Top 10 Most Controversial Quotes From Ben Affleck & 10 Interesting Facts About Him

Ben Affleck is a famous American actor and filmmaker who has won two Academy Awards and several other honors.

Here are some controversial quotes from Ben Affleck 

• “I had blamed my ex-wife for my alcoholism and that I was trapped in this place.” This quote was taken out of context from an interview Affleck did with Howard Stern in 2021, where he talked about his divorce from Jennifer Garner and his struggles with addiction. Affleck later clarified on Jimmy Kimmel Live that he did not blame Garner for his alcoholism and that he respected her as a co-parent and a person.
• “I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize.” This quote was Affleck’s apology to actress Hilarie Burton, who accused him of groping her breasts on MTV’s Total Request Live in 2003. The accusation resurfaced in 2017, when Affleck condemned Harvey Weinstein for his sexual abuse allegations. Burton said she had to laugh back then so she wouldn’t cry.
• “I’m not a superhero. I played one in a movie.” This quote was Affleck’s response to a reporter who asked him if he felt like a superhero after saving his family from a house fire in 2001. Affleck downplayed his heroics and said he was just doing what any father would do. He also joked that he was wearing a Batman suit at the time.
• “You know what I want to do? I want to sell magazines. That’s why I’m doing this interview.” This quote was Affleck’s sarcastic remark to Vanity Fair in 2003, when he was asked about his relationship with Jennifer Lopez. Affleck and Lopez were one of the most scrutinized celebrity couples at the time, and their film Gigli was widely panned by critics and audiences. Affleck said he hated being a tabloid fodder and wanted to focus on his work.
• “I find paparazzi photography to be the most soulless thing you can do with a camera.” This quote was Affleck’s criticism of the paparazzi culture that invaded his privacy and harassed his family. Affleck said he felt violated by the constant attention and intrusion of the photographers, who often followed him and his children to school, parks, and other places. He said he wished there were more laws to protect celebrities from the paparazzi.
• “I killed my brother.” This quote was not actually said by Affleck, but by his character Nick Dunne in the 2014 film Gone Girl. The film, based on the novel by Gillian Flynn, was a dark thriller about a man whose wife goes missing and he becomes the prime suspect. The quote was part of a shocking twist that revealed the true nature of their marriage and their personalities. The film was praised for its performances, direction, and screenplay, but also sparked controversy for its portrayal of gender roles, violence, and media manipulation.
• “A man kissing another man is the greatest acting challenge an actor can ever face.” This quote was Affleck’s explanation of why he agreed to play a gay character in the 1997 film Chasing Amy. The film, directed by Kevin Smith, was a romantic comedy about a comic book artist who falls in love with a lesbian. Affleck said he wanted to challenge himself as an actor and show his range. However, some critics and viewers found his statement offensive and homophobic, as it implied that being gay was unnatural or difficult.
• “We’re not particularly talented at marriage.” This quote was Affleck’s admission of his marital problems with Jennifer Garner in a 2015 interview with The New York Times. The couple had been married for 10 years and had three children together, but they announced their separation later that year. Affleck said they had tried hard to make their marriage work, but they had grown apart over time. He also said he regretted some of his actions that hurt their relationship.
• “I’m not very present in the rest of my life.” This quote was Affleck’s confession of his workaholism in a 2016 interview with The Guardian. Affleck said he was obsessed with his career and often neglected his personal life and well-being. He said he suffered from anxiety, depression, and insomnia, and used alcohol as a coping mechanism. He also said he felt guilty for not spending enough time with his children and friends.
• “All I know is that when I watch six hours of TV after work I feel like s*.”** This quote was Affleck’s advice to young filmmakers in a 2012 interview with GQ. Affleck said he learned from his own mistakes and failures in Hollywood, and encouraged aspiring artists to pursue their passions and dreams. He said he believed that hard work, creativity, and perseverance were more rewarding than fame, money, or comfort.

Here are some interesting facts about Ben Affleck

• He was born in Berkeley, California, but moved to Massachusetts when he was three. Ben Affleck was born to the couple Timothy Byers Affleck and Christopher Anne on August 15, 1972, in Berkeley, California. His mother was a Harvard educated elementary school teacher. His father worked as an auto mechanic, a carpenter, a bookie, an electrician, bartender and a caretaker at Harvard University. The family moved to Falmouth, Massachusetts, when Affleck was three years old, and then to Cambridge, where his younger brother Casey was born.
• He met his best friend Matt Damon when he was eight years old. Affleck and Damon lived two blocks away from each other in Cambridge and attended the same elementary school. They became friends when they were eight years old and bonded over their shared interest in acting. They later attended the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School together and performed in several school plays. They also took drama classes at the Company Theatre in Norwell.
• He won an Oscar for writing Good Will Hunting with Matt Damon. Affleck and Damon, who were living together in Los Angeles, were frustrated by the roles offered them and decided to develop a one-act play by Damon into a script. The result was Good Will Hunting, a drama about a troubled genius from Boston who is mentored by a psychologist. The script attracted the attention of several studios and actors, including Robin Williams, who agreed to star in the film. Affleck and Damon also played the lead roles of Will and Chuckie. The film was released in 1997 and was a critical and commercial success. It earned nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Damon, and Best Supporting Actor for Williams, who won. Affleck and Damon also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
• He starred in several blockbuster films in the late 1990s and early 2000s. After the success of Good Will Hunting, Affleck became one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. He starred in several big-budget films, such as Armageddon (1998), Shakespeare in Love (1998), Pearl Harbor (2001), The Sum of All Fears (2002), and Daredevil (2003). He also appeared in several films directed by his friend Kevin Smith, such as Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), and Jersey Girl (2004). However, some of his films were critically panned or flopped at the box office, such as Gigli (2003), Paycheck (2003), and Surviving Christmas (2004).
• He reinvented himself as a director and producer in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Affleck decided to take a break from acting and focus on his behind-the-camera skills. He made his directorial debut with Gone Baby Gone (2007), a crime thriller based on a novel by Dennis Lehane. The film starred his brother Casey Affleck and received positive reviews. He followed it with The Town (2010), a heist film set in Boston that he also co-wrote and starred in. The film was a commercial hit and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Jeremy Renner. His third film as a director was Argo (2012), a historical drama about the rescue of six American hostages from Iran in 1980. The film was widely acclaimed and won three Oscars, including Best Picture, which Affleck also produced.
• He co-wrote and starred in Good Will Hunting with Matt Damon. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were childhood friends who shared a passion for acting. They wrote a script together based on a one-act play by Damon, and it became Good Will Hunting, a drama about a genius janitor who is mentored by a psychologist. The film was released in 1997 and was a critical and commercial success. It earned nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Damon, and Best Supporting Actor for Robin Williams, who won. Affleck and Damon also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
• He played Batman in several DC movies. Ben Affleck was cast as the iconic superhero Batman in the DC Extended Universe, starting with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). He reprised the role in Suicide Squad (2016), Justice League (2017), Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), and The Flash (2022). He also made a cameo appearance as Bruce Wayne in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2023). Affleck received mixed reviews for his portrayal of Batman, but he was praised for his performance as Bruce Wayne.
• He directed and produced Argo, which won the Oscar for Best Picture. Ben Affleck made his directorial debut with Gone Baby Gone (2007), a crime thriller based on a novel by Dennis Lehane. He followed it with The Town (2010), a heist film set in Boston that he also co-wrote and starred in. His third film as a director was Argo (2012), a historical drama about the rescue of six American hostages from Iran in 1980. The film was widely acclaimed and won three Oscars, including Best Picture, which Affleck also produced.
• He dated Jennifer Lopez twice. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez met on the set of Gigli (2003), a romantic comedy that was a critical and commercial flop. They started dating in 2002 and got engaged later that year. They were dubbed “Bennifer” by the media and became one of the most famous celebrity couples of the time. However, they postponed their wedding in 2003 and broke up in 2004. They remained friends and rekindled their romance in 2021, after both of them ended their previous relationships. They got married in 2022.
• He has three children with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner. Ben Affleck married actress Jennifer Garner in 2005, after meeting on the set of Daredevil (2003). They had three children together: Violet (born 2005), Seraphina (born 2009), and Samuel (born 2012). They separated in 2015 and divorced in 2018, citing irreconcilable differences. They have joint custody of their children and remain on good terms.
• He struggled with alcoholism and addiction. Ben Affleck has been open about his issues with alcoholism and addiction, which he said he inherited from his father, who was an alcoholic. He first went to rehab in 2001 and again in 2017 and 2018. He credited his ex-wife Jennifer Garner for helping him seek treatment and supporting him through his recovery. He also said he was inspired by his children to stay sober.
• He co-founded the Eastern Congo Initiative. Ben Affleck is the co-founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, a grantmaking and advocacy-based nonprofit organization that supports community-based initiatives in eastern Congo. He launched the organization in 2010, after visiting the region several times and witnessing the humanitarian crisis there. He has also testified before Congress and met with various world leaders to raise awareness and funds for the cause.
• He is a fan of the Boston Red Sox. Ben Affleck is a loyal fan of the Boston Red Sox, the baseball team from his hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has attended many games at Fenway Park and has worn Red Sox caps and jerseys in some of his films. He also narrated the documentary series The Rivalry: Red Sox vs. Yankees (2004) and appeared in the HBO special Curse of the Bambino (2003), which explored the team’s history of losing to the New York Yankees.
• He has a brother who is also an actor. Ben Affleck’s younger brother Casey Affleck is also an actor and filmmaker who has appeared in several films with him, such as Good Will Hunting, Chasing Amy, Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Ocean’s Twelve (2004), Gone Baby Gone, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), To Die For (1995), Interstellar (2014), Manchester by the Sea (2016), The Old Man & The Gun (2018) ,and The World to Come (2020). Casey won an Oscar for Best Actor for Manchester by the Sea.
• He dropped out of college twice. Ben Affleck briefly attended both the University of Vermont and Occidental College but left before graduating, to focus on acting. He studied Middle Eastern affairs at Occidental College for a year and a half but decided to pursue his Hollywood dreams instead. He later said he regretted not finishing college but he was glad he followed his passion.