‘Animals’ Star Ben Affleck (54) Surprises With Rare Praise for Both Jennifer Lopez (57) and Jennifer Garner (54)

Few Hollywood stars have lived as much of their personal life under the tabloid spotlight as Ben Affleck. His romances and breakups, including a reunion with Jennifer Lopez and another split in 2024, have often cast him in a role he never chose.

Right now, though, Affleck wants the conversation to be about his work. He directs, co-writes and stars in the kidnapping thriller ‘Animals’, which arrived on Netflix and in select theaters on October 9. He has been on a busy press tour, and his Variety cover story was published on October 7.

That’s where the surprise came. Affleck spoke warmly about both of his ex-wives, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner, in a rare double mention that has fans talking.

Asked about branding power and the content and advertising division of his company Artists Equity, he said stars now have a social media identity they must develop. In his view, both Lopez and Garner have done an excellent job of cultivating and building value in that space. He added that people shouldn’t assume it isn’t real work, and he admitted he doesn’t think he could ever do it himself.

The conversation then turned to Lopez’s acting. Affleck produced her 2025 film ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’, and many people felt she deserved an Oscar nomination for it, just as they did for ‘Hustlers’. When asked why she so often goes unrecognized, he first admitted that he is biased.

Then Affleck told Variety: “I have an enormous amount of respect and admiration for what she can do.”

He also said that what wins awards doesn’t always match his own taste. He described Hollywood as an unusual, subjective business in which personal opinions play a big role. It was a diplomatic answer, and a generous one.

Affleck and Garner were married from 2005 to 2018, and they share 3 children: Violet, Seraphina and Samuel. In the same interview, he described how the family splits its time, with the kids spending a week with him and then a week with their mom. He said he is really grateful to Garner and that this is a wonderful time in his life.

Garner’s name also hangs over ‘Animals’ itself. The film was originally planned with Matt Damon and Garner in the lead roles, with Affleck directing but not starring. When Damon dropped out and Affleck stepped in, Garner respectfully bowed out of playing the wife of her real-life ex-husband, since audiences might read too much into the marital dynamics.

Kerry Washington took the role instead, and the film now stars Affleck alongside Washington, Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Adriana Paz, Ray Fisher and Luis Gerardo Méndez.

The story follows a Los Angeles mayoral candidate and his wife, who are drawn into a web of deception when their son is kidnapped. As they scramble to raise the ransom, they’re forced to make choices that could tear their world apart. Affleck wrote the film with Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray.

It was made through Artists Equity, the company Affleck co-founded with Matt Damon, under a first-look deal with Netflix. Production took place in and around Los Angeles, with the producers saying they wanted to keep jobs in the local film industry. It is Affleck’s sixth feature as a director, and he has said Netflix gave him essentially no notes.

The interview covered far more than his exes. Affleck also reflected on playing Batman, possibly running for public office, losing both of his parents this year and his famous scene in ‘Gone Girl’.

With his latest film now streaming, the tone of the press tour feels notably gracious. After years of tabloid headlines about his relationships, Affleck seems happy to let kindness toward Lopez and Garner be the story.

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