The internet has long been obsessed with the many moods of Ben Affleck.
The actor/director has been called “unhappy,”“miserable,” and “mad,” spawning a series of Sad Affleck-themed memes, often with coffee or a cigarette, depicting him as “being sick of life.” He’s aware of it — having been exhaustively asked about it — and has wisely cashed in on it. Wouldn’t you if your face had become a cultural representation of misery?
But if we could dangle a giant mood ring around Affleck, 52, as he maneuvers through his latest press tour for The Accountant 2, out now, we’d say that the color indicator has shifted from black (tense, nervous) and gray (strained, anxious) to blue (relaxed) and — at times — violet (excited, happy).
Yes, Ben Affleck has gotten his groove back. His rizzaissance is here.
Generally, a press tour can go two ways — let’s say: It Ends With Us bad and Anyone But You good. Out of the gate, Affleck, who has years of practice, has masterfully handled himself. He’s suddenly having fun, appearing downright joyful at moments (interviewer tip: Ask about Tom Brady), versus — sorry, we have to say it — surly movie star. He deserves extra props for doing it on the heels of a very high-profile divorce from Jennifer Lopez.
The two-time Oscar winner’s April GQ cover story set the tone, as he insisted there was “no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue” behind his divorce from J.Lo. His paragraphs of perspective on the split snuffed out a potential tabloidy narrative in a “nothing to see here” kinda way. He punctuated it by bringing her kids to his premiere.
As if Affleck were accidentally given a truth serum during IV drip therapy, he’s been candid and funny in his interviews. With the same outlet, he dissed Batman. In a world where little (and big) kids dream about being the caped crusader — and leading men vie for the role — Affleck went and said donning the rubber Batman suit sucked. Technically, he called it “horrendous” and said he “hated” wearing it.
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For the record, Affleck’s favorite Batman is George “Clooney with the nipples,” he told Complex. That conversation was all about answering random questions, from sharing his rapper Mount Rushmore to something he knows a lot about: bad tattoos.
He confessed to Yahoo Entertainment that some of his career swings have been “horrible” in making the point that performers have to take chances. He mocked his early acting skills to GQ, making fun of how the two words he said in 1992’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer had to be overdubbed. On Jimmy Kimmel Live! he corrected Kevin Costner, saying he and Matt Damon were “not memorable” enough for the star to have remembered them as Field of Dreams extras.
Some of his best press has been around relatable parenting. The Good Will Hunting star admitted that his kids — Violet, Seraphina and Samuel — hate some of his “terrible” movies. Everything he’s said about his son asking for $6,000 Dior sneakers has been surprisingly down-to-earth for someone worth a reported $150 million. We’ve already pocketed “That’s a lot of lawns you gotta mow” for future use, and his observation that 13-year-olds are always running “some grift” isn’t wrong.
Affleck seemed very reasonable talking about the public perception of him and the memes born from it. On the This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von podcast he said that often he is actually irritated in paparazzi photos — with good reason.
“Here’s the thing: When somebody’s taking a picture of me, I’m bummed because usually I’m with my kids, I’m trying to go somewhere and then there’s four guys [following us],” he said. “Take a picture of somebody every time they’re feeling irritated [and] they’re gonna look irritated.”
Any mildly introverted person can relate to him explaining that he’s “kinda shy” in his “regular life” and doesn’t like attending Hollywood events, which the Bored at the Grammys Ben Affleck meme depicts perfectly. But he’s self-aware enough to know that, as in many aspects of life, he has to take the good (being able to make movies) along with the bad (paparazzi, being the punchline).
“There’s stuff that’s just no fun for me — like events and shows,” said Affleck, who has previously talked about experiencing anxiety and depression. “Some people really know how to have a good time. I wish I did. I wish I was out there like, ‘Great! We’re gonna hit it’ … because if I had that attitude I’d be happier about it.”
Out of all Affleck’s interviews over the last month, one of the most recent is the most charming. He was downright blissful on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast, talking about the greatest day in his life — aside from the births of his children — helping now retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady “run routes” after they happened to be on vacation in the same place. It’s pure elation, and we’re here for it.
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There are a few things at play with this Affleck revival.
Signs point to him being in a good place overall. He said he’s been sober for over five years. He is co-parenting well with Jennifer Garner. The strain of a looming divorce — which was much of his 2024 — is behind him, and the couple formerly known as Bennifer apparently made a pact not to trash each other. And if he’s dating someone new, we don’t know who it is, so the only relationship he’s being asked about — well, besides with his BFF/business partner Damon — is the one with his kids. That’s led to some of his best bon mots.
Add all that into the fact that he loves his The Accountant role — enough to play it twice — and had fun promoting the film with costar Jon Bernthal. Plus, his character is maybe easier to discuss over and over during a press tour than, say, The Way Back, in which he played an alcoholic not long after a widely reported sobriety slip. (Although he told Yahoo it was his best performance.)
“Ben Affleck is attacking this press tour like a man who finally found the off switch on self-loathing,” Eric Schiffer, a PR expert and chairman of Reputation Management Consultants who does not represent Affleck, told Yahoo Entertainment. “Gone is the haunted, meme-fodder Affleck; he’s the life of the party, not dodging questions or hiding behind PR bs. He’s swapped the ‘Sad Affleck’ meme for a new persona: Ben the Entertainer. Affleck’s interviews are a masterclass in self-deprecation and relatability.”
After years of seeming unhappy doing press, it’s a whole new Affleck.
“He hasn’t just gotten his rizz back, he’s selling it by the case,” Schiffer said. “The man who once looked allergic to junkets is now Mr. Smooth Operator.”
No sad faces over that.
