Ben Affleck is candid about why he doesn’t see Hollywood in the future for his three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
Speaking to The tear Premiering Tuesday, January 13, the Oscar-winning actor said he has no plans to steer Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, or Samuel, 13, into acting, and even joked that he hoped they would choose a different path.
“You impose something on your children when you have a public life and it’s complicated,” Affleck, 53, said. E! News while discussing his family.
“We really want to give them the opportunity to figure out what they want to do.” »
He made it clear that his approach was encouragement, not pressure, adding: “I wouldn’t push them into that. They’re brilliant and lovely and wonderful and we love them and we’re proud of them,” before adding jokingly, “and I hope they don’t waste their lives playing.”
Affleck also reflected on the difference between his children’s upbringing and his own. Looking back, he said there was something valuable about growing up away from the spotlight.
“In a way, it was kind of a blessing for anonymity, for struggle, to get to where we started, which was just in the middle of nowhere,” he explained, suggesting that these early experiences shaped his perspective.
Garner echoed similar sentiments about parenting.
In a recent interview with Marie Claire United Kingdomshe said, “They’re so cool!” while noting that parenting older children means learning to step back.
“Now parenting has changed. It’s more about being a parent with a pimple on your mouth…You have to let them grow up and make their choices. You can’t control them.”
The former couple married in 2005, separated in 2015 and finalized their divorce in 2018. As Garner said, “losing a true partnership and a true friendship is what’s been difficult.” »
Together, Affleck and Garner seem united around one priority: letting their children choose their own lives, far from expectations, even famous ones.
