Ben Affleck’s Father Gives Surprisingly Frank Answer on Jennifer Lopez Romance

Ben Affleck’s father Timothy Affleck said he was not aware that his son rekindled his relationship with Jennifer Lopez in recent weeks. Timothy still talks to his children, but like many kids, they share with him only what they want to. Affleck and Lopez started hanging out again in late April, with recent reports suggesting the two are together romantically. They have not publicly commented on their relationship status.

“I’ve never heard of all that nonsense,” Timothy, a retired social worker and writer, told The Sun from his home from Upstate New York. He was apprehensive about discussing Affleck’s relationship with Lopez because Affleck has not mentioned it himself. “Of course I’ve heard of her,” Timothy, 77, said of Lopez, but he had “no idea” about her relationship with Affleck, 48.

“I talk to my kids about their lives when I see them and they share with me what they want to share,” Timothy, who also shares Casey Affleck with ex-wife Christopher Anne Boldt, told The Sun. Timothy added that he has not seen his sons for “so long” because of their work and the coronavirus pandemic.

Elsewhere in his interview, Timothy responded to Affleck’s assertion in a New York Times interview last year that there is a “legacy” of alcoholism and mental illness in his family that is “hard to shake.” Timothy, who has been sober for 30 years, believes the pressures of being a Hollywood star also weigh heavily on Affleck. He also wished the media would pay more attention to the work his son does in raising awareness for the Congo. In 2010, Affleck and Whitney Williams established the Eastern Congo Initiative.

Timothy isn’t the only important person in Affleck’s life who doesn’t know what is really going on between him and Lopez. In May, his friend Matt Damon told the Today Show anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb he wasn’t even aware of the rumors until they mentioned them. “It’s a fascinating story. I hope it’s true. I love them both. I hope it’s true,” Damon said. “That would be awesome.”

Affleck and Lopez, 51, were engaged in 2003 and early 2004 before breaking up. They reunited in late April after Lopez broke up with Alex Rodriguez. On May 26, a source told Us Weekly the two are dating. “Jen and Ben are both very happy with each [other] and are excited to see where the relationship goes,” the insider said at the time. “They are full-on dating and very happy together.” Since then, the two have been seen together on multiple occasions. Affleck even reportedly met with Lopez’s mother in Las Vegas this month.