Ben Affleck Says He's 'Very Lucky' To Get A Second Chance With Jennifer Lopez
By Alisan Duran on December 1, 2021 at 12:55 PM EST
Ben Affleck shared some rare details about his relationship with Jennifer Lopez.
The "Daredevil" star, 49, graced the December/January cover of WSJ. Magazine. Apart from his love life, he also talked about his character in his upcoming film, "The Tender Bar," and how it related to his father, Timothy Byers Affleck.
Keeping It Private
Affleck, who is currently dating Lopez for the second time around was hesitant on talking about his personal life. He said, "one of the harder lessons that I have learned is that it’s not wise to share everything with the world."
He added, "There are some things which are private and intimate and have meaning in terms of their intimacy by dint of the fact that they’re not shared with the rest of the world. I’m more comfortable just learning to find a boundary between things that I want to share and things that I don’t."
Affleck then admitted that he doesn't know whether "it’s good or bad. I don’t. I know that I feel more comfortable having those healthy boundaries in my life around which, in a friendly and straightforward way, I tell you, I just don’t want to be talking about my personal relationship in the newspaper. I’m going to exercise a little restraint."
Remaining Tight-Lipped
Although, he eventually shared some info when asked about what it feels like reconnecting with Lopez.
"I can say that it’s definitely beautiful to me. And, you know, one of the things I really value across all facets of my life now is that it was handled in a way that reflected that."
He also said that his life "reflects not just the person that I want to be, but the person that I really feel like I am -- which is not perfect, but somebody who tries very hard and cares very much about being honest and authentic and accountable," adding that "It’s hard to say who benefits more, without going into gossipy detail."
Getting A Second Chance
The "Gone Girl" actor added that he "feels great" about his health.
"And it is a good story. It’s a great story. And, you know, maybe one day I’ll tell it. I’ll write it all out. [Pauses] And then I’ll light it on fire. [Laughs]," Affleck said of his relationship with Lopez.
The couple once dated in the past and even got engaged before calling it quits. To the Academy Award winner, he said he's "very lucky" from benefiting from "second chances."
Relating To His Father
When it comes to his character, he said he was attracted to Uncle Charlie because of the "quality of the role," and that George Clooney was directing the coming-of-age story saying, "it was a no-brainer."
During the chat, Affleck also admitted that his character "was very much like" his father.
"It was oddly close to playing my own father," the actor said.
He continued, "My father was a bartender. And growing up, I would meet him at the bar. My dad didn’t go to college, but he was well-read, and his ambition was to be a writer, although he never found professional success."
Affleck, who has had an alcohol addiction, said that his father "was hindered by his alcoholism," adding that, "In some ways we can be our own worst enemies. He was a reverse class snob. He held a disdain for wealthy people, which stemmed from his own insecurity about not being wealthy and not being educated formally and a desire to prove himself. Which I found that later in life I subconsciously shared."