Ben Affleck Gets Candid About Alcoholism on the ‘Today’ Show: ‘I Had a Problem’
After a difficult 2018, Ben Affleck is looking and sounding like himself again. The Triple Frontier actor, 46, who returned to rehab last year to address his struggle with alcoholism, visited Today on Monday, March 4, to discuss his addiction candidly.
“It doesn’t really bother me to talk about alcoholism and being an alcoholic,” he told host Hoda Kotb. “It’s part of my life, it’s something that I deal with. It doesn’t have to subsume my whole identity and be everything but it’s something you have to work at.”
The father-of-three added, “I feel like I had a problem and really wanted to address it.”
Actor Ben Affleck attends the ‘Triple Frontier’ world premiere at Lincoln Center on March 3, 2019, in New York City.
In October, Ben wrote a vulnerable statement on Instagram following a 40-day stint at The Canyons in Malibu. “This week I completed a 40-day stay at a treatment center for alcohol addiction and remain in outpatient care,” the actor and director’s heartfelt message began. “The support I have received from my family, colleagues and fans means more to me than I can say. It’s given me strength and support to speak about my illness with others.”
He continued, “Battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment. It is a full-time commitment. I am fighting for myself and my family. So many people have reached out on social media and spoken about their own journeys with addiction. To those people, I want to say thank you. Your strength is inspiring and supporting me in ways I didn’t think was possible. It helps to know I am not alone.”
In Today‘s interview, Ben had nothing but rave reviews for his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, with whom he shares Violet, 13, Seraphina, 10, and Samuel, 7. “She’s wonderful. When somebody’s the mother of your kids, they’re going to be the most important, central part in your life, and that’s good,” he gushed.
Welp, sorry Lindsay Shookus! Although the exes were recently spotted grabbing coffee together, it sounds like the Peppermint star will always have a special place in Ben’s heart.
“You can tell you still love her,” Hoda said. Aww. So will the two ever reconcile? Only time will tell!
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