Ben Affleck says he felt "trapped" in his marriage to Jennifer Garner and started drinking partly because of it.

Ben Affleck spoke about the end of his relationship with Jennifer Garner and the rekindling of his relationship with Jennifer Lopez. In a new interview with Howard Stern, he made a surprisingly vulnerable revelation about both relationships.

"The truth is, we took our time, made our decisions, and moved away," Affleck said of his 2015 separation from Garner (via Us Weekly).

"We didn't have a good marriage. There are things like this. He's someone I love and respect, but he's someone I shouldn't be married to any more."

"Then we said, 'You know what? We had children. We both felt that we didn't want to be the model of marriage that our children would see."

Affleck once spoke about overcoming his alcoholism, telling Stern that if he and Garner were still together, "I probably would have still been drinking."

He was so deeply frustrated at the time that alcohol felt like his only escape. 'That was part of the reason I started drinking alcohol,' he said. 'I can't leave because of the kids, but I'm not happy. What am I supposed to do? What I did was drink a bottle of scotch on the couch, but I knew that wasn't the solution."

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Nevertheless, Affleck is careful to point out that this bad situation is no one's fault. He asks, "Was there ever tension? Were there disagreements over custody? Were there difficulties for us? There were times when we were angry. But basically, we always had a lot of respect for her. She knew she was a good mother. I think she knew I was a good father. I was. I had to get sober: ...... I knew that too. You're right. I had to get sober.'"

Actor and J.Lo was a member of the "I've got to get sober.

The actor and J.Lo began dating again in 2021. Affleck knew it was going to happen, and given the impact on their children, it was a difficult decision whether or not to try it. 'My responsibility to my children is paramount,' he said. I don't want to do anything that will hurt or destroy them if I can help it. My life affects them. Their mother and I are celebrities. It's hard. It's a cross to bear."