Ben Affleck has earned a reputation for looking serious and miserable during public appearances, making him subject to several internet memes. Aside from being constantly memefied, several fans have interpreted his facial expressions as a sign that Ben Affleck felt unhappy in his marriage to Jennifer Lopez.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporters, the actor portrayed his marriage to Jennifer as the opposite of the widely held speculations. Explaining further, he credited his wife with keeping his ‘guarded’ feelings in check, and teaching him how to better handle public appearances and social events. One way she did that was by understanding how much his past experiences have impacted him, causing him to become guarded. He quipped:
“She thinks that because of experiences that I’ve had, I’ve become very guarded. And she’s right. I view these things as land mines, where if you say one wrong thing, your career might be over.”
Jennifer Lopez Helps Ben Affleck Cope In Public
Ben referenced a past interview on The Howard Stern Show, which various media outlets distorted. The implication of the distorted news reports forced him to appear on  Jimmy Kimmel Live to express his frustrations. However, having a “smart” woman like Jennifer Lopez by his side has helped Ben Affleck better handle such public situations these days. Recalling recent advice from the actress, he divulged:
“So she tells me today, ‘Relax, be yourself. Have fun. You’re actually a fun guy who is real and genuine and you just seem so serious.’ Do I seem serious? But as in many things, she’s really right.”
The actor proceeded to point out just how much his wife loved him, adding that she was looking out for him and trying to help him.
His interview comes weeks after Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck made headlines for their awkward exchange at the Grammys. Following a leaked video of the two appearing to snap at each other at the event, a lipreading expert interpreted Jennifer’s words as a call for Ben to look more “friendly and motivated.”
While many deemed this a sign they were experiencing marital woes or evidence of the Marry Me star’s controlling attitude, insiders have since revealed Ben was happy at the event. These accounts from insiders prove the awkward exchange and Ben’s miserable look only happened in passing, validating Ben’s claims that his wife indeed kept his public demeanor in check.