Ben Affleck is no stranger to rumors, especially when they’re about his relationships. Case in point: his public split with Jennifer Lopez after two years of marriage and famously after rekindling the relationship they had in the early ‘00s. So naturally, the Hollywood rumor mill is rampant with who the A lister will date next and Affleck just reacted to the rumor that Ana Navarro tried to set him up with Shakira.
The rumor in question allegedly occurred when Ana Navarro stopped by The View and shared that she attempted to set up Affleck with pop sensation Shakira. An idea that she supposedly pitched to Affleck’s best friend and frequent co-star Matt Damon. Though apparently Affleck missed the memo. So imagine his surprise when he visiting Entertainment Tonight to promote his Netflix movie Animals, that he learned about the rumor. His reaction:
I hear shit like that, honestly, first from people like you. I swear to God, I never heard that in my whole life. Like all my life. I often hear rumors.
The actor proceeded to call out how “stuff gets made up,” and I’m sure he knows better than anyone about how quickly rumors spread. Especially if they have to do with his relationships. This particular gossip came after both his and Shakira’s high-profile splits. She split with Gerard Piqué after 11 years following cheating rumors. Obviously this creates the perfect storm for rumors to circulate about the two love lives. It doesn’t take much for celebrities to be linked.
So this isn’t the first (and certainly won’t be the last) time that Affleck’s relationships will be the subject of rumors. He was last talked about when he revealed that he initially cast his ex-wife Jennifer Garner in his upcoming movie Animals. The role was originally meant to be alongside Matt Damon but when he dropped out, Affleck took over the part and Garner decided to step away from the project. This was something that Jennifer Lopez allegedly had strong feelings about, and yes, for those keeping track, that's another rumor. So it makes sense that Affleck would be quick to clarify whether or not people try and set him up on dates:
I don’t really ever get set up, really. Or have any …you know. I work a lot and I see my kids and here’s not a lot of room for like - I’m not running around, you know what I’m saying? It’s not a big priority in my life.
The biggest priority in his life right now seems to be his three children, who he shares with Garner. He states that he is happy and comfortable with where he is in life. These are words that an insider close to the actor has previously shared, stating that he's happy with where he is in life. Furthermore, Affleck isn't currently pursuing a romantic relationship. He clarifies, "I'm open to it but I'm not trying to chase anything."
In addition to his children, his focus is on his career. Currently he has been promoting Animals which is a project that he both stars in (alongside Kerry Washington) and directs. The movie is coming to the 2026 movie schedule on October 9 and can be watched with a Netflix subscription.
While I'm sure there's another rumor not far in Affleck's future, for now we know for sure that he and Shakira are not being set up.
