Ben Affleck’s Friend Hints The Actor Is Not ‘In A Good Place’

The Hollywood power couple has been the subject of intense divorce rumors over the past few months due to their reduced public outings together and a big move to sell their marital mansion.

Ben Affleck recently intensified the divorce rumors by purchasing a home in Pacific Palisades without Jennifer Lopez.

During a recent interview, Smith made remarks about Affleck, noting that his wife, Jennifer Schwalbach, had pushed him to reach out to the actor amid reports of his strained marriage with Lopez.

The director and producer, who has collaborated with Affleck on multiple projects, stated that he refused to reach out because he’s the “Argo” star’s “least trustworthy” friend who “chats a lot” and probably won’t be the best person to talk to during these difficult times.

“Obviously, he’s been going through a thing, or at least that’s what it says in the press and whatnot,” Smith told People Magazine at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con. “I, being his least trustworthy friend who’s very loose-lipped… My wife was like, ‘Oh, you should reach out to him.'”

Smith added, “I was like, ‘The last person he needs to hear from right now is the guy who chats a lot.’ So when he’s in a good place, he’ll let me know.”

Despite his apprehension about contacting Affleck, Smith further noted that he intends to reach out to his friend when it’s time to work on the next installment of the film, “Jay and Silent Bob.”

Lopez and Affleck have been plagued by intense media scrutiny of their marriage since going months without spending significant time together.

Despite reports suggesting a divorce is imminent in their relationship, the “Atlas” actress has been spotted spending leisure time on a European vacation, bike riding around the Hamptons with friends, shopping for plants, and indulging in other fun activities like her gym routines.

It appeared that her troubles on the homefront weren’t bothering her, but an insider told In Touch that the issues are, in fact, “crushing her.”

“J. Lo wants the world to think she doesn’t have a care in the world, but the breakup is crushing her,” the insider told the news outlet. “She’s faking it for the cameras in New York. It’s almost like she’s in an ad campaign for a woman having the time of her life on vacation.”

“It’s all an illusion,” they claimed, adding that the “Argo” actor, on the other hand, is the one enjoying himself. “He just feels lighter and is definitely less stressed without her. But J. Lo is destroyed and doesn’t want to move on.”

The embattled couple will not throw in the towel on their marriage just yet. A source shared that they’ve been secretly working to rekindle the flame by keeping it out of the public eye.

Affleck’s private lifestyle is said to be at variance with the very public Lopez, whose flaunting of their relationship in her recent documentaries, “This Is Me… Now: A Love Story” and “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” reportedly set the “Gone Girl” actor off.

A source told the Daily Mail that they “agreed it is best to take some time apart so they can really figure out what it is that they want.”

“They were ready to throw in the towel. Divorce papers are done and ready to be filed. But they wanted to give it one last go before walking away from this and are going back to the beginning by writing each other letters. This is what made them fall in love in the first place,” the source added.

The “Ain’t Your Mama” singer turned 55 on Wednesday, July 24, and celebrated the occasion with a “Bridgerton”-themed early birthday bash over the weekend.

She channeled the movie’s Queen Charlotte as she got dressed up in a blue, off-the-shoulder ballgown with embroidered gold details, mesh gloves, and gold platform heels.

Lopez took to her Instagram account on Wednesday to share moments from the soiree and captioned it, “Dearest Gentle Reader … And a splendid evening was had by all.”

The singer spared no expense as her party featured a well-lit backyard with massive chandeliers, a golden throne on which she sat, ballroom dancers, a live orchestra that entertained guests, and a white horse-drawn carriage that came to pick her up.

Several of her close friends and family members attended the event, who also donned “Bridgerton”-themed gowns and suits.

Affleck, who was notably missing from his wife’s birthday bash, continues to stay in L.A. amid their estrangement.

After living in a rental for the past few weeks, the actor has also found a permanent home in the City of Angels.

According to TMZ, real estate sources revealed that Affleck purchased a mansion in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, for a whopping $20.5 million.

The mansion reportedly has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, breakfast and dining spaces, and a separate family room. It also has a den, walk-in closets, a movie room, a powder room, a guest house, and more.