Ben Affleck blamed Jennifer Garner for his addiction to alcohol: "Part of the reason I started drinking was because I was trapped."
The actor, who has been in rehab several times, told host Howard Stern that he would "probably keep drinking" if he was still married to the mother of his three children.
Ben Affleck spoke without filters about his affair with Jennifer Lopez and the relationship he had with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
The 49-year-old American actor and director said that during his marriage to Garner he drank to tolerate his relationship. And, he explained that before starting his courtship with JLo he felt insecurities about the damage he would do to his children.
The Oscar winner spoke with Howard Stern, and acknowledged that he too had doubts before rekindling his relationship with JLo due to the intense interest in the couple.
In this latest interview, Affleck said that he would "probably keep drinking" if he was still married to Garner, from whom he split in 2015.
About the decade-long marriage to Garner, the actor admitted that the unhappiness he felt increased his dependence on alcohol from him. "Part of the reason I started drinking was because he was trapped," he said. "I was like 'I can't go away because of my kids, but I'm not happy, what do I do?' And what I did was drink a bottle of whiskey and fall asleep on the couch, which turned out that was not the solution," he explained .
“We had a marriage that was not working. We tried because we had children. We didn't want her to be the model of marriage for the children. We did our best, ”he assured. "He is someone I love and respect, but with whom I should not remain married."
Despite his difficulties, Affleck said that he and Garner "amicably" ended their marriage. “I knew she was a good mother and I hoped she knew that I was a good father. I had to be sober - he knew it too - and I recognized it, ”he asserted.
The actor was harshly criticized for blaming his ex-wife for her alcoholism.
Affleck acknowledged that he doubted if he should get back with Jennifer Lopez, because of the impact that could have on his three children: Violet, 16, Seraphina, 12 and Samuel, nine.
"My life affects them. His mom and I are celebrities. That is hard. It is a cross that must be carried, "said the actor, who is in full promotion of his new movie," The Tender Bar, "directed by George Clooney and which hits theaters on December 17.
So giving Jennifer Lopez a second chance, the protagonist of "Argo" had to think twice before going back to her because of the repercussions that this media relationship could have for her children. “It sure crossed my mind. My responsibility to my children is the highest. I don't want to do anything that is painful or destructive to them if I can help it, ”he clarified.
Ben and Jennifer are the couple of the moment in Hollywood. Since they resumed their romance, the relationship between them has grown at a dizzying rate. They have become inseparable and are shown together at industry events. It was in April when they made their relationship official, shortly after JLo broke up with Alex RodrÃguez after four years of relationship.
In a recent interview, J.Lo confessed that he still believes in marriage, despite being divorced three times, from Ojani Noa, Cris Judd and Marc Anthony. "I don't know, yeah, I guess," the 52-year-old singer replied when asked if she would consider saying "yes, I do." "I still believe in happily ever after, for sure, 100 percent."
