Ben Affleck Discusses Parenthood and Teenagers

Ben Affleck recently shared his experiences of parenting teenagers during an interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The 54-year-old actor spoke about how he never expected not to be the “cool dad” and the challenges that come with it.

Sharing anecdotes from his family life, Affleck illustrated how he tries to impart his wisdom to his kids by offering advice based on his own experiences. However, his 17-year-old son, Fin, jokingly questioned his expertise in relationships by saying, “Oh, like you’re the expert on relationships?”

Affleck’s family includes three children — Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14 — whom he shares with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner. Affleck and Garner were married for over a decade before separating in 2015 and finalizing their divorce in 2018. Aside from Garner, Affleck’s relationship history includes notable names such as Lindsay Shookus from “Saturday Night Live” and Playboy model Shauna Sexton.

The actor made headlines after dating actress Ana de Armas from late 2019 until early 2021, eventually rekindling his romance with Jennifer Lopez. The couple, who originally dated from 2002 to 2004, reconnected in April 2021, became Instagram official in July 2021, and married in July 2022. Although Lopez and Affleck lived meaningfully during their marriage, Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024.

Affleck also revealed that Jennifer Garner was approached for his film “Animals” but declined to play his wife in the movie. Garner’s decision led Affleck to cast Kerry Washington in the role. “Animals,” directed and co-written by Affleck, tells the story of a couple desperate to pay their son’s ransom.