Casey Affleck Applauds Brother Ben for Returning to Rehab: ‘I Think It’s Very Brave’

Casey Affleck supports his older brother through Ben Affleck‘s third stint in rehab.

Casey, 43, told E! News at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of The Old Man & The Gun that he continues to admire Ben, 46, for his decision get help with his alcohol addiction.

“He’s an alcoholic and he’s in rehab,” Casey said. “He’s recovering and I think it’s very brave of him to take care of what he needs to take care of.”

He continued, “He’s handling his business and getting better. I look forward to him being out and back on his feet.”

Casey revealed on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast last year that he, too, struggles with addiction and was three years sober at the time.

“It’s just so many times, going to these meetings and sitting in circles, and talking about it all,” Casey said, “so when it came time, when I realized that I had to stop, I felt like I had already put in all that time, so I just kind of white-knuckled it at home and imagined myself in a circle. It worked.”

Last month, Ben Affleckentered a rehabilitation facility for the third time in 20 years after struggling with alcoholism. His estranged wife Jennifer Garner, with whom a divorce settlement is pending per his rehab completion, reportedly staged an intervention convincing him to get help.

Since checking into The Canyon at Peace Park in Malibu, Ben has left the facility only a few times to work out with his sober coach and therapist nearby.

“This isn’t like the other rehabs he has done in the past,” an source told E! News. “This is a residential program, and he is staying on property… He is doing intense counseling and spending a lot of time in meetings and therapy. He also has time in his day to workout and spend time outside in the mountains.”

Photographers spotted Ben’s rumored girlfriend, Playboy model Shauna Sexton, when she stopped by the facility. The 22-year-old stayed inside the facility for about four hours before leaving.

Sexton defended herself against accusations that she contributed to Ben’s relapse, writing back to an Instagram commenter that she “never drank around or with him for the record.”

After the commenter snapped back, Sexton responded with a long statement, defending herself for partying and admitting she was arrested for underage drinking at 17.

“I love to drink and party! Absolutely dude. Most 22 year olds do. Yes you’re correct,” Sexton replied. “I got put in the drunk tank when I was 17 for having a fake ID and drinking underage at a bar in Virginia Beach, and despite the fact most people have used a fake ID as well as drank underage, it was a dumb mistake on my behalf and an embarrassing one at that. Then the weekend of my 21st birthday I got obliterated and wound up getting left at a bar at the ocean front in Virginia Beach.. where I was again taken to the drunk tank for being intoxicated publicly ..while attempting to find a ride home.”

She continued, saying that her mistakes do not define her and that she learned from them. She said she would never “disrespect someone’s hard-earned sobriety by drinking with them.”

“I have limitless respect [for] people who have the humility and maturity to admit when they need to fix something in their life. I have even more respect for those who take action and actually do something about it,” Sexton replied.