Ben Affleck Tattoo Revives Jennifer Garner Oscars Meme

Ben Affleck’s massive phoenix tattoo was revealed in its full glory on Sunday when a paparazzi photo hit the Internet. Within hours, social media had already figured out the perfect way to poke fun at it.

Multiple Twitter accounts recalled that Affleck’s ex-wife Jennifer Garner had turned herself into a meme at this year’s Academy Awards where she randomly had a sudden look of realization when the camera panned past her during an acceptance speech. Putting her reaction alongside Affleck’s photos became a no-brainer.

The history of Affleck’s multi-colored phoenix back tattoo was shrouded in mystery prior to Sunday’s reveal. Fans got their first glimpse of it shortly after news broke that Affleck and Garner were splitting up. Then, while filming his self-directed crime drama, Live By Night, back in December, a set photo leaked online of Affleck wearing a backless patient gown, giving fans the chance to see a little more than half of the bird’s image.

But since he was on a film set, there was speculation that it might have simply been a fake tattoo drawn on for Affleck’s role in the film. The Justice League actor played coy about the tattoo for a while, saying in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that he was keeping the tattoo a secret for personal reasons.

“I have a lot of tattoos. It’s true, I do,” Affleck said, claiming the image didn’t have a “a good representation of it in the media.”

“I don’t have them places where you can see them, because that’s private,” he said.

Given that the phoenix is known in various mythologies and folklore for being able to be rise from the ashes and be born again after dying, there was speculation that the tattoo was referencing him moving on from his relationship with Garner, which lasted from 2004-15.

Garner was asked about the tattoo in a February interview with Vanity Fair, and she didn’t care for it nor her position in the supposed metaphor of Affleck rising from the ashes.

“You know what we would say in my hometown about that? ‘Bless his heart,’” Garner said. “A phoenix rising from the ashes. Am I the ashes in this scenario? I take umbrage. I refuse to be the ashes.”