How Ben Affleck Went From Rehab to Finding True Love Again with Jennifer Lopez at 49
It’s safe to say Ben Affleck had a rough few years. The Oscar winner went from a dazzling romance with Jennifer Garner to resurfaced alcohol addiction troubles and stints in rehab. But after refocusing on healing — and finding old love again in Jennifer Lopez — he’s doing better than ever.
Affleck’s troubles surfaced again after a heartbreaking split from Garner in 2015, ten years and three kids into what seemed like a fairytale marriage. But the 49-year-old actor had always struggled with addiction.
Before he ever dated Garner, Affleck attended a rehab program in 2001 for alcohol addiction. The disease forced him into rehab again in 2017. Affleck was later admitted into another program in 2019, and he was clear the decision was for his family.
“Battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle,” he said in a statement after completing a 40-day treatment in 2019. “Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment. It is full-time commitment. I am fighting for myself and my family.”
“As I’ve had to remind myself, if you have a problem, getting help is a sign of courage, not weakness or failure,” Affleck wrote on Instagram. “With acceptance and humility, I continue to avail myself with the help of so many people and I am grateful to all those who are there for me. I hope down the road I can offer an example to others who are struggling.”
How he focused on sobriety for his family.
After rehab, Affleck seemed more committed than ever to staying healthy for his three kids: daughters Violet, now 15, and Seraphina, now 12, and son Samuel, now 9. He also became much more candid about his struggles. Affleck especially reflected on how he was fighting for his kids in an interview in 2020.
“Divorce is very painful and alcoholism is very painful. They just are. If there’s something that your child is suffering, that’s a level of pain that is just not easily gotten past, not easily forgiven, not easily forgotten. It’s hard,” Affleck told Good Morning America of the effect of his relapses on his three kids.
“I’m doing my very, very best and I hope that that is — it has to be good enough. I have to, I don’t really have a choice. I have to be the man I want to be at this point, I don’t have any more room for failure of that kind,” he added.
He found love again with Jennifer Lopez.
Seemingly healthier than ever after rehab, Affleck began working again and was seen spending plenty of quality time with his kids. He even dated actress Ana de Armas for several months into the Covid-19 pandemic. But one of the actor’s true loves came back into his life after that brief relationship, adding more happiness to his journey.
Affleck and Lopez were first seen together again in April, years after they officially split in 2004. They had been days away from walking down the aisle at that time before calling their wedding off. Now rekindling their romance after years apart, the two seem more in love than ever.
From frequent outings with their kids — Lopez, 52, shares twins Max and Emme, 13, with ex-husband Marc Anthony — to glitzy red carpets, the two seem have picked up right where they left off. And it’s pretty obvious from the way Affleck can’t help but gush about Lopez when he gets the chance.
“I’m very happy,” he said at his latest film premiere, with Lopez by his side. “It is a very happy time in my life. Life is good.”
These two prove growing older — and focusing on healing — can make love work!
