Ben Affleckis opening up about his alcohol addiction — and how fortunate he feels to have ex-wifeJennifer Garneras the mother of his three children.
In a candid interview alongside hisTriple FrontiercostarCharlie Hunnamon Monday’sToday, Affleck toldHoda Kotbthat it “doesn’t really bother” him to talk about his sobriety journey.
“Being an alcoholic, it’s part of my life, it’s something that I deal with,” said Affleck, 46. “It doesn’t have to subsume my whole identity and be everything but it is something that you have to work at.”
“I had a problem and I really want to address it and I take some pride in that,” he added. “It’s about yourself, your life, your family…we encounter these kinds of hurdlesand we have to deal with them.”
As a dad, he’s thankful to have “wonderful” Garner, 46, as a co-parent for their childrenSamuel Garner, 7,Seraphina Rose Elizabeth, 10, andViolet Anne, 13.
“When somebody’s the mother of your kids, they’re going to be the most important central person in your life and that’s good,” said Affleck.
INF Photo; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
“I hope I’m a pretty good dad,” he said. “I certainly try very hard. I’m lucky they got a great mom, and she helps out a great deal with making sure that weco-parent in as good a way as possible. Dads are so important to kids, and it’s our responsibility to be there for them — to be present, to be mindful, to be attentive, to be part of their lives, to be as in it as moms.”
“That’s really the central preoccupation in my life,” Affleck admitted. “The focus of my life is what I love doing. It’s what makes me happy, and the rest of the stuff kind of follows.”
Ben Affleck.TODAY
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In October, Affleck addressed his rehab stay, saying, “The support I have received from my family, colleagues and fans means more to me than I can say.”
“It’s given me the strength and support to speak about my illness with others,”he wrote in the statement, posted to his Instagram. “Battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment. It is a full-time commitment. I amfighting for myself and my family.”
“Jen and Ben continue to work together to make their parenting as seamless as possible,” the source said. “They really like to do things as a family, be it outings, church, cooking or watching movies.”
“They have both had some ups and downs this year, andthey seem to be in a good place,” the friend added.
Triple Frontierwill open in select theaters nationwide Wednesday and begin streaming on Netflix March 13.
source: people.com
