In the new issue of The Hollywood Reporter this week, the Argo director/actor revealed he still keeps in touch with exes Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow and his high school girlfriend, Cheyenne Rothman. (Affleck’s new film, Argo, opens in theaters Friday).
Known worldwide as “Bennifer” while they were dating from 2002-2004, Affleck, 40, still maintains a friendly relationship with J. Lo. “We don’t have the kind of relationship where she relies on me for advice, but we do have the kind of relationship where there’ll be an e-mail saying, ‘Oh, your movie looks great,'” Affleck said of his former fiancee. “I remember when she got American Idol. I said: ‘This was really smart. Good luck.’ I touch base,” he said. “I respect her. I like her. She’s put up with some stuff that was unfair in her life, and I’m really pleased to see her successful.”
Soon after the infamous Lopez split Affleck began dating Jennifer Garner; He and the actress, 40, have been married for seven years and have three children: daughters Violet, 6, and Seraphina, 3, and son Samuel, 7 months. (Lopez rebounded from Affleck with Marc Anthony; The duo announced their split in July 2011.)
Affleck dated Paltrow, 40, from 1997 to 2000, following her split from Brad Pitt after three years.
Why was Affleck attracted to Garner?
“She truly is kind,” he gushes. “She means no one any harm. She doesn’t have ill will for any person. She’s not competitive with other people. She’s not spiteful. It’s one of those things where it becomes almost aggravating at times,” he joked. “Every time I go, ‘F— him!’ I see in her face that she just thinks that’s petty and small.”
But at this point in his life, Affleck is in as good of a mood as his wife. On Wednesday, Us Weekly also caught up with actor at Warner Bros. Pictures & GK Films and Peggy Siegal Company’s dinner at Porter House in NYC after a special screening of Argo, which opens in theaters Friday.
“I’m very lucky. I am at a place where I feel tremendously grateful,” the director told Us. “I have a great family. I’m very inspired by where my career is right now. I’m fortunate. I’ve seen a lot of different things that have happened to others, I’m happy with where I am.”
But Affleck has a long list of stars he’d love to work with in the future.
“There are so many. Benicio Del Toro, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, to Marlon Brando, although that feels like a long shot,” he said. “[Robert] De Niro is great. Bradley Cooper is a friend of mine, I’d love to work with him. Christian Bale. Leonardo DiCaprio is a great guy, I’d love to work with him. George Clooney is somebody I haven’t been in a movie with. He is just a fantastic actor, I’d love to work with him.”
And the feeling is mutual.
Us asked Clooney if he’d like to work with Affleck, and the 51-year-old replied, “I think he’s a great filmmaker. He hasn’t made a bad movie yet. Of course!”
