Ben Affleck had his exes — namely Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Garner and Jennifer Lopez — on his mind while looking back at his iconic film career.
Although Affleck, 52, played a role in 1998’s Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love, he explained that he didn’t have an intention to portray the lead, but was intrigued at nabbing a part alongside then-girlfriend Paltrow, now 52.
“I read that script, remains the best script that I’ve ever read. I was never gonna play a lead,” Affleck told GQ in an interview published on Thursday, April 17. “When I read that Joe Fiennes was playing the lead, I read it because I was dating Gwyneth at the time — or I don’t know if I read it because of that, but I remember that she was going to be in it. I read it and loved that character. It was like the actor who’s full of himself and I thought it was very funny.”
He continued, “And more than that, I like the idea of a Tom Stoppard screenplay, you know, to me just seemed like this is amazing. This brilliant guy has actually written a screenplay for the movies and it was the best screenplay I’ve ever read. I loved it and I loved making the movie and it was a thrill and an honor to do.”
Affleck and Paltrow were together for three years on and off until calling it quits for good in 2000. Three years later, Affleck starred in Daredevil alongside Garner, now 53.
“I love the comic book and I loved working with Mike Duncan and Colin [Farrell] and Jen Garner,” Affleck said. “It wasn’t the adaptation ultimately that, like, I thought was the best version of what it could have been and that was disappointing.”
One year after starring in the film together, Garner and Affleck’s romance was confirmed. He popped the question in 2005, and the pair tied the knot the following year. The couple welcomed their children, Violet, Seraphina and Samuel in 2005, 2009 and 2012, respectively. Garner and Affleck announced their separation in 2015, finalizing their divorce in 2018.
Affleck also mentioned his starring role opposite second wife Lopez, now 55, in 2004’s Jersey Girl. The duo got engaged in the early 2000’s but ended the engagement shortly after. They rekindled their romance in 2021 and said “I do” the following year. Us Weekly confirmed in August 2024 that Lopez filed for divorce on their second wedding anniversary. The pair’s divorce was finalized in January.
“Oh my god, I love doing that movie too. I love Kevin. We had a beautiful time together. Vilmos Zsigmond shot that movie,” he said of Jersey Girl. “Jen was great, Liv [Tyler] was great and George Carlin was such a … Raquel [Castro], the actress played the young girl, you know, by the way, she’s like, 30 now or some crazy thing. But George was a wonderful guy and a hero of mine. And to get to work with him and get to know him was an honor and a treat.”
Affleck’s trip down memory lane comes one day after he praised Lopez while walking the red carpet for The Accountant 2 premiere.
“For the record, Jennifer Lopez is spectacular, great to my kids, great ongoing relationship with them,” he told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday, April 16. “I love her kids. They’re wonderful. She’s [an] enormously important, tremendous person of a lot of integrity who I adore and am grateful to.”
