Ben Affleck says he would stay addicted to alcohol if he was still married to Jennifer Garner

During an interview for The Howard Stern Show (via US Magazine), Ben Affleck opened up about his divorce from Jennifer Garner, but admitted the breakup was the best thing for the ex-couple.

Affleck and Garner met while recording “Daredevil” (2003), in which he played the title hero and she brought Elektra Natchios to life.

The marriage lasted from 2005 to 2018, a period in which the star fell into alcohol addiction because he felt “trapped” by the relationship.

Shortly after the breakup, he signed up for the first time in a drug rehab clinic and thinks he would remain addicted if he was still married… Or worse, he could have assaulted his ex-wife.

“We would have ended up assaulting each other. I would probably still be drinking. Part of the reason I started drinking was that I felt trapped. I was like, “I can’t leave because of my kids, but I’m not happy, what am I doing?” And what I did was drink a bottle of whiskey and sleep on the couch, which ultimately wasn’t the solution.

During their marriage, they had three children: Violet; 16 years old, Séraphine; 12, and Samuel; 09.

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However, Affleck admitted that they were struggling to continue their relationship, mainly because of their children.

“In the end, we tried and tried and tried because we had kids, but neither of us wanted this to be the model of marriage that the kids could mold.”

Despite this, he said he respected Garner and had no grievances from his ex.

“The truth is, it took us a long time to make a decision. We moved away. We had a marriage that didn’t work out. It happens. He’s someone I love and respect, but I couldn’t get married anymore. Have we had moments of tension? Fights for custody? Was it hard? Are we angry? Yes, but everything was done with great respect. I knew she was a good mother and I always hoped that she would know that I was a good father. And I know I was.

Finally, he commented on the difficult rehabilitation process.

“The cure for addiction is suffering, you are in enough pain for something inside of you to say, ‘I’m sick of this pain.’ I was lucky because I got to this point before I lost the things that mattered most. Not my career or my money, but my relationship with my kids, and when I felt that impacted them, I recognized it. It was the worst day of my life, but since then, I swear, I never wanted to drink.

Currently, the star is dating actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, with whom he previously had a relationship between 2002 and 2004.

Regarding the new romance, he said he was a little afraid to get back together with Lopez to avoid unwanted attention, but he couldn’t hide his feelings for her.

“Rebuilding my relationship with Jennifer [Lopez] and all the unwanted attention that would ensue flashed through my mind for sure. Responsibility to my children is my greatest responsibility. I don’t want to do anything painful or destructive to them if I can help myself. My life affects them. Their mother and I are celebrities. It’s hard. It is a cross that we will carry forever.

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