Ben Affleck is addressing backlash over comments he made about feeling "trapped" in his marriage to ex-wife Jennifer Garner and about how he likely would still be drinking if he had not left.
Earlier this week, Affleck made headlines when he spoke about his divorce during an appearance on SiriusXM’s "The Howard Stern Show," saying that part of the reason he drank was that he was so unhappy.
He and Garner were married from 2005 to 2018 and the year of their split Affleck went to rehab for alcoholism. On Wednesday, Affleck discussed his remarks during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
"I would never want my kids to think I would ever say a bad word about their mom," he said, according to People. Affleck shares daughters Violet, 16, and Seraphina, 12, plus son Samuel, 9, with Garner.
Affleck described his interview with Stern as "meaningful" and said his comments were taken out of context by some listeners and the media. The way it was construed made it seem as if he was doing the exact opposite of what he said, Affleck said.
In the interview earlier this week with Stern, Affleck said that he and Garner would probably have ended up "at each other's throats" had they stayed married, according to Page Six.
"I probably still would’ve been drinking," he continued, adding that he initially stayed for their children but eventually he and Garner realized their marriage was not working.
"We did it amicably. We did our best," he told Stern of their split. "Did we have moments of tension? Did we have disagreements over custody? Was stuff difficult for us? Did we get angry? Yes, but fundamentally it was always underpinned with a respect," he continued, adding, "I knew she was a good mom. I always hoped she knew I was a good dad. I knew I was."
Affleck told Kimmel his remarks about Garner being a good mother had largely been ignored by the media and his remarks about their marriage made him look like "the worst, most insensitive, stupid awful guy."
Affleck added that the entire ordeal made him out to be "the exact opposite" of who he is and what he believes.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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