Matt Damon recently shared a rare glimpse into longtime friend and fellow actor Ben Affleck’s marriage, acknowledging the intense public scrutiny Ben faces, especially amid his ongoing marital struggles with Jennifer Lopez.
During a candid conversation on the Radio Times Podcast with Ben’s brother, Casey Affleck, Matt reflected on how he’s managed to maintain a relatively private life compared to the intense media spotlight that Ben has endured.
“I’ve been really lucky in that way … especially when I look at Casey’s brother, Ben,” Matt shared. “I can’t imagine living under that kind of scrutiny.”
The 53-year-old actor went on to express how challenging it must be for Ben to have every aspect of his life examined so closely by the public and the press
. “And it’s been like that for 25 years, and we’ve had parallel careers in a lot of ways, so I’m fortunate to have been kind of excused from that part of fame,” Matt continued.
© GettyBoth Matt and Ben skyrocketed to fame with their Oscar-winning film Good Will Hunting in 1997, but Matt explained that, unlike Ben, he managed to fly under the radar largely because he was already settled in a committed relationship.
Ben, on the other hand, was young, single, and far more intriguing to the tabloid culture that thrived on scandal and sensationalism at the time.
© Getty Images“That magazine culture that was so huge … 25 years ago [they] kind of ignored me,” Matt explained, adding, “Right, like a guy who’s married, it’s so boring.”
Referring to his marriage to Luciana Barroso, whom he wed in 2005, Matt shared that being in a stable, drama-free relationship allowed him to avoid the relentless attention that often plagued Ben.
© Getty Images“What would sell those things were scandal and sex and all that stuff that people would read … and as long as you didn’t do any of that stuff, it wasn’t really worth their time to wait to take your picture, and so I ended up kind of getting left alone,” he said.
Matt’s heartfelt comments about Ben come amidst growing speculation about the state of Ben’s marriage to Jennifer Lopez.
According to Page Six, the couple’s rekindled romance has been on the rocks since March and despite the ongoing issues, Ben is reportedly hesitant to file for divorce, hoping to avoid further public embarrassment for Jennifer.
The couple, who famously reunited after nearly two decades apart, haven’t addressed the rumors of their impending split publicly.
However, their second wedding anniversary in July passed without fanfare, as Jennifer was spotted dining with friends in the Hamptons while Ben was working in Los Angeles.
Adding to the speculation, the couple has recently put their opulent $68 million Beverly Hills mansion on the market, with Ben purchasing a $20.5 million estate in Pacific Palisades, California. This move has only fueled rumors that the couple is preparing to go their separate ways.
Jennifer, 55, is reportedly struggling with the toll that the marital difficulties are taking, especially with their blended family involved.
She shares 16-year-old twins, Max and Emme, with her ex-husband Marc Anthony, while Ben shares three children—Violet, 18, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 12—with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.
Despite the challenges, Jennifer appears to be maintaining a close relationship with Ben’s children. Over the weekend, Violet was spotted in Los Angeles wearing a pink Dolce & Gabbana dress that her stepmother had previously worn, indicating a bond between the two.
On the same day, Jennifer was also seen enjoying quality time with Samuel, Ben’s youngest son. The pair were photographed shopping together in Los Angeles before returning to Ben’s rental home in Brentwood, California.
Jennifer reportedly spent five hours at the house, though it remains unclear whether Ben was present during the visit.
