Ben Affleck Praises Jennifer Garner And Vents About Jennifer Lopez Romance

Ben Affleck is perhaps known more for his personal relationships than his film career, although certainly hits like 2014’s Gone Girl and bombs like the 2003 miss, Gigli, aren’t as forgettable as Affleck might wish. As far as Gigli, the mere mention of that film brings up sore feelings for Ben, who recalls that his high-profile romance with Jennifer Lopez attracted more attention to Gigli’s box-office failure than might otherwise have been drawn to the Affleck-fueled film.

Looking to brighter days, Ben moves on to talk about his more recent ex, Jennifer Garner, as he takes an opportunity to gush about Garner’s parenting skills and the love he still holds for the mother of his children.

Ben Affleck Is Still Brooding Over Gigli And Jennifer Lopez

A TimesTalks session at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts in New York City gave Ben Affleck an opportunity to reflect on his career and life on Monday, but as Us Weekly reports, the Live by Night star found one segment of his life particularly painful to talk about. Even though the time period in question took place 13 years ago, when Gigli first hit theaters, Affleck is still emotionally scarred by that period of his life.

In 2003, Ben was dating pop sensation and actress Jennifer Lopez, a romance that drew attention from millions of fans and placed every aspect of Affleck’s life under a microscope, much more so than he was used to at that time. Making matters worse, Gigli’s premiere failed to draw even satisfactory box office returns, a failure highly publicized by critics.

“It could have been a bad movie no one cared about. Angelina Jolie had a bad movie that year and no one cared,” said Mr. Affleck, referring to Jolie’s Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life. “But it was because I was dating Jennifer Lopez that made it a big f**king deal. So not only was it just a bad movie but ‘they dated each other.'”

Ben recalls a reporter standing outside the theater where Gigli was premiering and reporting that there were no lines to see the film. Ben likens it to hurricane coverage, as he recalls the incident with bitter feelings.

Affleck and Lopez remained a hot item for awhile longer following the Gigli bomb and had even planned to marry, but the couple split in 2004.

Ben Affleck Gushes Over Jennifer Garner

While Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck may no longer be involved in a romantic relationship, the two actors remain close for the sake of raising their children, and as UPI reports, Ben is continually awed by Garner’s parenting skills and her devotion to their children. Mr. Affleck describes the births of his children as the defining moments of his life, far outweighing the importance of all else, including his career, so it’s not surprising that he takes every opportunity to sing Jennifer’s praises.

“[Jennifer is the] world’s greatest mom,” says Affleck. “It’s a joy to hang out with [our kids]. I think the meaning of life is to make good people.”

Together with Garner, Ben is a parent to Violet, 11, Seraphina, 7, and a 4-year-old son, Samuel.

Ben revealed that everyone will be together for the holidays. Affleck is taking Garner and the children on a skiing holiday with best friend Matt Damon and his family. Ben shared that his brother’s family will also be joining the group for a vacation predicted to be “a lot of fun” by Affleck.

Ben Affleck will next star alongside Elle Fanning in Live by Night, which will see a January 13 release.

[Featured Image by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images]