Ben Affleck can’t catch a break.
On top of living apart from wife Jennifer Lopez and catching a stray from ex-wife Jennifer Garner in “Deadpool & Wolverine,” an Australian TV host called out the 51-year-old actor and said he’s “quite high up on the list” of her worst interview guests ever.
Sarah Ferguson told the Sydney Morning Herald in an interview published Sunday that she didn’t appreciate Affleck’s attitude when he appeared on the news show “7.30” in March 2023.
Sarah Ferguson is the host of Australia’s daily current affairs program, “7.30.”ABC News (Australia)
Ben Affleck appeared on “7.30” in 2023.ABC
“He was just rude, not interested, going through the motions,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson interviewed Affleck virtually last year for his movie “Air.” His co-star Chris Tucker also participated in the interview.
Sarah Ferguson interviews Ben Affleck.ABC News (Australia)
Affleck, who starred in, directed and produced “Air,” had a puzzling answer to Ferguson’s question about how the film evolved into a story about Michael Jordan’s family.
“It happened by my looking at the story and thinking initially, you know, knowing a little bit how these companies work, and knowing about, you know, knowing by instinct it wasn’t only white people who worked at this company who were relevant to the story,” he said.
Ben AffleckABC News (Australia)
Sarah FergusonABC
Sarah FergusonABC
Affleck avoided looking at the camera for most of the interview.
While chatting with the Hollywood Reporter last year to promote “Air,” Affleck compared doing interviews to “land mines,” when he was asked why he isn’t on Instagram like Lopez, 55.
“She thinks that because of experiences that I’ve had, I’ve become very guarded. And she’s right. I view these things as land mines, where if you say one wrong thing, your career might be over,” said Affleck.
Ben Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight in the movie “Air.”Amazon/Courtesy Everett Collection
“I had a really painful experience where I did an interview where I was really vulnerable, and the entire pickup was something that was not only not right, it was actually the opposite of what I meant,” the “Daredevil” star added.
Affleck confirmed he was referring to his 2021 interview on “The Howard Stern Show” where he talked about drinking towards the end of his marriage to Garner, 52.
He explained that the exes “tried” to make their marriage work, but failed. He added, “I probably [would] still be drinking. You know, like, it was just part of why I started drinking alcohol was I was trapped.”
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck at the 2007 Golden Globes.WireImage
The father of three later went on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and said his comments on Stern’s show were taken out of context.
“They had literally taken the conversation that I had had for two hours and made it seem as if I was doing the exact opposite of what I said,” Affleck said. “I had gone on and said how much we respect each other and cared about each other, and cared about our kids and put them first and went through our stuff. And they said that I had blamed my ex-wife for my alcoholism and that I was trapped.”
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner at the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.WireImage
“It said that I had blamed my ex-wife for my alcoholism, that I was trapped in this marriage — just made me out to be the worst, most insensitive, stupid, awful guy,” he added.
“That’s not true. I don’t believe that — it’s the exact opposite of who I am, what I believe, and I would never want my kids to ever say a bad word about their mom.”
At the moment, Affleck seems to be heading towards his second divorce.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer LopezGC Images
The “Argo” director moved out of his shared home with Lopez and bought a $20.5 million home in LA for himself. He was apart from the “Let’s Get Loud” singer for their second wedding anniversary and her 55th birthday last month.
TMZ reported that Affleck and Lopez, who tied the knot in 2022, aren’t speaking and are using their business managers to work out their divorce proceedings. The pair allegedly are waiting to settle all their assets until they officially file for divorce.