Ben Affleck was hesitant about reuniting with Jennifer Lopez because he didn't want his children to have to deal with unwanted attention.
Ben Affleck was hesitant about reuniting with Jennifer Lopez because of his children.
The 'Tender Bar' actor knew rekindling his romance with the 'Let's Get Loud' hitmaker - who he first dated between 2002 and 2004 - would draw a lot of attention and he didn't want to do anything that would make Violet, 16, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, nine, uncomfortable.
Asked if he had any hesitation about getting back with the 52-year-old singer-and-actress because of his family, Ben - who has his children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner - told Sirius XM's Howard Stern: “Well, look, my responsibility to my children is the highest responsibility I have. So I won't do anything that's painful or destructive to them if I can help it.
“That being said, I know that my life affects them. I dropped my son off at school two days ago, and he's the only one who will talk about it. He's nine years old and there's a bunch of the older boys out there doing some toy drive or something, and I heard them go, 'Oh Ben Affleck, Ben Affleck.' And my kid looks at me and goes, '#WelcomeToMyLife.' ”
Ben also admitted the media scrutiny he and the 'Hustlers' actress came under when they first dated contributed to the end of their engagement in 2004.
He said: "I would say it was about 50 percent [of what destroyed our relationship]. The idea that people hate you and they hate you together and that being together is poison and ugly and toxic and the thing none of us want to be part of.
“And who the f**k would want to have them to dinner? And what the f**k are they doing together?
The 49-year-old star "felt like a fool" when the relationship ended.
He candidly admitted: "I got f****** hurt and angry and felt like a fool.”