It has been a tough time for Ben Affleck. The two-time Academy Award-winning actor/writer/director has dealt with a series of personal and professional problems, particularly with his substance abuse issues. Based on his ex-wife Jennifer Garner's insistence, Affleck went to rehab for the third time towards the end of 2018, and besides one social media update, he has kept his fans in the dark about his progress. But that changed during a recent interview, where the actor talked about his addictions and struggles in a frank, honest discussion. While some people would be afraid to speak so sincerely, Affleck wants to be completely open.
It doesn't really bother me to talk about alcoholism and being an alcoholic. It's part of my life. It's something that I deal with. It doesn't have to sort of subsume my whole identity and be everything, but it is something that you know you have to work at. I feel like I had a problem and I really want to address it, and I take some pride in that … it's about yourself, your life, your family, and you know people — we encounter these kinds of hurdles and we have to deal with them.
The candid conversation came up while Ben Affleck was doing promotional rounds for his latest film, Triple Frontier, which hits theaters in limited release tomorrow before hopping onto Netflix next Friday. Alongside fellow co-star Charlie Hunnam, Affleck came onto Today to discuss his latest film, but it didn't take long before his recent rehab stint entered the fold. He ultimately expected the topic to be breached, and he didn't hold back in his quotes about the difficult personal subject.
Hoda Kotb told Ben Affleck that he was "looking good," and she thought it seemed like "things were going right" in his life, particularly with his recent string of woes in the past couple years. It didn't take long, though, before Kotb brought up his ongoing battles with his addiction. While it's still a tough subject and it appears that Affleck is still a bit uncomfortable to talk about it (despite what he said in the above quote), he felt it was important for someone of his fame and stature to talk about his own personal difficulties with addictions, and how he continues to fight this fight. It's far from easy, but it's important. Not merely for himself, but for his family, along with everyone who cares about his well-being. Addiction is still a part of his life, even though he is sober right now. And it is a lifelong battle that he will continue to fight.
You can check out the interview with Ben Affleck on Today below.
There are a lot of things left uncertain for Ben Affleck at this time. His commitments to Batman are officially done, and he wasn't afraid to admit as much. But with his time as the Dark Knight reaching the end of its twilight, he will now have time to explore other projects and pursue other films as a producer and director in the future. For now, however, he is focused on himself and keeping himself happy, healthy and, most of all, sober. And his fans hope that is set to last.
Triple Frontier enters limited theaters on March 5th. It'll then be seen on Netflix on March 13th.
