Ben Affleck has not fallen off the wagon despite a shocking report claiming his friends are worried about the actor as he prepares to divorce Jennifer Lopez, In Touch can exclusively reveal.
A source told In Touch that Ben, 51, isn’t drinking again, he hasn’t relapsed and is still fully sober.
This week, a report claimed Ben’s friends were concerned that The Accountant star was back to his old vices. One alleged friend told an outlet that Ben is “at risk” of picking up the bottle. An insider told us that is inaccurate, and Ben is healthy.
Ben has struggled with drinking for years. He completed his first stint in rehab in 2001 for alcohol abuse. He checked in again in 2017. The following year, his ex Jennifer Garner staged an intervention after Ben started drinking again. She took steps after seeing photos of alcohol being delivered to Ben’s home.
In 2020, Ben spoke about being an alcoholic.
“The older I’ve gotten, the more I recognize that my dad did the best he could,” he told The New York Times. “There’s a lot of alcoholism and mental illness in my family. The legacy of that is quite powerful and sometimes hard to shake.”
“It took me a long time to fundamentally, deeply, without a hint of doubt, admit to myself that I am an alcoholic,” Ben added. “The next drink will not be different.”
The report of Ben drinking again comes as Ben and Jennifer, 54, have been on the outs with sources saying the two are headed for divorce.
Sources claim Ben left the $60 million Beverly Hills home they purchased and moved into a rental pad. The two are currently trying to quietly sell the property only a year after closing the deal.
An insider told In Touch that Jennifer was willing to do anything to save her marriage.
“Jennifer is doing anything in her power to control this situation, unpleasant as it is,” the source told us. “She’s going to the kids’ events to show Ben that things haven’t changed for her, she’s still his wife, she loves him no matter what, and she loves his kids like they were her own.” Jennifer even canceled her This Is Me…. Live Tour – which had poor ticket sales — to spend more time with her family.
“Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary,” Jennifer told fans in her announcement about the tour.
For weeks, Ben and Jennifer have been seen out and about at various functions for their children — looking tense. Insiders claim the divorce filing is imminent despite Jennifer’s efforts.
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