Matt Damon says he ‘can’t imagine’ facing ‘scrutiny’ like Ben Affleck amid Jennifer Lopez marital woes
Matt Damon expressed his sympathy for Ben Affleck, admitting he “can’t image” facing the same “scrutiny” his pal does amid his marital woes with Jennifer Lopez.
The actor made a rare comment about his “Good Will Hunting” co-star while reflecting on how he’s managed to live a private life during a recent episode of the “Radio Times Podcast” with Ben’s brother, Casey Affleck.
“I’ve been really lucky in that way … especially when I look at Casey’s brother, Ben,” he said. “I can’t imagine living under that kind of scrutiny.”
“And it’s been like that for 25 years and we’ve had parallel careers in a lot of ways and so I’m fortunate to have been kind of excused from that part of [fame],” Damon, 53, explained.
Despite the actors simultaneously rising to fame with their 1997 Oscar-winning film, Damon explained that details of Ben’s life were more often in the media because he was young and single.
“That magazine culture that was so huge … 25 years ago [they] kind of ignored me,” the “Martian” star added.
“Right, like a guy who’s married, it’s so boring,” he continued, referring to his marriage with his wife Luciana Barroso in 2005.
“What would sell those things were scandal and sex and all that stuff that people would read … and as long as you didn’t do any of that stuff it wasn’t really worth their time to wait to take your picture and so I ended up kind of getting left alone,” Damon said.
The “Departed” star’s comments about Ben, 51, come as sources previously told Page Six that his marriage with Lopez has been over since March.
We’re told the “On the Floor” songstress, 55, feels “frustrated” and “humiliated” that their second shot at romance fumbled.
Insiders told Page Six that the “Gone Girl” actor is holding off on filing for divorce to avoid humiliating Lopez.
While the two haven’t publicly addressed their looming split just yet, they notably spent their second wedding anniversary apart in July. The pop star dined in the Hamptons with her friends while Ben worked in Los Angeles.
The “Selena” star and Ben have also put their luxurious $68 million Beverly Hills mansion on the market as the father of three recently snagged a $20.5 million estate in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Lopez reportedly feels she’s done all she can to salvage their marriage and is upset that their children are involved.
The actress shares 16-year-old twins – Max and Emme – with ex-husband Marc Anthony while Ben shares Violet, 18, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 12, with ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.
While Lopez and Ben haven’t been photographed together in over a month, the mom of two is seemingly spending more time with his children as Violet was seen wearing her stepmom’s pink Dolce & Gabbana dress in Los Angeles over the weekend.
The “Maid in Manhattan” star was also spotted enjoying some quality time with Samuel Sunday afternoon.
The two shopped around Los Angeles together before returning to Ben’s rental home in Brentwood, Calif.
Lopez stayed at the home for five hours, though it’s unclear whether her husband was present.
