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Home / Entertainment

Ben Affleck responds to backlash after comments about his marriage to Jennifer Garner

NZ Herald
17 Dec, 2021 12:05 AM3 mins to read

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Ben Affleck has addressed the recent backlash after his comments about his marriage to Jennifer Garner. Photo / Getty Images
Ben Affleck has addressed the recent backlash after his comments about his marriage to Jennifer Garner. Photo / Getty Images

Ben Affleck has addressed the recent backlash after his comments about his marriage to Jennifer Garner. Photo / Getty Images

Ben Affleck has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel's late night show to address his recent backlash.

Earlier this week Affleck was interviewed on The Howard Stern Show where he was quoted saying he felt "trapped" in his marriage to Jennifer Garner and would not have got sober if he stayed with her.

The Gone Girl actor described the interview as a "really cool, long-form, in-depth, two-hour interview" but many have taken to social media to voice their concerns over his comments calling him a "narcissist", "ignorant" and saying he should take accountability for his own problems.

Affleck told Kimmel his feelings were "hurt" after he saw the response to his comments and thinks he has been made to look like the "worst, most insensitive, stupid, awful guy".

"We talked a lot about my family, divorce and alcoholism … and how you have to be accountable and loving."

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Affleck told Kimmel, "I was really happy with it," saying he left thinking he should do "more honest, exploratory, self-evaluating" interviews.

"Then I start seeing all this stuff come up on Twitter. And I was like, what is this?"

He claimed the widespread reports "had literally taken the conversation that I had had for two hours and made it seem as if I was saying the exact opposite of what I had said".

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"It said that I had blamed my ex-wife for my alcoholism, that I was trapped in this marriage — just made me out to be the worst, most insensitive, stupid, awful guy.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez arriving at Jimmy Kimmel. Photo / Getty Images
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez arriving at Jimmy Kimmel. Photo / Getty Images

"That's not true.

"I don't believe that — it's the exact opposite of who I am, what I believe, and I would never want my kids to ever say a bad word about their mum."

Despite addressing the controversy, viewers were not impressed and further slammed the actor. One critic accused him of "running his mouth again" while another said "No accountability for his own problems. It's our fault for not taking his side if the world was dragging Jennifer Garner for actually being the problem in that Peter Pan's life, he would be silent on Kimmel Boy bye."

Affleck and Garner split up in 2015 after 13 years of marriage, he is now publicly dating his old flame, Jennifer Lopez, whom he originally dated in 2002.

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