Years after his highly publicized split from Jennifer Garner, actor Ben Affleck has publicly acknowledged what many suspected all along—his divorce from the mother of his three children remains the deepest regret of his life.

The candid admission came during a reflective interview in which Affleck, 52, looked back on the unraveling of his marriage to Garner, 53, with striking honesty. “My divorce from Jennifer Garner is the biggest regret of my life,” he told The New York Times. “Shame is really toxic. It has no positive consequences. It’s just stewing in a toxic, horrible feeling of low self-esteem and self-loathing.”

Affleck’s words mark a rare moment of transparency from the actor, whose personal battles have played out under the harsh spotlight of fame. While his current relationship with singer Jennifer Lopez has drawn intense media attention in recent years, it is his former marriage to Garner that continues to shape his emotional narrative.

A Hollywood Love Story—and a Painful Ending

Affleck and Garner first met while filming Pearl Harbor in 2001, though their romantic relationship wouldn’t begin until 2003, during the making of Daredevil. They married in a private ceremony in 2005 and quickly became one of Hollywood’s most admired couples—known as much for their on-screen chemistry as for their shared commitment to family.

Together, they raised three children: Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel. But behind the scenes, their marriage was unraveling.

Their divorce was finalized in 2018, following years of media speculation, brief separations, and visible strain. Throughout it all, Garner remained largely silent, focusing on co-parenting and maintaining a sense of normalcy for their children.

The Role of Addiction in the Breakdown

Affleck has been open about his long struggle with alcoholism, a battle that intensified as his marriage deteriorated.

“I drank relatively normally for a long time,” he explained. “What happened was that I started drinking more and more when my marriage was falling apart. My drinking, of course, created more marital problems.”

It’s a cycle Affleck knows all too well—one of guilt, relapse, and what he now describes as obsessive self-punishment.

“It’s not healthy for me to obsess over failures, relapses, and punish myself,” he said. “I’ve certainly made mistakes. I’ve certainly done things I regret. But you have to get up, learn from it, learn even more, try to move on.”

The pain of that period still lingers. Even as he moved on publicly—rekindling his romance with Jennifer Lopez and remarrying—Affleck’s reflections make clear that the emotional wounds tied to Garner have yet to fully heal.

A Stark Contrast with Jennifer Lopez

While Affleck and Lopez’s rekindled romance has captivated fans—culminating in their 2022 wedding—the actor made headlines for barely mentioning her in the same interview. His omission, coupled with the emotional weight he assigns to his split with Garner, has raised questions about where his heart truly lies.

Affleck and Lopez, once dubbed “Bennifer” by the press, were engaged in the early 2000s before breaking up and eventually reuniting two decades later. But despite the fairy-tale arc of their renewed relationship, it’s Garner who remains central in Affleck’s most vulnerable admissions.

Garner’s Silent Strength

Garner, known for her discretion and devotion to her children, has never spoken publicly at length about the reasons behind their divorce. However, her actions in the years following—supporting Affleck through rehab, appearing with him at family outings, and maintaining a cooperative co-parenting relationship—have earned her widespread admiration.

Their bond, while no longer romantic, appears to remain grounded in mutual respect and shared responsibility. For Affleck, that connection may also be a source of enduring sorrow.

Moving Forward—But Not Forgetting

As Affleck continues his career, personal growth remains a recurring theme. He has returned to directing, starred in critically acclaimed films, and publicly advocated for mental health awareness. But it is his willingness to speak openly about failure—and his own shortcomings—that reveals a man still coming to terms with his past.

For fans and observers, the Affleck-Garner story is more than just another Hollywood breakup. It’s a case study in how fame, addiction, and human fragility intersect in deeply personal ways.

Affleck’s admission underscores a hard truth many can relate to: that sometimes, the greatest losses are the ones we help create.

And while time may have healed some wounds, his words leave little doubt—when it comes to Jennifer Garner, regret still runs deep.