Ben Affleck is headed to rehab for the third time this year, and the actor’s relationship with Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus could now be feeling the strain.
Reports this week indicated that Affleck headed off to a rehab facility for his battle with alcohol addiction. Radar Online reported that he checked into the famed Malibu facility Passages for a 30-day rehab program, which uses a holistic approach to treating addiction. A source told the outlet that those close to Affleck — including ex-wife Jennifer Garner and brother Casey Affleck — are glad to see that he immediately sought help after relapsing.
Some close to Ben Affleck said that he is working hard to maintain his relationships, especially with girlfriend Lindsay Shookus.
“Ben’s main priorities have never wavered,” a source close told Us Weekly (via Radar Online ). “He’s focused on his family and spending time with Lindsay. Dealing with this disease is something he’ll have to work on for the rest of his life and he remains focused on it.”
Affleck went to rehab earlier this year for alcohol addiction treatment, and even took to Facebook to share some of his struggle with fans. Amid the drama, Affleck appeared to be moving forward in the relationship with his new girlfriend.
But there may now be signs of tension between Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus. Affleck is still dealing with the fallout of the sexual misconduct allegation from actress Hilarie Burton, who said Affleck inappropriately touched her during an appearance on MTV’s Total Request Live in 2003. While this took place long before Affleck and Shookus met, there were reports hinting at strains in the relationship. There could be more tension now that Affleck headed back to rehab — the Daily Mail noted that Affleck was “noticeably absent” from the wedding of Lindsay’s sister.
There were also some celebrity gossip outlets that speculated whether Affleck could leave Shookus for another chance with Jennifer Garner, but there appeared to be no substance to the rumors.
. @BenAffleck is expected to appear as #Batman in the standalone Flash movie (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/XN3owfmrA8 pic.twitter.com/TNbMqm23tC
— Variety (@Variety) December 7, 2017
It could be that Affleck is focusing on conquering his addiction and may not have had time for family obligations with Lindsay Shookus. Other signs point to a stable relationship for the pair, including a report from the Mercury News that Ben had Lindsay meet Jennifer Garner over Thanksgiving. Affleck appears to be well enough to forge ahead with his career, with some more appearances as Batman ahead including a role in the standalone movie for The Flash .
