Ben Affleck has never been one to publicize his personal life. However, with his impending divorce from Jennifer Lopez making headlines, the Academy Award-winning actor has been getting attention from all angles.
From paparazzi showing up at his front door to rumors of a budding romance with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s daughter, Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy, circulating online, Affleck’s private life has taken a hard hit.
“Despite what the growing number of self-styled ‘life coaches’ will tell you, there is neither a manual nor a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to emotionally weathering a divorce,” Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital. “Whether it’s your first or your third divorce, much like compounding interest, it takes a heavier and heavier toll each time.”
JENNIFER LOPEZ, BEN AFFLECK DIVORCE AFTER TWO YEARS OF MARRIAGE
Over the past week, however, Affleck — who is notorious for looking less than chipper in most paparazzi photos — has seemed better than ever.
“Ben went from looking like a POW in a Soviet Gulag stuck in an emotional straightjacket of soul-crushing pain, then catapulted to a new joy of freedom and giddy peace of mind,” Eric Schiffer, the chief executive officer of Reputation Management Consultants, told Fox News Digital.
Eldridge noted that Affleck — who publicly divorced his first wife and mother of his three children, Jennifer Garner, in 2018 — should consider taking “the high road.”
“The legal process will play out on its own,” he said. “The best thing he can do is focus on the positive and remember the cardinal rule here: Anytime you see someone going out of their way to say damaging things about somebody else, it’s because they don’t have anything positive to say or show about themselves. That’s the candle blower strategy: blow someone else’s candle out to try and make yours shine brighter.”
For now, Affleck is staying busy by doing what he knows best, all while keeping good company.
“Ben starts filming another project in October and also will be shooting ‘RIP’ this fall, so he’ll be busy,” a source told Fox News Digital. “It wasn’t weird that Ben and Matt [Damon] had dinner together. They are with each other almost every day. They are with each other in the same office daily unless they’re traveling. Their offices are across from one another and they spend a ton of time together. They are both heavily involved with their work projects and care a lot about them.”
Since they’re such good friends, Affleck may even lean on Damon for support as he deals with what’s going on in his personal life. Eldridge told Fox News Digital what the actor’s next moves should look like, both personally and professionally, as he navigates his very public divorce.
“On the personal side, the healthiest option for Affleck would likely be two-fold,” Eldridge said. “One, ensure the health and well-being of his children, and two, invest in your physical and mental fitness. As a dad, your first job is always to protect your children, no matter their age. But that second part is equally important. If you’re not physically healthy and mentally aligned, you’re not going to be in a position to defend their best interests, especially from scathing critics and faceless pundits on social media, who are ready to pass merciless judgment without a scintilla of facts or evidence.”
“On the professional side, he’s already doing it in some ways,” he continued. “Based on the ‘leaked’ photos of food delivery, Affleck looks lean, fit and leading-man ready. He has a notorious disdain for paparazzi, so there’s a good chance those photos were coordinated and choreographed; it was a way for a smiling, clean-shaven Affleck to make a statement without releasing a statement. ‘I’m home, I’m fit, I’m with my friends, I’m on my way.'”
“Not for nothing, those friends, like Matt Damon, have also proven to be some of his most consistent creative collaborations in Hollywood,” he added. “Under time, heat, and pressure, coal can produce a diamond; perhaps Affleck can pull a gem out of this mess after all.”
Eldridge noted, “If Affleck focuses on the positive aspects of his life — his children, his health, and pursuing inspiring, creative projects — he will come out the winner. In the end, the goal is simple: Live your life in such a way that the other person must resort to making up lies about you, in order to make you look bad. If Affleck protects his flame, he’ll come out brighter and warmer than ever before.”
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A representative for Affleck did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck last week in Los Angeles County Court and cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital. The “On The Floor” singer filed the documents on the second anniversary of the couple’s Georgia wedding ceremony.
When it comes to public opinion, the duo’s marriage has taken a hard hit over the past few months.
While rumors of their split began earlier this year, whispers about the state of Affleck and Lopez’s marriage took a drastic turn when Affleck did not attend Lopez’s 55th birthday party on July 2.
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“It’s been incredibly difficult for her that Ben chose to pull away from their marriage and move on with his life, leaving her behind,” a source told People magazine. “She didn’t want a divorce. She wanted to figure things out. They love each other. Jennifer is not the type to just give up. It’s been almost torture for her to wait around.”
“After filing for divorce, she seems relieved,” the insider added.
As for Affleck, a source previously told Fox News Digital that he “threw in the towel a long time ago.”
“Ben has been his usual, high-energetic self. He’s been busy with his kids and work and seems to be doing just fine,” the source claimed.
During the documentary “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” Lopez and Affleck admitted that during their first engagement, they “just crumbled under the pressure” of being a tabloid phenomenon. It put a strain on their relationship, leading them to call off their 2003 wedding three days before it was supposed to happen.
“I had a very firm sense of boundaries initially around the press, while Jen, I don’t think, objected to it the way I did. I very much did object to it,” Affleck said.
“Getting back together, I said, ‘Listen, one of the things I don’t want is a relationship on social media. And then I realized it’s not a fair thing to ask. It’s sort of like you’re going to marry a boat captain, you want to like the water. We’re just two people with kind of different approaches, trying to learn to compromise.”
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Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.
