Ben Affleck's experience playing Batman in "Justice League" was so bad that friends feared
he would literally die if he stayed in the role.
How did things get so bad?
Ben Affleck's first go-round with Jennifer Lopez was relatively short in the grand scheme
of things, but the two really seemed to love one another.
They did, in fact, go on to reboot their romance in 2021, getting engaged in 2022.
Even before they reunited, though, the pair only ever had nice things to say about each
other in the years that followed their decision to end their initial engagement.
Their relationship began in 2002, and the change in Affleck's style was evident, as
he adopted a more polished look.
This even extended to the roles he took during their relationship, as he appeared in more
dramatic films like "The Sum of All Fears," and "Changing Lanes."
Ultimately, they broke up in 2004.
Four year later, speaking on the British television show "Live," Affleck said that he thought
the demands of being a celebrity couple turned out to be more than they expected.
"I think Jen and I made a mistake in that we fell in love, we were excited and maybe
too accessible.
I don't think either of us anticipated the degree to which it would take on a world of
its own."
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner first met in 2000 while working together on "Pearl Harbor,"
then starred together in 2003's "Daredevil.
But they didn't begin dating until after Affleck's breakup with Lopez.
The courtship didn't take long, as the couple got married in 2005 and had three children
together: Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.
News of their divorce in 2018 surprised many, not least of all Affleck himself.
Still, he accepted much of the blame for the split, and has been candid about his experience
with addiction and how this impacted his marriage.
"I started to drink more, and more, and more.
And it was really hard for me to accept that that meant that I was an alcoholic."
In 2020, Affleck told The New York Times that his shame over their separation still haunts
him.
"The biggest regret of my life is this divorce.
[...] Shame is really toxic.
There is no positive byproduct of shame.
It's just stewing in a toxic, hideous feeling of low self-worth and self-loathing."
While Garner was less open about what happened between the two of them, a friend told InTouch
that Affleck's admissions meant a lot to her.
The source revealed,
"She's impressed he's taken ownership of his mistakes and sees it as a sign that he's made
huge progress."
Just as his marriage to Garner was hitting the rocks, Affleck's professional career also
took an unexpected detour thanks to "Justice League."
After his negative experiences with the 2003 film "Daredevil," fans were surprised to see
Affleck return to the world of superheroes.
But Affleck told The New York Times that his loathing of "Daredevil" is actually the reason
he took the role of Batman beginning with 2016's "Batman v Superman."
"I wanted for once to get one of these movies and do it right — to do a good version.
I hate 'Daredevil' so much."
But his time as Bruce Wayne didn't pan out the way he hoped.
"Justice League" was released in October 2017 to mixed reviews, and several of the actors
from the film have commented on the confusing and sometimes upsetting experiences on set.
Gal Gadot's career was reportedly threatened by the director of the film, Joss Whedon,
after he took over for the original director, Zack Snyder.
And co-star Ray Fisher also alleged unprofessional behavior on Whedon's part.
In 2022, Affleck told Entertainment Weekly that his experience on "Justice League" made
him re-evaluate his career.
"I had a really nadir experience around 'Justice League' for a lot of different reasons.
Not blaming anybody, there's a lot of things that happened.
But really what it was is that I wasn't happy.
I didn't like being there.
I didn't think it was interesting.
And then some really s---ty things, awful things happened.
But, that's when I was like, I'm not going to do that anymore."
Though Affleck had been slated to direct himself in a solo Batman film, ultimately he decided
to quit.
He told GQ in 2020,
"I found that, at some point, I had lost my enthusiasm or passion for it.
And I thought this should really be made by someone for whom it's their wildest dream
come true.
It was clear to me it was time to move on."
"The movie deserves to be made by someone who is dying to do it, and can't wait, and
that wasn't me."
He expanded on his reasons in a New York Times interview, saying that personal and professional
issues had him at a breaking point.
"I showed somebody The Batman script.
They said, 'I think the script is good.
I also think you'll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went through
again.'"
Still, he was very supportive of Robert Pattinson replacing him in the role, tweeting in 2019,
"Excited for #TheBatman [...] and to see @MattReevesLA vision come to life."
Luckily, Affleck seems to be in a better place now, both personally and professionally.
Besides reuniting with J-Lo, he's even signed on to reprise his role as Batman in the 2023
"Flash" solo movie.
Despite facing numerous obstacles and challenges, Ben Affleck has risen above and continues
to enjoy a successful career in Hollywood.
We can only hope he keeps doing so for many, many years to come.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available.
Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact
SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).