Fans are reacting to Ben Affleck’s recent comments about his marriage to Jennifer Garner and struggles with alcoholism.
During an interview with radio host Howard Stern on Tuesday (14 December), Affleck said he felt “trapped” in his marriage to Garner and that it was “part of why” he started drinking.
“We had a marriage that didn’t work,” Affleck said. “This happens. It was somebody I love and respect but to whom I shouldn’t be married any longer … what I did was [I] drank a bottle of scotch and fell asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution.”
Underscoring that he and Garner made the right choice by ending their marriage, Affleck said that the pair would “probably be at each other’s throats” if they hadn’t divorced. “I’d probably still be drinking. Part of why I started drinking alcohol was because I felt trapped.”
The two-time Oscar winner checked into rehab for alcoholism in 2018, after he and Garner got divorced. Affleck and Garner first confirmed their relationship in 2004 and were married in 2005. They went on to have three children together.
Twitter users were divided over Affleck’s recent revelations.
“Oh really nice,” wrote one person. “Throw your former partner under the bus… alcohol and drugs are HIS problems.”
Expressing sympathy for Garner, another person tweeted that they felt “sad Jennifer G has to read/hear this…”
(Getty )
However, another user suggested that “anyone who’s ever been in an unhappy marriage” can relate to the “trapped” feeling Affleck talked about.
They wrote: “It’s not about his ex-wife, whom he speaks [about] highly every time.”
Reacting to criticism of Affleck, another person tweeted: “It was amicable. They both were not happy. Calm down.”
Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
Affleck is currently dating his ex-fiancee Jennifer Lopez. The actor was on The Howard Stern Show to promote his forthcoming film The Tender Bar, which is scheduled for release on 17 December.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you.