The actor rarely goes out in public with his son, but spends a lot of time with him.
Ben Affleck appeared with his son Samuel on Friday to announce the lineup for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. It was an unusual new experience for the boy, and at first he was shy, standing stiffly with his hands in his pockets. To keep his son from getting nervous, Affleck put his hand on his shoulder. At some point, Samuel got into the game and got artistic, waving his arms and announcing the players with great emotion.
It was a rare public appearance by father and son. Ben rarely appears in public with his children with Jennifer Garner. Before New Year’s Eve, the actress appeared at the White House with her eldest daughter Violet. We only know what their second daughter Seraphina looks like from paparazzi photos. Now in her teens, the girl prefers short haircuts and unisex clothing.
Despite Garner and Affleck’s divorce in 2018 (and the separation came even earlier), he continues to spend a lot of time with his children. He often takes them on vacation with his new wife Jennifer Lopez, and the half-siblings seem to get along.
Ben is a great help to his ex-wife in raising their son, because even before the divorce, the actress admitted that she found it much easier to look after girls than boys. It was Samuel who gave her the most trouble. When he was less than two years old, he grabbed two pairs of scissors and took them everywhere with him, as if he were playing Johnny Depp’s character, Edward Scissorhands.
During their divorce, Garner and Affleck agreed that their break-up would have nothing to do with the children, and would not prevent him from spending time with them. “Ben and Jen have found a way to put the kids’ needs before their own,” said a source a few years ago.
The actor often attends sporting events with his son, such as baseball games, which interest them both. What’s more, until the age of eight, Affleck would sit his son on his shoulders so he could better see everything that was going on at the stadium. Samuel himself plays baseball, and Ben often accompanies him to practice, teaching him how to throw the ball properly. However, his ex-wife notes that Ben can sometimes get a little carried away and shout orders too aggressively.
Yet Affleck is a caring father. Last year, he had an incident with Samuel that really scared him. Ben, accompanied by his son and J. Lo, went to a car dealership to choose a car. The actor took the risk of letting his son get behind the wheel of a Lamborghini to make him feel like an adult. The boy backed up and hit the BMW behind him. He immediately got out of the car, frightened, but his father hugged him and calmed him down. He sorted out all the problems with the manager on site. The dealer agreed with Affleck that the cars were too close together.
A few days ago, Ben was seen out and about again with Jennifer Garner and the kids. He continues to spend time with them, and when he communicates with his son, he tries to get down to his level by bending down so that their eyes are at the same height. It’s very important for him not to lose touch with his children, even after the divorce.
