In a recent interview with Howard Stern, Hollywood star Ben Affleck delved into his past marriage with Jennifer Garner, a conversation that sparked mixed reactions on social media.
Affleck, who stars in "The Last Duel," openly shared his perspective on his marriage with Garner, revealing that if they hadn't separated in 2015, he might still be grappling with his drinking problem.
"I started drinking partly because I felt trapped," Affleck disclosed to Stern.
The couple publicly announced their separation just one day after their 10th wedding anniversary, and it would be almost two years before they officially filed for divorce.
Affleck disclosed that he and Garner faced significant challenges in attempting to keep their family intact. The former couple shares three children: Violet (16 years old), Seraphina (12), and Samuel (9).
"We experienced a marriage that unfortunately didn't work out," Affleck explained. "It was a situation involving someone I deeply love and respect, but with whom I recognized that staying married was no longer the right path. Ultimately, we made every effort, primarily for the sake of our children."
The acclaimed actor, who has won an Academy Award, has consistently been open about his ongoing battle with alcohol addiction, a personal struggle that significantly affected his life.
"I felt trapped, torn between my responsibility to my children and my own unhappiness," Affleck shared. "In response, I resorted to self-medicating with whiskey, finding solace on the couch, only to realize that it was far from a solution."
Following the interview, it generated a spectrum of reactions on social media, and some interpreted Affleck's comments as potentially placing blame on Garner for his past difficulties.
One individual on Twitter remarked, "Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner separated in 2015, and she was seen taking him to rehab in 2018. It's not fair to lay blame on her." Social media users expressed a range of responses to the actor's frank discussion of his previous marriage.
