist, an individual therapist. I had a coach to understand addiction. I had everything. I was like, 'I'm gonna f---in' figure this s--- out if it kills me.'"

The "Hustlers" star has been married four times, most notably to Marc Anthony from 2004 to 2014, and to Affleck from 2022 to 2024.

JENNIFER ANISTON SHARES THE SURPRISING SECRET THAT KEEPS HER LOOKING YOUTHFUL AT 56

When asked by Stern if she believes she's ever "truly been loved," Lopez said "no," but that she knows what it means to truly love someone else. She also shared that part of the reason she feels that way is because "I didn't love myself."

"What I learned, it's not that I'm not lovable — it's that they're not capable. ... They don't have it in them," she said, adding, "And they gave me what they had. They gave me all of it, every time. All the rings, all the things I could ever want. The houses, the rings, the marriage. All of it. But.…"

After working through her divorce, Lopez said she is now "able to sit here in a much more self-assured, self-aware way" and reflect on everything that has happened in her life.

"Whether my mother, my father, in my own life, how I learned to love, how I felt neglected — all the things that are in your head as a person — and know who I am and just really appreciate that person," she explained. "[I] feel really comfortable and good in being myself, all the good parts and all the kind of complicated things."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Lopez previously referred to her divorce from Affleck as "the best thing that ever happened to me" during an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning" in September.

During the interview, the "Maid in Manhattan" star shared that the split "helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow, become more self-aware."

"I'm a different person now than I was last year," she said. "I realized that the joy is in living and these moments and really embracing life and everything that it brings to you, for the lessons that it brings."

She went on to say that once those lessons are learned, "everything just becomes a little bit lighter and you can really, really fly." When asked if she now feels like she's flying, Lopez said yes, adding, "I still feel like I want to fly higher."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

The former couple recently reunited at the premiere of "The Kiss of the Spider Woman," which Affleck produced and Lopez starred in. They were photographed standing side by side on the red carpet, with Affleck posing with his arm around her waist in some photos.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck reunite on red carpet after divorce

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:02:13 -0400

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reunited on the red carpet for her latest movie.

The former couple posed for photos at the premiere of the new film, "Kiss of the Spider Woman," which stars Lopez. Affleck and Matt Damon's Artist Equity production company co-produced the movie.

Affleck was photographed with his arm around Lopez's waist, and the two can be seen smiling at each other. The seemingly friendly exes took a moment to catch up between photos, with Affleck leaning in to whisper something in her ear at one point.

JENNIFER LOPEZ SUFFERS WARDROBE MALFUNCTION DURING CONCERT

Lopez walked the carpet in a green off-the-shoulder Harris Reed dress which featured floral designs and black structural pieces which resembled spider legs jutting out from her waist.

Affleck looked dapper in a classic blue suit with a white button-down shirt and opted out of wearing a tie.

According to People, Lopez thanked Affleck while introducing the movie, telling the crowd, "Thank you so much, thank you everybody for being here tonight. Thank you Ben, this movie wouldn't have been made without Ben and without Artist Equity."

The former couple first met and got engaged in 2002 on set of the film "Gigli," but ultimately called it quits in 2004. They reconnected 17 years after their break-up, in April 2021, and got married a year later in August 2022.

Two years after their lavish Georgia wedding, the couple filed for divorce in August 2024, citing April 26 of that year as their date of separation.

Affleck spoke about his ex-wife during an interview with Extra in October, calling her "amazing."

"She’s amazing in the movie. I just can’t wait for you, the audience, to see the movie," he told the outlet. "I’m as proud of this movie as any that I’ve ever been involved with. I’m really excited to be here tonight."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Lopez spoke about the film while on "CBS Sunday Morning," in September, sharing the film was made while the two were still married, with Affleck executive producing and helping to get it made after she told him "this was the role I was born to play."

She said that working on the movie "was the best and worst time in a way," because she would be in such a good place while on set but then "back home, it was not great. And it was just like, 'How do I work inside of this?'"

While it was a dark period in her life, the 56-year-old actress said it ultimately was "the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Because it changed me," she explained. "It helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow, become more self-aware. I'm a different person now than I was last year… I realized that the joy is in living and these moments and really embracing life and everything that it brings to you, for the lessons that it brings."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

She went on to say that once those lessons are learned, "everything just becomes a little bit lighter and you can really really fly." When asked if she now feels like she's flying, Lopez said yes, adding, "I still feel like I want to fly higher."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Jennifer Lopez reflects on life-changing divorce from Ben Affleck and her path forward

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 17:00:15 -0400

Jennifer Lopez is getting candid about her divorce from Ben Affleck.

In a recent interview with "CBS Sunday Morning," the 56-year-old actress and singer discussed Affleck's involvement in her new film, "Kiss of the Spider Woman," and why she considers her divorce from the actor, "the best thing that ever happened to me."

JESSICA SIMPSON FINDS FREEDOM IN NASHVILLE AFTER FLEEING HOLLYWOOD PRESSURES

During the interview, Lopez shared that Affleck was an executive producer on the film when they were still married, saying he "helped make it happen" after she told him "this was the role I was born to play."

"It was the best and worst time in a way, because it was every moment on set and every moment I was doing this role, I was so happy, and then it was like, back home, it was not great. And it was just like, 'How do I work inside of this?'"

The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, the same month they finalized their divorce.

"Kiss of the Spider Woman," based on the 1993 Broadway musical, was adapted based on the 1976 novel. It follows the story of Valentin, a political prisoner who builds an unlikely friendship with his cellmate as he tells him the story of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite actress, played by Lopez.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

The couple first began dating in 2002 after they met while working on the movie, "Gigli." They were together for two years and even got engaged, before going their separate ways in 2004.

Both Affleck and Lopez married other people and started their families, before getting back together in 2021. After getting engaged in April 2022, the couple tied the knot in July of that year.

"It was the biggest heartbreak of my life and I honestly thought I was going to die," the "Let’s Get Loud" singer told Apple Music One in November 2022 about their first breakup. "It sent me on a spiral for the next 18 years where I just couldn't get it right. But now, 20 years later, it does have a happy ending."

Ultimately, Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024 after two years of marriage.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

When speaking to GQ for their April issue in 2025, Affleck reflected on their divorce, saying he understands that "there’s a tendency to look at breakups and want to identify root causes," but that his breakup with Lopez "is much more quotidian than probably people would believe or would be interesting."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"There’s no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue," he said. "The truth is, when you talk to somebody, 'Hey, what happened?' Well, there is no, 'This is what happened.'"

Violet Affleck demands clean air at UN but is 'powerless over dad getting off cigarettes': expert

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 21:35:41 -0400

Violet Affleck took the stage at the United Nations (U.N.) to demand clean air and as her father, Hollywood star Ben Affleck, wrestles with his smoking habit.

Wearing a KN95 mask, the 19-year-old Yale freshman addressed the "Healthy Indoor Air: A Global Call to Action" panel Tuesday in New York.

Over four minutes, Violet urged governments to bring back mask mandates, invest in clean-air infrastructure and recognize "filtered air as a human right as intuitively as we do filtered water."

"We can create clean air infrastructure that is so ubiquitous and so obviously necessary so that tomorrow’s children don’t even know why we need it," Violet warned delegates.

ANGELINA JOLIE PLANNING TO SELL LA HOME AND MOVE ABROAD AFTER BRAD PITT CUSTODY RESTRICTIONS LIFT: REPORT

But one expert with prior connections to Violet’s famous father suggested her clean-air push could be complicated by his smoking.

"Violet will never be happy with the air, and she's a very sensitive girl," Rocky Rosen, a Los Angeles smoking cessation trainer, told Fox News Digital. "She wants clean air but also wants dad to be healthy. Violet feels powerless over her father getting off cigarettes."

Violet is the eldest daughter of Affleck, 53, and his ex-wife, actress Jennifer Garner, 53. The couple, who divorced in 2018 after more than a decade together, also share Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12.

KATE HUDSON ROCKS BIKINI ON ADVENTURE GETAWAY WITH FAMILY IN COLORADO

Affleck has reportedly wrestled with nicotine addiction for decades, even as Violet campaigns for healthier air.

He's been photographed smoking in public, including one instance where he pulled down his mask at the height of the pandemic just to light up.

"Smokers like Ben are afraid of two things. He's probably afraid he can't stop. He's probably afraid that he will stop," Rosen said. "Ben's very environmentally concerned but, as far as the cigarettes, they just have control over him."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Rosen emphasized the actor does try to be careful around others.

"Her dad doesn't smoke near her. I’m sure, as in the pictures you’ll see of him smoking, he’s by himself. So he’s considerate about the air around him when he’s smoking and doesn't want anybody exposed to his secondhand smoke," he added.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Affleck family for comment.

Ben Affleck flashes smile at Jennifer Garner during rare appearance at sporting event

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 11:26:53 -0400

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are taking their family out to the ball game.

The Hollywood exes made a rare appearance on Friday night, as they reunited for a front-row moment at Fenway Park.

Affleck, 52, was spotted flashing a smile at Garner, 53, as they watched a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays with their family in the stadiums.

JENNIFER GARNER SEEN KISSING BOYFRIEND JOHN MILLER, AS SHE SPENDS TIME WITH BEN AFFLECK FOR EASTER

The "Good Will Hunting" actor sported a green baseball cap and tan collared button-up, as the "13 Going on 30" actress donned a red striped t-shirt, with her hair styled in a ponytail.

In a video posted by Major League Baseball’s official X page, Affleck was seen nudging Garner at one point during the game, as she looked up, nodded her head and smiled.

"Great Red Sox family there -- Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and their kids… those are nice seats," the announcers were heard saying in the video clip.

It appeared that their children, Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck, 16, and Samuel Affleck, 13, joined them for the family night out.

Affleck and Garner’s eldest child, Violet Anne Affleck, 19, did not show up to the baseball game.

The pair were previously married for 10 years, from 2005 until 2015.

BEN AFFLECK WARNS AGAINST HANDOUTS, JOINING MARIE OSMOND AND GORDON RAMSAY WITH TOUGH LOVE PARENTING

Garner is currently dating boyfriend John Miller, chairman of CaliGroup.

In April, the Hollywood actress was spotted outside of her home, as she shared an intimate kiss before Miller hopped in his truck and drove away.

Garner has been romantically linked to Miller since 2018. While the two took a break from dating at one point, they have been going strong since 2023, People magazine reported at the time.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Garner's kiss with her boyfriend came the day before she and her ex-husband Affleck reunited for Easter Sunday with their son, Samuel.

After Affleck’s divorce from Garner, he rekindled his relationship with Jennifer Lopez. The couple's marriage lasted roughly two years. Lopez and Affleck married in 2022 and finalized their divorce in January 2025.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Meanwhile, Garner and Affleck's co-parenting relationship has recently been at the center of attention as the former couple has been spotted out and about together.

In March, Affleck and Garner were seen smiling the whole time during a paintball party for their son. They had "a bunch of good energy around them," a source told Fox News Digital about the outing. "You can just tell they were mainly there for their kid."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash contributed to this report.

Violet Affleck argues with mother Jennifer Garner about true cause of California wildfires

Wed, 21 May 2025 18:15:19 -0400

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner’s daughter Violet Affleck went into detail this week about how she and her mother argued about the causes of the Los Angeles wildfires that destroyed their Pacific Palisades neighborhood in January.

"I spent the January fires in Los Angeles arguing with my mother in a hotel room," the 19-year-old wrote in Yale’s Global Health Review, where she is a student, in a piece published on Sunday titled: "A Chronically Ill Earth: COVID Organizing as a Model Climate Response in Los Angeles."

Affleck continued of Garner, "She was shell-shocked, astonished at the scale of destruction in the neighborhood where she raised myself and my siblings. I was surprised at her surprise: as a lifelong Angelena and climate-literate member of generation Z, my question had not been whether the Palisades would burn but when."

She wrote that while some people at the hotel saw the wildfires as a "burst of bad luck" that was a combination of high winds and little rain, she knew it was related to the "climate crisis."

JENNIFER GARNER SEEN KISSING BOYFRIEND JOHN MILLER AS SHE SPENDS TIME WITH BEN AFFLECK FOR EASTER

Along with Violet, Affleck and Garner, who divorced in 2018, also share Fin,16, and Samuel, 13.

Affleck compared people being forced to wear N95 masks because of poor air quality after the fires to the COVID-19 pandemic, writing that, like the health crisis, climate change will "soon become impossible for even society’s most insulated to ignore."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

She wrote about the "promised end to the pandemic has been more a matter of public relations than public health," adding that public health officials were soon forced to grapple with "ongoing waves of infection" even as the country came "out of the pandemic."

JENNIFER GARNER, BEN AFFLECK'S DAUGHTER VIOLET'S GRADUATION LEAVES ACTRESS IN TEARS

She also noted that coronavirus can be "a threat to even the healthiest individuals," specifying long COVID as an example.

Last summer, the first-year college student, who often still wears masks, appeared at a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Meeting, speaking out against mask bans after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she was looking at the legality of wearing masks at protests.

Affleck wrote that despite the effectiveness of wearing masks, more proactive steps need to be taken to lower coronavirus infection risk, just like for climate change.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"Though widespread N95 masking is indisputably the most effective tool for individuals to prevent COVID transmission, masking alone is both more resource-intensive and more reactive than collective interventions like paid sick leave for all workers, universal healthcare, and clean air standards requiring HEPA filtration and far-UVC light44 to kill airborne virus in public spaces," she argued.

BEN AFFLECK SHUTS DOWN TEENAGE SON'S REQUEST FOR $6K SHOES: 'I HAVE THE MONEY, YOU’RE BROKE'

Affleck concluded her essay by saying, "In the same way that COVID-conscious and disabled people celebrate each chain of transmission broken, climate scientists recognize that each degree of warming we avoid will be a victory. It’s time for everyone who cares about the latter to engage with the people, the methods, and the political commitments that make the former possible."

Last spring, Garner shared several photos on Instagram of herself in tears during and after Violet's high school graduation. Violet is Garner and Affleck's oldest child. "Tell me you have a graduate without telling me you have a graduate," she wrote in the caption, adding in parentheses: "Bless our hearts."

"How are we going to make it? What are we going to do?" Garner asked in one video taken on an airplane as she wiped away tears.

Garner also told Southern Living in an interview last year that she has striven to raise her children to be humble despite being born into wealth.

"It's really important for my kids to see that everyone doesn't have the lives they see in Los Angeles," she told the magazine. "That doesn't reflect the rest of the world. I want them to grow up with the Southern values I had—to look at people when they say hello and to stop and smell the roses. If I could do half as good a job as my mom did, I'd be pretty happy."

Fox News Digital has reached out to a rep for Garner for comment.

Tom Cruise linked to Ana de Armas after Ben Affleck romance sent her running

Sun, 11 May 2025 04:00:33 -0400

From action-packed movie roles to high-profile relationships, Ana de Armas is no stranger to the spotlight.

However, the 37-year-old Cuban actress - who has recently been photographed out and about with Tom Cruise - has no interest in living a life in the public eye.

During an interview with Elle in 2022, the "Blonde" star, who had a brief relationship with Ben Affleck in 2020, said the constant interest in her love life while dating the "Gone Girl" actor was "horrible."

"Which is good," she added. "That’s one of the reasons why I left L.A."

TOM CRUISE, ANA DE ARMAS SPOTTED STROLLING TOGETHER IN LONDON PARK ON HER 37TH BIRTHDAY

De Armas, who grew up in Cuba before relocating to Spain at 18, moved to Los Angeles when she was 26 years old, in hopes of making a name for herself as an actor and director.

But she got more than she bargained for.

In 2020, De Armas sparked a relationship with her "Deep Water"co-star, Affleck. The actress broke off their roughly one-year relationship because she didn't want to be Los Angeles-based, reports said at the time of the split. The actress and Affleck split in January 2021, and insiders claimed the breakup was "amicable."

ANA DE ARMAS SAYS 'HORRIBLE' ATTENTION ON BEN AFFLECK RELATIONSHIP LED HER TO LEAVE LOS ANGELES

"There is deep love and respect there," a source told People magazine at the time. "Ben continues to want to work on himself. He has three jobs lined up, and he’s a solid father at home. They are both happy with where they are in their lives."

Another insider close to the former couple added that "she broke it off."

"Their relationship was complicated," the insider added. "Ana doesn't want to be Los Angeles-based and Ben obviously has to, since his kids live in Los Angeles."

BEN AFFLECK, ANA DE ARMAS SPLIT AFTER ALMOST 1 YEAR OF DATING: REPORT

One year later, de Armas confirmed that building a life in Los Angeles was just not in the cards for her.

"Going through it [myself] confirmed my thoughts about, 'This is not the place for me to be,’" she told Elle. "It became a little bit too much. There’s no escape. There’s no way out. It’s always the feeling of something that you don’t have, something missing. It’s a city that keeps you anxious."

In an effort to escape public scrutiny, the "No Time to Die" star said she intentionally stays away from the internet.

ANA DE ARMAS SEEMINGLY ADDRESSES RUMORS THAT SHE'S DATING EX BEN AFFLECK AGAIN: 'I DON'T THINK SO'

"I deleted Twitter years ago," she told Elle at the time. "I have barely been on Instagram for almost a year."

Most recently, however, de Armas and Cruise, who are reportedly collaborating on a project, have been spotted together in London on several occasions over the past few months, fueling rumors of a potential romance.

Speculation began to swirl when the pair were photographed together for the first time on the night before Valentine's Day.

On Feb. 13, the two were pictured walking through London's Soho neighborhood as de Armas carried what appeared to be takeout bags of food from a restaurant. The two stopped for photos with fans before leaving in a taxi together.

A source later told People magazine that Cruise and the "Ghosted" actress had dined out with their agents, saying they were "discussing potential collaborations down the line." The insider claimed that Cruise and de Armas "appeared to have no romantic connection" and were "just friends."

However, the duo further fueled dating speculation when they were again photographed together on March 14 as they arrived at the London Heliport by helicopter at night.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

While speaking with People, a source said that Cruise and de Armas echoed the statements made about them, and insisted they are collaborating on an upcoming project, but are not romantically involved.

According to the insider, director Liman also accompanied the two on the trip, but further details about the project were not disclosed.

The 62-year-old actor and de Armas were most recently seen chatting as they walked down a path in a London park on the "Knives Out" star's 37th birthday last week.

In a photo and video captured by a bystander and shared on X, Cruise was seen wearing a white polo t-shirt with dark blue jeans while de Armas sported a light-colored t-shirt with jeans, white sneakers and a brown crossbody bag.

Cruise walked next to de Armas with his hands behind his back and was holding what appeared to be an olive green dog leash with a pouch. The pair were accompanied by another woman as well as security guards during their outing.

Celebrity matchmaker Alessandra Conti previously told Fox News Digital that she doubts the relationship between Cruise and de Armas is actually platonic, noting the two are both guarded about their private lives.

"Since his devastating and public split with Katie [Holmes], he has kept a low profile when it comes to his personal life. However, his new relationship with Ana de Armas could be his big comeback into being in a celebrity power couple," Conti said.

"As a matchmaker in Beverly Hills for nearly 13 years, it is clear that Tom was gravely affected by the public nature of his relationship with Katie and was gun-shy and incredibly private with any other potential romances since the split back in 2012."

TOM CRUISE AND ANA DE ARMAS FUEL ROMANCE RUMORS AFTER STEPPING OUT IN LONDON AGAIN

"The fact that he was seen publicly with Ana is a huge deal," Conti added. "My celebrity clients know exactly how to keep their love lives under wraps if that is their desire. So, this is a clear indicator that he is feeling secure about the potential of this romance, though sources are saying that it is merely because they are in a film together.

"Even if they are simply working together, as a celebrity matchmaker, I believe this couple is incredibly compatible for a number of reasons and do think that this could be a lasting Hollywood match if they give it a chance to blossom."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash and Ashley Hume contributed to this report.

Ben Affleck admits his latch-key childhood wouldn’t be possible today

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:52:23 -0400

Ben Affleck is getting candid about the way he grew up.

During a recent appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," the 52-year-old "Gone Girl" star told the host about the freedom he had as a child and how the way he was raised by his parents would be looked down upon today.

"I was thinking about it the other day. I would go to the movies. I was an actual latch-key kid. I walked to school," he explained. "Like from the first grade, I had a key with a piece of yarn around my neck and I went to school, and we wanted to see the movies. I remember seeing ‘Star Wars.’ Took the subway like three stops, must have seen it 20 times."

When asked by host Jimmy Kimmel how old he was when he began traveling through the city on his own, Affleck admitted he was as young as five, six or seven years old.

BEN AFFLECK ROASTS MATT DAMON FOR RIPPING HIS SHIRT OFF TO SHOW FIT PHYSIQUE

As a parent to three children, Violet, 19, Seraphina, 16, and Samuel, 13, who he shares with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, Affleck understands that "if you did that in West LA now, they would call child protective services, like ‘This man has to be imprisoned.’"

"So, either my parents were very derelict, or it was a different era. Or both," he said. "I remember coming home from school like when my dad still lived there, and him just being there. He didn't have a job, he had nowhere to go, he just didn't want to walk me to school. He just couldn't be bothered."

Affleck appeared on the show to promote his latest movie, "The Accountant 2," which is the highly anticipated sequel to his successful 2016 action/thriller, "The Accountant." In the film, he portrays a man on the autism spectrum who reconnects with his brother after eight years to track down assassins.

In the new movie, Affleck's character tries to make a romantic connection, and in one scene begins line dancing to connect with a woman. In a recent interview on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Affleck explained that "multiple instructors" were hired to give him dance lessons.

After mentioning this, Clarkson interrupted to poke fun at his need for more than one teacher to learn, to which Affleck joked, "I did not need multiple instructors . . . I arrived at the rehearsal, and there was two women there, and the director had been calling me every day, [saying] ‘You practicing the dancing? You practicing the dancing?’ [I thought] ‘How uncoordinated do you think I am?’"

Although Affleck brought his three children to the premiere of the movie, he admitted that they "don’t censor their criticism" when it comes to his work, saying they are "very tough" on him.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"They’ll sit right next to me watching a movie and, while it’s happening, [say] 'This is terrible. I mean, this is terrible. Why did you do this?'" he said.

The actor made headlines last month when he denied his son the purchase of $6,000 sneakers. In a TikTok video taken at a shoe convention, Samuel could be seen asking his dad for the shoes, and upon seeing the hefty price tag, Affleck told his son, "That's a lot of lawns you gotta mow there."

During a recent appearance on "Today with Jenna & Friends," Affleck elaborated on the incident, explaining that it's important to him that his children understand the value of working hard. He shared that his older children both have "the kind of classic teenager" jobs.

"You love your kids. You want to give them everything and do everything for them, but I think you definitely do them a disservice by not connecting [if] you want something that you want, you have to work for that," he said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

As for his son, the "Good Will Hunting" star said he is "reckoning with that reality right now" and has no "crazy-expensive, fancy shoes" in his closet.

"And I'm like, ‘Well, if you want that, you can work 1,000 hours,’" he said on the morning show. "You know what I mean? Minimum wage. And once you work 1,000 hours, you may not want to spend that on a pair of shoes."

The lesson in working hard also applies to sports, with Affleck sharing that he isn't the kind of parent who lets their children win when it comes to playing games against them.

While on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Affleck shared how growing up with Matt Damon and seeing his dynamic with his father inspired him to make his children "earn" their wins.

"I told my son when he was really getting serious about playing basketball, he wanted to play me all the time, and I was like, ‘I’m not gonna let you win,'" he explained. "Kind of 'cause I remembered Matt Damon's dad, he didn't let him win, and when Matt finally beat his dad, I still think it's one of the best days of Matt's life. He never forgot it. "

"I didn't expect it to happen that quick. We were playing, and he kind of got lucky, I'm not gonna lie, he managed to hit like five threes real quick at the end of the game . . . he beats me, and I can see it meant the world to him," he continued. "What I didn't expect was how much it would mean to me. I was like damn it. I did not like it. I'm like, I'm not ready to be losing to [my son]."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Ben Affleck warns against handouts, joining Marie Osmond and Gordon Ramsay with tough love parenting

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 06:00:20 -0400

Ben Affleck is teaching his children that they shouldn't expect any handouts from their famous father.

Last month, the 52-year-old actor made headlines after he and his son, Samuel, were featured in a viral video during which he shut down the 13-year-old's request for a $6,000 pair of Dior Air Force 1s.

During a Tuesday appearance on "Today with Jenna & Friends," "The Accountant" star spoke out about his exchange with Samuel and opened up about his approach to parenting.

"He wanted these sneakers, and I was like, 'These sneakers are $6,000, what are you talking about? What are you going to do: mow lawns? You got $6,000?'" Affleck quipped. "He was like, 'We have the money.' I was like, 'I have the money! You're broke.'"

Affleck said it's important for his children to understand the value of hard work.

BEN AFFLECK SHUTS DOWN TEENAGE SON'S REQUEST FOR $6K SHOES: 'I HAVE THE MONEY, YOU’RE BROKE'

The Oscar-winner shares Samuel with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, along with two older kids.

Affleck revealed that Violet, who is a freshman at Yale University, and high school student, Fin, are both already gainfully employed.

"My oldest two have jobs. In fact, one just got a job, the kind of classic teenager working a shop job; I won't say what it is," he said. "My older one in college is working and trying to get an internship for the summer."

"And yeah, my son, who's 13, he's reckoning with that reality right now. He's looking at no shoes in his closet. Well, he's got shoes, just no crazy-expensive, fancy shoes," Affleck continued.

"And I'm like, ‘Well, if you want that, you can work 1,000 hours,’" he added. "You know what I mean? Minimum wage. And once you work 1,000 hours, you may not want to spend that on a pair of shoes."

In the original video that was shared on March 3, Affleck and Samuel could be seen browsing various pairs of shoes at a sneaker convention, where Samuel spotted the Dior shoes. Upon seeing the hefty price tag, Affleck told his son, "That's a lot of lawns you got to mow there."

Affleck previously addressed the clip during an interview with Access Hollywood at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

"That's what happens when you tell a mother------ they have to mow a lawn," he told the outlet at the premiere of his movie "The Accountant 2." "All of a sudden, they don't want those shoes, and he was like, 'But I always said they were tough.' I'm like, 'Man, you do not need $1,000 shoes.'"

Affleck was raised in a middle-class family in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The actor's mother, Christopher "Chris" Anne Boldt, is a former elementary schoolteacher who received her master's degree from Harvard.

Affleck's father, Timothy Affleck, who struggled with alcoholism for years, did not attend college and held a variety of jobs, including working as an auto mechanic, bartender and janitor at Harvard.

Timothy and Chris Anne, who also share son Casey Affleck, 49, divorced when Affleck was 12. After moving to California, Timothy eventually embraced sobriety and worked as an addiction counselor.

During a 2018 interview with Grazia Daily, Timothy told the outlet that he was proud of Ben and Casey for staying humble after rising to fame.

"Both of my sons are hard workers. They have a tremendous amount of empathy, they don’t forget where they came from, they’re very kind and generous. Those are the qualities that I value," he said.

Affleck is among several stars who have spoken out about their tough-love parenting style. Here's a look at other celebrities who are teaching their children to become financially independent.

Marie Osmond

Marie Osmond made headlines in February 2020 when she revealed on an episode of "The Talk" that she doesn't plan to leave her eight children an inheritance.

The 65-year-old entertainer echoed Affleck's words, saying it would be "a great disservice" to her children if she were to "hand them a fortune."

"You take away the one most important gift you can give your children, and that’s the ability to work," she explained.

Osmond continued, "You see it a lot in rich families where the kids, they don’t know what to do, and so they get in trouble. Let them be proud of what they make. I’m going to give mine to my charity."

The "Paper Roses" singer doubled down on her stance in a January 2023 interview with Us Weekly.

"Honestly, why would you enable your child to not try to be something? I don’t know anybody who becomes anything if they’re just handed money," Osmond said. "To me, the greatest gift you can give your child is a passion to search out who they are inside and to work. I mean, I’ve done so many things, from designing dolls [and much more]. I love trying [and] I want to try everything. I’m a finisher."

Osmond shared her view that leaving her children an inheritance will just "breed laziness and entitlement."

"I worked hard, and I’m going to spend it all and have fun with my husband," she said.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Osmond clarified that she would lend her children a helping hand if they needed it, but she emphasized that it was important to her that they learn to be self-reliant.

"I don’t not help my children," she told Us Weekly. "I mean, [if] they need help [buying] a car or something, [I will pitch in]."

"I love them to learn. You don’t love something if you don’t earn it. And so, even when they get their first car, you pay for half of it, get a job and learn that self-worth that [it] gives you," Osmond added.

Osmond shares son Stephen Jr. with her husband, Stephen Craig Sr. The singer and her ex-husband, Brian Blosil, are parents to seven children: Rachael, Jessica, Michael, Brandon, Brianna, Matthew and Abigail.

Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay previously expressed his disinterest in giving his kids a free ride.

During a 2024 appearance on the show "Last Meals," the 58-year-old celebrity chef shared that his children received "a couple hundred dollars" allowance every month.

"If they save that up across the 12-month period, I would match that at Christmas for them," he explained.

FOOD NETWORK STAR GUY FIERI WON'T GIVE HIS KIDS A FREE RIDE: ‘I’VE TOLD THEM THE SAME THING MY DAD TOLD ME’

"They got to stay true to their form by saving every dollar. And so when you start that practice – at sort of 10, 11, 12, 13, they got their part-time jobs – all of a sudden their minds are focused about their career paths," Ramsay said. "And so, yeah, that was the opposite way that I grew up. They are super-disciplined, and they are on it, man."

Ramsay shares six children with wife Tana Ramsay.

In a 2017 interview with the Telegraph, Ramsay revealed that he does not plan to leave his fortune to his children.

"It’s definitely not going to them, and that’s not in a mean way; it’s to not spoil them," he said. "The only thing I’ve agreed with Tana is that they get a 25% deposit on a flat, but not the whole flat."

Ramsay continued, "I’ve never been really turned on about the money. That’s not my No. 1 objective, and that’s reflected in the way the kids are brought up."

In addition, the "Hell's Kitchen" star shared that his children don't sit in first class with himself and Tana on family holidays since they "haven’t worked hard enough" to afford it yet.

He said, "I turn left with Tana, and they turn right, and I say to the chief stewardess, ‘Make sure those little f------ don’t come anywhere near us; I want to sleep on this plane.’ I worked my f--king a-- off to sit that close to the pilot, and you appreciate it more when you’ve grafted for it."

Guy Fieri

Guy Fieri has made it clear his children will not be handed anything, unless they have worked for it.

The 57-year-old TV host shares sons Hunter and Ryder with his wife, Lori Fieri.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"I've told them the same thing my dad told me. My dad says, 'When I die, you can expect that I'm going to die broke, and you're going to be paying for the funeral,'" the "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" star said during a December 2023 interview with Fox News Digital.

"And I told my boys, none of this that we've been – that I've been building are you going to get unless you come and take it from me," he added.

Fieri explained that he does not plan to leave his children an inheritance unless they graduate from college and get a postgraduate degree, a stipulation that he said Ryder thinks is "unfair."

The restaurateur added that Ryder also initially found his dad's choice for his first car to be unfair.

GUY FIERI, NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION LAUNCH RELIEF FUND FOR RESTAURANT WORKERS, OFFER $500 GRANTS

"Held the key up, and I go, ‘Here you go, son.’ Smiling ear to ear, pushes the button, and the alarm goes off on my parents' 1994 champagne Chrysler minivan," Fieri recalled. "Because I bought my mom a new car that day, and they took their van from them. And he's like, "No way, no way, I'm not driving the minivan. … Took him about a week, he softened up and then, then he loved the minivan. He was the coolest guy cruising that."

His older son, Hunter, is pursuing a master's degree at the University of Miami. He also has his own contract with Food Network and is one of the top sales representatives at Fieri's wine brand, Hunt & Ryde.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

When speaking about Hunter, Fieri told Fox News Digital, "I think the kid's going to explode."

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Ben Affleck roasts Matt Damon for ripping his shirt off to show fit physique

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 17:59:25 -0400

Ben Affleck is calling out his longtime friend, Matt Damon, for his bulked-up look.

During a recent interview, Affleck, 52, reacted to Damon’s fit physique seen in shirtless photos from the set of "The Odyssey."

"First time Matt’s got into shape in his life, rips his shirt off," Affleck quipped on "Today."

BEN AFFLECK SHARES WHY HE AVOIDED WORKING WITH MATT DAMON

"He's like, ‘Who can I show this off too?!’ And I was like, ‘You want to just hold back a little'… there's no shirtless scene, he keeps asking when he can take off his shirt… you’re not naked in this, it’s ‘The Odyssey.’"

Damon, 54, was seen filming on set in Favignana, Italy, for "The Odyssey."

In the photo, Damon showed off his abs, wearing nothing but a ragged cloth wrapped around his waist. The Hollywood actor looked rugged sporting a gray beard with debris stuck to his body.

"The Odyssey" star is working on the film with director Christopher Nolan. Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya and Tom Holland also star in the movie.

BEN AFFLECK REVEALS MATT DAMON WAS A DISGUSTING ROOMMATE: 'THERE’S MAGGOTS'

During the fourth hour of "Today," Affleck couldn't help but take another dig at Damon.

Affleck was asked if his "bestie," Damon, envied him developing his own bromance with his "The Accountant 2" co-star Bernthal.

"Yeah, I think he’s jealous wherever he is," he replied.

"I hope he's jealous, and I hope his feelings are really hurt. You’re not included in this friendship. You’re on the outside of this, sorry," he teased.

Last year, Damon opened up about their friendship, saying he was happy to be labeled "boring" compared to his Hollywood pal.

Damon noted he's "really lucky" to have avoided "scrutiny," unlike Affleck.

"I've been really lucky in that way… especially when I look at Casey [Affleck]'s brother, Ben," he previously said during an appearance on the Radio Times Podcast. "I can’t imagine living under that kind of scrutiny."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"And it's been like that for 25 years, and we've had parallel careers in a lot of ways, and so I'm fortunate to have been kind of excused from that part of [it]," Damon added.

As Damon rose to fame, he used to work hard to essentially hide from the paparazzi and scandal that dominated the tabloids at the time. He eventually met his wife, Luciana Barroso, who did not work in the entertainment business.

Affleck and Damon have been friends for decades, first meeting when Damon was 10 and Affleck was 8. In previous interviews, both actors expressed they each had a love for acting at an early age, which drew them to one another.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The duo both had their breakout moment with the 1997 movie "Good Will Hunting." The two starred in and wrote the screenplay for the movie.

Jennifer Garner seen kissing boyfriend John Miller, as she spends time with Ben Affleck for Easter

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 20:42:20 -0400

Jennifer Garner is not shying away from PDA with her new boyfriend, John Miller.

On Saturday, Garner and Miller were spotted outside of her home, sharing an intimate kiss before Miller hopped in his truck and drove away.

Garner has been romantically linked to Miller, chairman of CaliGroup, since 2018. While the two took a break from dating at one point, they have been going strong since 2023, People magazine reported.

Garner's kiss with her boyfriend came the day before she and her ex-husband Ben Affleck reunited for Easter Sunday with their son, Samuel, 13.

Affleck and Garner were married for 10 years and share three children together.

BEN AFFLECK RELISHES JENNIFER GARNER FAMILY TIME, STARK TURNAROUND FROM RED CARPET LIFE

According to Page Six, Affleck and Samuel were seen leaving World Market with their hands full of bags before heading back to his Brentwood home. The outlet reported that Garner was photographed leaving Affleck's home later in the day on Sunday.

It's unclear if Affleck and Garner's two older children spent Easter Sunday with their parents.

Garner and Affleck's co-parenting relationship has recently been at the center of attention as the former couple has been spotted out and about together.

The co-parenting seemed "very great," and they had a "very good time," the insider added. "Nothing bad between them."

That same month, Affleck praised Garner during an interview with GQ magazine.

"And I’m really lucky that I have a really good co-parent and partner in Jennifer Garner, the kids’ mom, who’s wonderful and great, and we work together well," he said.

Last month, an expert told Fox News Digital that Affleck and Garner have maintained a level of "emotional intimacy" post divorce. Affleck and Garner's behavior indicates they "still share emotional intimacy," body language expert Nicole Moore told Fox News Digital.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

The "Alias" star and Affleck married in 2005. They announced their separation in 2015.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

However, Garner and Affleck didn't finalize their divorce for another three years. During that time, Affleck went to rehab twice, and the two underwent marriage counseling.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright contributed to this report.

Nikki Glaser tells Gwyneth Paltrow she tried to hook up with actress' ex Ben Affleck

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:39:19 -0400

Gwyneth Paltrow and Nikki Glaser are spilling the tea when it comes to their connections to Ben Affleck.

During a recent episode of Paltrow's "Goop Podcast," the duo openly discussed Glaser's past history of using Raya, an exclusive dating app.

While discussing her 2025 Golden Globe Awards opening monologue in which she joked about Affleck yelling the titles of movies "after he orgasms," Glaser said, "When I used to be on Raya and [Ben] would come across, [I would give him a] very concentrated check mark ‘yes’ and, like, never [got] it back."

GWYNETH PALTROW SAYS BEN AFFLECK WAS 'EXCELLENT' IN BED COMPARED TO BRAD PITT

Paltrow, who dated Affleck between 1997 and 2000, was shocked that "many celebrities" used the dating site.

"I think Andrew Garfield's face came up for me so many times. Multiple times," Glaser said, to which Paltrow responded, "That would have been a good one. He's gorgeous."

APP USERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW POST

"I'm sure he just didn't see my profile, even though I clicked on his a [million times]. They'll keep serving you up the same people, like, again and again for some reason," Glaser added.

"So every time I'm like, 'Yes, Andrew Garfield, like, duh.' This is years and years ago. I don't want to put anything out there, but, like, yes. Yes. Yes. And I know for a fact he had to have seen my profile and gone, 'Nope,' because sometimes they send people that you keep saying no to? So, like, I would have matched with him if he was interested."

In 2023, Paltrow, who has been married to Brad Falchuk since 2018, said Affleck was "excellent" in the bedroom.

During an appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, Paltrow spilled the secrets on whether exes Brad Pitt or Affleck were better kissers and who was better in bed.

"We’re going to play a game… ‘Brad or Ben?’" podcast host Alex Cooper asked Paltrow.

The Goop founder responded with "Brad" thinking that was the game.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

After Paltrow and Cooper laughed, the podcast host asked, "Who was a better kisser?"

"Let me think. Gosh, I have to remember so far back. They were both good kissers," Paltrow confessed.

"Who was better in bed?" Cooper questioned.

"That’s really hard… That is really hard, because… Brad was sort of major chemistry, love of your life… at the time," Paltrow explained.

"And Ben was like technically excellent," she continued to laugh. "I can’t believe my daughter’s listening to this… Am I blushing?"

Fox News Digital's Stephani Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.

Ben Affleck wasn't at LA home when FBI came knocking, had to 'track down' reason for visit

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:27:09 -0400

Ben Affleck shared the "strange" reason the FBI visited his home amid the Palisades Fire earlier this year.

FBI agents were photographed outside Affleck's home in January, and the "Argo" star revealed he wasn't even home at the time. Affleck only learned about the visit through media headlines.

"As it turns out, the FBI did, in fact, visit my house," he told GQ in the April cover issue. "But this is pretty revealing, right? So I come home and I see there’s a story with sources that say, ‘Hey, the FBI was at your house.’ I’m like, ‘Well, this is strange.’ So I call them and say, ‘Hey, FBI, were you at my house? Do you want to talk to me?’ ‘Oh, we don’t know.’ I get transferred along. Finally, somebody who is actually responsible for what was happening was like, ‘Oh, we had no idea that was your house.’ There was a break-in of a federal official’s home in that area.

"So the FBI went around and whoever lived there, the FBI rang their bell, but because there are photographers sitting outside and these guys have their FBI jackets on, then it’s: The FBI has visited your house."

BEN AFFLECK SETS RECORD STRAIGHT ABOUT JENNIFER LOPEZ SPLIT, PRAISES ‘WONDERFUL’ JENNIFER GARNER

FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller confirmed that agents were stationed in the area in a statement shared with Fox News Digital at the time.

"Members of the FBI's Ground Intercept task force are conducting activity in the area of the Palisades fire. Agents and our local partners may be visible throughout the area, including at residences, for this reason," Eimiller explained.

BEN AFFLECK SPEAKS TO POLICE ABOUT SECURITY MATTER OUTSIDE HIS BRENTWOOD HOME DAYS AFTER FBI VISIT

Affleck noted he was previously misinformed through the media about why the FBI visited his home.

"Whoever wrote the story made up something about how it was related to an investigation about a drone that I guess did crash into one of the helicopters two or three miles up Mandeville Canyon," he explained to the outlet. "Turns out, no, it wasn’t about that. In fact, we were very far from where the drone was. So it’s like: You’ve seen this event about the FBI at my house. I had no idea. My only involvement was to track it down, figure it out."

When reached for further comment, Eimiller confirmed that the FBI's Ground Intercept task force was in the vicinity investigating a drone that had taken off from the area, unrelated to the crash.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

The Palisades and Eaton fires scorched thousands of homes, businesses, cars and electronics, turning everyday items into hazardous ash made of pesticides, asbestos, plastics, lead, heavy metals and more.

Both ignited on Jan. 7, burning for weeks.

Twenty-nine people were killed in the Palisades and Eaton fires; 23,448 acres burned in the Palisades Fire and 6,833 businesses and homes were destroyed, according to Cal Fire.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Affleck confirmed his rental home and his permanent residence were not affected by the fires, despite reports to the contrary.

"I noticed that there’s been stories about me," he told GQ. "My house burning down and all these various things."

"I was thinking to myself that this person’s impression of my week is probably formed by three Daily Mail articles that are mostly absurd," Affleck said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ben Affleck sets record straight about Jennifer Lopez split, praises 'wonderful' Jennifer Garner

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 14:23:46 -0400

Ben Affleck set the record straight on the "root causes" of his divorce from Jennifer Lopez.

Affleck and Lopez finalized their divorce in January, roughly two years after getting married at the actor's Georgia estate. The "Argo" star noted that while people have speculated about the issues that led to his divorce from JLo, the real reason is much more ordinary than anyone might believe. Affleck and Lopez's different approaches to fame have been mentioned as the cause of their split after the premiere of Lopez' documentary, "The Greatest Love Story Never Told," but the "Air" director emphasized it "wasn't the cause of some major fracture."

"Part of it was, ‘OK, if I’m going to participate in this, I want to try to do it in an honest way and in a way that’s interesting.’ Because I thought it was an interesting examination," Affleck explained in a cover story for GQ magazine. "There are a lot of people who I think have handled celebrity more adeptly and more adroitly than I have, Jennifer among them.

"My temperament is to be a little bit more reserved and private than hers. As happens in relationships, you don’t always have the same attitude towards these things. And so I thought, 'Oh, this is interesting, because how do you reconcile that?

JENNIFER LOPEZ, BEN AFFLECK DIVORCE AFTER TWO YEARS OF MARRIAGE

"I love and support this person. I believe in them. They’re great. I want people to see that," he continued. "And I think the thing that I said in that documentary or the piece that they used was where I said, ‘You don’t marry a ship captain and then say, 'Well, I don’t like going out in the water.’ You’ve got to own what you knew going into any relationship. And I think it’s important to say that wasn’t the cause of some major fracture. It’s not like you can watch that documentary and go, ‘Oh, now I understand the issues that these two had.’"

The actor later shared that there was no big moment that brought their marriage to an end.

"I have nothing but respect [for Lopez]. I guess there’s a tendency to look at breakups and want to identify root causes or something. But, honestly, like I said, the truth is much more quotidian than probably people would believe or would be interesting."

Affleck emphasized there was "no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue" about his divorce from Lopez.

"The truth is, when you talk to somebody, ‘Hey, what happened?’ Well, there is no, ‘This is what happened,'" the "Accountant 2" star said. "It’s just a story about people trying to figure out their lives and relationships in ways that we all sort of normally do. And as you get older, this is true for me. I assume it’s true for most people. There is no ‘So-and-so did this’ or ‘This was the big event.’ It’s really, it sounds more like a couple’s therapy session, which you would tune out of someone else’s couple’s therapy after a while.

"For one thing, you start going, ‘OK, clearly this person has got these issues. Clearly, they have these issues.’ And the reason I don’t want to share that is just sort of embarrassing. It feels vulnerable."

BEN AFFLECK RELISHES JENNIFER GARNER FAMILY TIME, STARK TURNAROUND FROM RED CARPET LIFE

Affleck has dealt with celebrity and fame since the start of his career and his breakout role in "Good Will Hunting." The actor still hasn't figured out why the public is so interested in his daily life.

"I’m aware that it’s absurd, and it’s ridiculous," he told the outlet. "There’s nothing newsworthy at all about the day-to-day events of my life or the conversation I have with one person or another person that’s photographed.

"And often it’s like the big trick is to say, ‘So-and-so does this amid that,’ imply some correlation between the two. In other words, some broad event is taking place in some way, whether globally or around this person’s life. And, look, here they are frustrated with the parking meter. I’m definitely aware of the cosmic joke of it all.

"What I’ve ended up focusing on is: Look, I know what’s going on in my life. And, also, really more importantly, my kids know. We used to have a thing, my ex-wife [Jennifer Garner] and I, when they would see something on a supermarket stand, we would say, well, ‘You know this isn’t always true because if it were, you would have 15 brothers or sisters or whatever the number of stories is where they said that your mom was pregnant.’"

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

The actor noted the attention is "more of a headache than anything else, and there certainly are worse things."

He also praised Garner, whom Affleck married in 2005.

"And I’m really lucky that I have a really good co-parent and partner in Jennifer Garner, the kids’ mom, who’s wonderful and great, and we work together well," he said.

Affleck and Garner announced their separation in 2015. However, the two didn't finalize their divorce for another three years. During that time, Affleck went to rehab twice, and the two underwent marriage counseling.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Ben Affleck shuts down teenage son's request for $6K shoes: 'I have the money, you're broke'

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 10:19:06 -0400

Ben Affleck will make sure his children know the value of a dollar.

When speaking with Access Hollywood at the premiere of "The Accountant 2" at the SXSW film festival, the 52-year-old actor humorously addressed a video that went viral recently, featuring his teenage son admiring a $6,000 pair of Dior Air Force 1s.

"That's what happens when you tell a motherf---er they have to mow a lawn," he told the outlet. "All of a sudden they don't want those shoes, and he was like, ‘But I always said they were tough.’"

BEN AFFLECK RELISHES JENNIFER GARNER FAMILY TIME, STARK TURNAROUND FROM RED CARPET LIFE

In the original video, Affleck and his son Samuel, 13, could be seen browsing various pairs of shoes at a sneaker convention, where Samuel spotted the Dior shoes. Upon seeing the hefty price tag, Affleck told his son, "That's a lot of lawns you gotta mow there."

The "Gone Girl" actor shares Samuel with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, along with two older daughters; Violet, 19, and Seraphina, 16.

Their eldest daughter, Violet, graduated from high school in May 2024 and has spent the past school year studying at Yale. Garner shared her reaction to her daughter's graduation on Instagram at the time, posting a series of photos, including a teary-eyed photo of her cheering on Violet during a graduation event.

"Tell me you have a graduate without telling me you have a graduate," she wrote in the caption. "(Bless our hearts)." The remaining photos featured her crying while on a plane and another one of her wearing "2024" glasses.

Affleck and Garner first announced their split to the public in 2015, after 10 years of marriage, and later finalized their divorce in 2018. Although they have both moved on and have dated, and in his case, married other people, they remain close as co-parents.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"When you have children with somebody you're connected to them forever," he told "Good Morning America" in February 2020. "And I'm very lucky she is the mother of my children. I'm very grateful and respectful of her. Our marriage didn't work, and that's difficult. Both of us really believe that it's important for kids to see their parents respect one another and get along, whether they're together or not."

The couple have been spotted together many times over the years, most recently on a paintball outing with one of their children. While the internet is swirling with reconciliation rumors, a source told Fox News Digital they had "a bunch of good energy around them," and that "you can just tell they were mainly there for their kid."

Video footage from the paintball event shows Affleck hugging Garner from the side as she points her paintball gun at a target off-screen. He later picks up his own paintball gun, after Garner does not return the hug.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"Many couples who are divorced and co-parenting stand with distance between their bodies as a way to maintain emotional distance," body language expert, Nicole Moore, told Fox News Digital. "However, Ben and Jen's bodies appear to be actively leaning in toward one another, indicating that they still share emotional intimacy."

Following their divorce, Affleck rekindled his romance with Jennifer Lopez. The two were married for roughly two years, before finalizing their divorce in February 2025. Garner has been linked to John Miller, chairman of CaliGroup, since 2018, and although they took a break at one point, People reports they have been together since 2023.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner ‘still share emotional intimacy’ years after divorce: body language expert

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 04:30:14 -0400

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's body language at a recent paintball outing shows a continued level of "emotional intimacy," experts told Fox News Digital.

Affleck and Garner were smiling the whole time. They had "a bunch of good energy around them," a source told Fox News Digital about the outing. "You can just tell they were mainly there for their kid."

Co-parenting seemed "very great," and they had a "very good time," the insider added. "Nothing bad between them."

Affleck and Garner's behavior indicates they "still share emotional intimacy," a body language expert told Fox News Digital.

JENNIFER LOPEZ, BEN AFFLECK FINALIZE DIVORCE AFTER 2-YEAR MARRIAGE

In a recent video, Affleck hugs Garner while she aims her paintball gun at an unseen target. After the hug is not returned by Garner, Affleck drops his arms and aims his own paintball gun while the moment of closeness seems to pass.

WATCH: JENNIFER GARNER AND BEN AFFLECK ATTEND PAINTBALL OUTING TOGETHER

"Many couples who are divorced and co-parenting stand with distance between their bodies as a way to maintain emotional distance," body language expert Nicole Moore said. "However, Ben and Jen's bodies appear to be actively leaning in toward one another, indicating that they still share emotional intimacy.

"When Ben turns to hug Jennifer, he reaches his arms around her with completely relaxed arms, indicating he's very comfortable touching her in this way, and he squeezes her in slightly as if he really wants to be as close as possible to her.

"Typically, when men and women who are not in a relationship hug, they often subconsciously leave a bit of space in between them in the pelvis area as a way of signaling that the hug is friendly and not romantic."

The body language expert noted Affleck is fully facing Garner, despite action with their children happening in front of them.

"It's almost as if Ben's body is indicating that he really just wants to put his full focus on Jennifer, and he can't get enough of her," Moore explained.

BEN AFFLECK RELISHES JENNIFER GARNER FAMILY TIME, STARK TURNAROUND FROM RED CARPET LIFE

In the video, Affleck and Garner's jacket sleeves are touching. Body language expert Blanca Cobb told Fox News Digital their behavior shows "clear signals of a shared level of closeness."

"Jennifer looks up at Ben, giving him her attention before repositioning and turning her gaze forward," she continued. "Meanwhile, Ben remains in place, seemingly unwilling to lose the physical connection between them.

"He then closes the distance, stepping toward Jennifer while moving his left arm across her midsection, his hand resting just above her left hip. Though he stands slightly behind her, he's positioned incredibly close. Notice his stance, feet spread wider than shoulder width apart, oozing confidence."

However, Garner's body language was interpreted differently by body language experts. Dr. John Huber, a clinical forensic psychologist, noted from the "13 Going On 30" star's behavior in the video that it seems as if she's not romantically interested in her ex-husband at the moment.

"As Jennifer takes aim with the paintball gun, Ben steps into Jennifer, wrapping his arms around her, but only gets a stiff rigid posture in response from Jennifer. At this point, his feet are pointed right in the direction of Jennifer, but she continues to be focused on the distance away from Ben," Huber explained to Fox News Digital.

"Ben then does a ‘face-saving behavior,’ drumming his arms as he leans away while taking aim with his paintball gun, with his feet still pointed in her direction," the clinical forensic psychologist added. "These behaviors Ben demonstrated are similar to those of a person that is attracted to and in pursuit of another individual. This does not mean that she is not attracted to Ben. It just means not now and possibly not ever."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

The "Alias" star and Affleck married in 2005. They announced their separation in 2015.

However, Garner and Affleck didn't finalize their divorce for another three years. During that time, Affleck went to rehab twice, and the two underwent marriage counseling.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Garner has been romantically linked to John Miller, chairman of CaliGroup, since 2018. While the two took a break from dating at one point, they have been going strong since 2023, People magazine reported.

Affleck's body language indicates there is still a "very deep emotional" connection with his first wife, experts told Fox News Digital.

"From their body language in this clip, it appears as if there is still a romantic or very deep emotional connection between them even if they're not physically acting upon it, with Ben having stronger feelings at the moment than Jen does," Moore, who hosts "Reality of Love," said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"Jennifer's body language here indicates that although she feels close and comfortable with Ben, she may not be feeling as much of a pull to connect closely with him as he is feeling with her," she added. "Their body language here communicates that Ben very much wants to be close, perhaps even intimate with Jennifer, while she is staying close to him while still maintaining some emotional and physical distance at times. It definitely appears as if Ben is the one initiating more intimate contact while Jennifer is either embracing it at times or at the very least tolerating it and not pushing the close contact away."

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Affleck and Garner for comment.

Ben Affleck, Seal among Super Bowl commercials getting mixed reviews from fans

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 21:22:15 -0500

Ben Affleck's 2025 Super Bowl commercial return received mixed reviews.

British singer Seal and "Fast & Furious" star Vin Diesel also received varied responses to their respective Super Bowl ads.

For his part, Affleck brought back the DunKings for Super Bowl LIX, but he was missing Matt Damon and Tom Brady. Instead, Affleck was joined by his brother, Casey Affleck, and former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.

The commercial also featured Donnie Wahlberg, Jeremy Strong and his former "Chasing Amy" co-stars, Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, who are also known as Jay and Silent Bob. The seven-minute "movie" features a battle of coffee brands with the "Java Jam."

SUPER BOWL LIX: LADY GAGA PERFORMS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS IN NEW ORLEANS

"First the DunKings were pop stars and now the thing is diss tracks! Everyone is insulting each other, that’s how you get successful," Ben told Casey in the commercial. "We battle these other coffee brands and win this cup!"

"I don’t want to do it," Casey replied. "You look stupid."

"This is why people say you are a difficult actor," Ben replied, before Casey responded with, "Nobody says that."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Affleck's last two Dunkin' commercials featured his now-ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez. Last year's debut of "The DunKings" was met with praise after Damon, Brady and Affleck interrupted JLo while she was at the studio.

"Best Commercial of the SuperBowl HANDS DOWN," one YouTube user wrote under a video of the ad at the time. "You put Ben and Matt on screen together, You always win."

"What up bronx!! That look JLo and Fat Joe gave ben was hysterical," another user wrote. "This is the best commercial ever."

However, fans online weren't completely thrilled with the remake.

"That Dunkin ad was horrible and Ben Affleck looks rough," one X user wrote. "His 42 divorces have caught up to him."

"Does Jennifer Garner know Ben Affleck got out of his cage again and is terrorizing American (sic) on TV again?" another added.

One user noted Affleck's love for Dunkin is never-ending.

"One thing I can count on in this life is Ben Affleck loving his Dunkin," the person wrote.

SUPER BOWL 2025: MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, BEN AFFLECK, MARTHA STEWART STEAL THE SHOW IN BIG GAME DAY ADS

Others praised the commercial.

"I would so watch a coffee brand performance off. LOL," one user replied to Dunkin's post on X.

"This is why America runs on you," another user wrote, seemingly referencing the brand's famous catchphrase, "America runs on Dunkin'."

Another X user wrote, "There’s still a lot of game left but Ben Affleck has my vote for Super Bowl MVP."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Fans online also weren't thrilled with Seal's commercial. The 15-time Grammy nominated singer appeared as a literal seal in the Mountain Dew ad spot, which premiered in the second quarter of the Super Bowl.

The "Kiss of a Lime" commercial also featured singer Becky G and the brand's newest spokesperson, Mountain Dude.

"I could’ve went my whole life without seeing Seal as a seal. #SuperBowl," one X user wrote.

"Me watching Seal perform as an A.I. Seal for Mountain Dew like: ‘Do you need money?’" another user added.

Yet some found the ad funny with one X user writing, "Only commercial I legit laughed at for the entire 30 seconds was the Mountain Dew / Seal commercial."

With another user writing, "How did it take us so long to get a Super Bowl commercial featuring Seal as a seal??"

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fans also reacted to Vin Diesel starring in Häagen Dazs' ad as his "Fast & Furious" character.

"D-----!! These Super Bowl commercials are hilarious!!! Loved the Vin Diesel one.. ‘Not to Fast’!" another user added.

"Is it just me or was that Haagen Dazs commercial with Vin Diesel actually humorous/ funny? Think I’ll go to the store and buy some in a bit .." one user noted.

However, not everyone was pleased with one X user writing, "How long has Vin Diesel been making money off of the Fast and Furious character, dear Lord."

"They must of run out of money in the commercial budget- I mean Vin Diesel in an ice cream commercial without explosions?? You can eat ice cream while blowing stuff up…" another wrote.