Two weeks after Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck, an old interview from Playboy Magazine resurfaced, discussing why his exes were usually “pissed off” at him.
Ben Affleck’s Past Comments on Failed Romances Resurface Amid J.Lo Divorce
Ben Affleck was a little too loud about his previous relationships.
Two weeks after Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from her husband of two years, the Justice League star’s decades-old interview—in which he discussed failed romances and how he’s often to blame—has resurfaced.
In 1999, Affleck shared insight into the inner workings of his past relationships with Playboy Magazine and why he felt it was “justifiable” that his exes were usually “pissed off” at him.
“It’s not like I was a womanizer or physically abusive or psychologically abusive or whatever,” he told the publication that December.
“It’s just that these relationships never end well. I think what happens is, I end up wanting to be out of the relationship.
During the course of a relationship, if you get dissatisfied and unhappy and don’t say something, if you don’t deal with it right then, it just festers and stays there.”
“So instead of saying, ‘Look, don’t do that, please don’t act this way,’ I go along with it until I just don’t want to be in the relationship at all,” the then-27-year-old Affleck continued. “Then I create some incident or do something or just don’t call. And then she’s pissed.”
However, he also knew his ex-girlfriends weren’t responsible for his inactions.
“I can’t necessarily blame her at that point,” the Good Will Hunting star admitted. “I’ve developed such a passive-aggressive rage that I have no sympathy and tell her, ‘Well of course I didn’t call you. If you weren’t such a nagging, shrewish harpy I’d call you.'”
He also noted that his exes’ current partners may be more inclined to side with them. As he put it, “If I were the next guy to go out with them, I’m sure I would be nodding in agreement about what an asshole their ex-boyfriend was.”
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
He concluded by looking towards the future, adding, “That, hopefully, is something I’m growing out of.”
Three years after the interview, Affleck began his first relationship with the “Jenny From the Block” singer from 2002 to 2003. Looking back at that time, Lopez explained in her February documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told that it was “the massive amount of scrutiny around our private life” that led to their initial split.
“Ben and I, we broke up three days before our wedding,” the 55-year-old recalled. “We had a big wedding planned—14 ushers and bridesmaids—and three days before, we just crumbled under the pressure.”
SGranitz/WireImage
However, it seems that when the two reunited in 2021, they were still on different pages about their relationship.
Affleck—who married Jennifer Garner from 2005 to 2015 and share kids Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12—wasn’t so keen on peering eyes when it came to his rekindled romance.
“I said, ‘Listen, one of the things I don’t want is a relationship on social media,'” he said in the documentary, echoing similar stipulations in the early aughts. “And then I sort of realized it’s not a fair thing to ask. It’s sort of like you’re gonna marry a boat captain and you go, ‘Well, I don’t like the water.'”
He added, “We’re just two people with kind of different approaches trying to learn to compromise.”
Keep reading for a full breakdown of their relationship.
Keep reading for a full breakdown of their relationship.
Mel/Getty Images
December 2001: Filming Gigli
The two prepare to film a scene for the movie in West Hollywood. The couple met on the set of the film.
Mel Bouzad/Getty Images
October 2002: Spotted in Beverly Hills
The two are spotted in the city.
Ben-Ari Finegold/Getty Images
November 2002: Filming Gigli and Engagement
The two film the movie on Will Rogers State Beach in Los Angeles. That month, the actor proposes to the actress with a 6.1-carat pink diamond ring.
James Devaney/WireImage
November 2002: Filming Jersey Girl
The two film the movie in New York City.
James Devaney/WireImage
November 2002: Leaving MTV’s TRL
Is there anything more ’00s than both Bennifer 1.0 and TRL?
Tom Kingston/WireImage
December 2002: Red Carpet Debut
The two make their red carpet debut as a couple at the premiere of her film Maid in Manhattan.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
January 2003: Sundance
The two bundle up at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
Chris Weeks/WireImage
February 2003: Daredevil Premiere
The two appear at the premiere of Daredevil, starring Ben as the superhero.
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February 2003: Daredevil Premiere
The two appear at the premiere of Daredevil, starring Ben and future ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
March 2003: Oscars
The two attend the Academy Awards together.
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May 2003: Basketball Game
The two sit courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game.
Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images
July 2003: Canada Trip
The two film a Dateline interview for NBC in Vancouver.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
July 2003: Gigli Premiere
The two appear at the premiere for their movie in Westwood, Calif.
Moviestore/Shutterstock
August 2003: Gigli Is Released
…it flops at the box office.
Christopher Polk/Jason Merritt/Getty Images for DCP
September 2003: Wedding Is Off
The two postpone their wedding. No future date is given.
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October 2003: Baseball Date
The two are seen at a Boston Red Sox game. The team is Ben’s favorite.
Steve Granitz/WireImage
January 2004: It’s Over
The two end their engagement.
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September 2021: Red Carpet Royalty
They’re baaaack. On Sept. 10, the couple makes their first red carpet appearance in 18 years at the Venice Film Festival premiere of The Last Duel.
FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images
September 2021: Look of Love
There’s no denying J.Lo makes for a stunning plus-one!
Robert Kamau/GC Images
September 2021: Back to the Stage
Ben supports J.Lo at the 2021 Global Citizen Live event in New York City, where she performed onstage. It marked her first music gig since she performed at VAX LIVE in May, where the actor also appeared onstage separately, fueling rumors of a rekindled romance.
Kevin Mazur/MG21/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
September 2021: Met Gala Debut
The two attend the Met Gala together for the first time.
Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock
October 2021: PDA at Premiere
Jen and Ben put on a sizzling display on the red carpet at the premiere of his film The Last Duel in New York City.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
April 2022: Engaged Again!
Jennifer confirmed her engagement to the Gone Girl actor with a video posted to her On The JLo site, revealing a glimpse of her beautiful engagement ring with a green stone.
onthejlo.com
July 2022: Married!
On July 16, Jennifer and Ben tied the knot in a surprise ceremony at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.
Pierre Suu/GC Images
July 2022: Post-Wedding Trip to Paris
The two vacation with her twins and two of his kids in the French capital soon after their wedding.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
June 2023: Red Carpet Fabulous
J.Lo steps out with Ben in support of his movie The Flash.
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
February 2024: This Is Them…Now
Jennifer release This Is Me… Now, an album about her relationship with Ben. The record is accompanied by a musical film titled This Is Me… Now: A Love Story and the documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told.
Gotham/GC Images
March 2024: Jenny on the Block
The couple enjoys a day out in NYC on March 30, 2024.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
August 2024: Divorce
J.Lo filed for divorce Aug. 20, listing the date of separation as Apil 26, according to the filing obtained by TMZ.
