Ben Affleck, a renowned figure in Hollywood, seems to prefer that his children do not pursue careers in the entertainment industry.
His children, Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 13, not only have Affleck as a prominent figure in acting, but their mother, Jennifer Garner, is also a well-known actress.
Although the former couple, who divorced in 2015 after a decade of marriage, may have considered the possibility of their children entering the same industry, Affleck hopes they steer clear of Hollywood’s allure.
The 53-year-old shared his thoughts with E! News at the premiere of his recent project, The Rip, where he expressed that he doesn’t foresee Violet, Seraphina, or Samuel following in his career path.
“You put something on your children when you have a public life and that’s complicated,” the actor noted. “We really want to give them room to figure out what they want to do.”
Affleck elaborated: “I wouldn’t push them into that. They’re brilliant and lovely and wonderful and we love them and we’re proud of them.” He then humorously mentioned that he hopes his children ‘don’t waste their life acting’.
The Good Will Hunting actor reflected on how his children’s upbringing has notably differed from his own, which he considers somewhat of a hidden blessing.
“In some way, it was kind of a blessing to anonymity, to struggle, to where we started, which was just in the middle of nowhere,” he commented.
Jennifer Garner has previously mentioned that her children have long been aware of their parents’ careers, often showing more interest in Affleck’s films over her own work.
In an interview with Allure for their May 2023 cover story, Garner stated: “They don’t mind watching their dad, but they kind of want me to be their mum.”
After talking about how her kids aren’t particularly keen on watching her movies, Garner added: “They don’t want to see me upset and women cry more in what we do. And they don’t really want to see me in a romantic thing.”
Despite her children’s lack of interest in her films, Garner is undoubtedly proud of them.
“I have a lot of faith in my kids,” she shared. “I don’t love every behaviour all the time, always. [But] it’s gnarly growing up.”
Affleck, on the other hand, has expressed that he ‘could not be more proud’ of his children.