For decades, the Hollywood actor’s personal life has been in the brightest spotlight – a headline-making trail of A-list romances, broken engagements, two marriages and constant media scrutiny.
And now, two years after officially calling time on his relationship with Jennifer Lopez for the second time, notoriously private Ben Affleck has offered a rare glimpse of his current romantic status.
After recently admitting his three children – Violet, 20, Finn, 17, and Samuel, 14, who he shares with his first wife Jennifer Garner – took a dig at him for his previous failed relationships, Ben, 54, has considered being ‘set up’ with a famous A-lister in the months following his high profile split from JLo.
The couple announced their divorce in 2024 © Getty Images
But I am saying Scene Recently, political strategist Ana Navarro, 54, revealed that she allegedly attempted to play matchmaker for Affleck.
‘I was at the Shakira concert in Miami and Matt Damon was there with his wife and his girls. And Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are best friends,’ she said. ‘And it had just come out that J.Lo and Ben Affleck were breaking up. And Shakira had broken relations with her husband.
But there was one potentially awkward hurdle: Shakira and Lopez already had their own connection, having shared the stage for the star-studded 2020 Super Bowl halftime show in Miami, where they performed together.
“Matt Damon said it could be complicated,” Navarro added, referring to Lopez’s friendship with Shakira. ‘But enough time has passed now where I think Ben Affleck needs to give Shakira [a call]And Shakira needs to give it to Ben Affleck [a call].’
The 49-year-old Hips Don’t Lie singer – who has sparked dating rumors with actor Lucien Laviscount and The Lincoln Lawyer star Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in recent years – is believed to be single in 2022, following the end of her 11-year relationship with footballer Gerard Piqué.
Shakira and JLo performed together at the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show © Getty Images
When Ben was asked about Ana Navarro’s latest confession, he dismissed claims that he was involved with the pop star.
He said, ‘To be honest, the first thing I hear like this is from people like you.’ He further said, ‘I have never heard anything like this in my entire life. People gossip. It becomes stuff.
Much to fans’ dismay, Ben Affleck insisted he was ‘not set up’ – seemingly ending any hopes of a romance with Shakira for now. But while the internet was mourning who could have been Hollywood’s next ultimate power couple, fans were quick to play matchmaker, with one writing, “He needs to date Shakira,” while another joked, “What would be great if he hooked up with Shakira.”
But, as Ben moves forward in his dating life, he insists his focus is on his three children for now.
‘There’s not much room there. “I’m not running around,” he said about dating on Entertainment Tonight. “It’s not a big priority in my life.”
‘I know what my priorities are. “You can’t have two things that are most important in your life,” he explained. “For me, it’s the kids. So this is it. And then I have my job, which I love.
He further added, ‘I am where I am, and I am great, and who knows what adventures life will bring. I’m open to it, but I’m not trying to chase anything.
In 2022, Ben rekindled his romance with Jen, 57, nearly two decades after they first got together and got engaged in 2002. But their second chance at love lasted less than two years, with their divorce officially finalized in January 2025.
But a source tells Heat Ben is now determined to break the cycle of romances inevitably becoming public, having vowed to leave the bedridden habit behind and instead focus only on relationships he believes have the potential to go far.
The insider says, ‘Ben says he’s trying to better himself and part of that is being very intentional with who he’s dating, which means spending a lot more time alone.’
Ben admits his search for love is on the back burner for now… © Getty Images
‘He says he doesn’t want to clutter his mind by jumping into a sack with different women or getting into a relationship with someone who doesn’t have long-term potential, just because they’re attractive.
‘He says he’s always taken the same path, sometimes for good, but mostly for bad, and he wants to mix it up.’
while promoting his film Accountant 2 Last year, Ben appeared to admit that he was ‘not comfortable’ when it came to flirting.
Talking about her on-screen character, she said, ‘It is not easy for anyone to understand relationships, especially in the initial stages, where you are trying to understand, ‘What does this sign mean?’ Is this person looking at me? Do they like me? Will I disgrace myself if I go there?’
And, of course, Ben’s now infamous ‘fuck face while resting’ has famously earned him the title of being the king of celebrity memes, with one social media user describing his expressions as ‘the embodiment of male misery’.
And sources say that the actor, who is currently prepping for his crime thriller Animal In order to hit the screen, many have found themselves struggling to navigate the world of dating apps.
Before rekindling his romance with J.Lo in 2021, Ben first ventured into the world of online dating, only to find a ‘match’ after she sent him an incredibly attractive video.
Influencer Naveen J was initially matched with Ben on a popular celebrity dating app, but was soon ‘matched’ with the A-lister after his profile was found to be fake. So far, all is well… After this Ben sent her a video of himself and asked, ‘Naveen, why did you match me? This is me.’
And while he might be like ‘Don’t you know who I am?’ Instead of trying to prove his identity. card, we’re told Ben still remembers and grieves the dating disaster. ‘Dating has been more difficult than they anticipated,’ says the insider.
He still has a soft spot for his first wife, Jane Garner, the mother of his children. © Getty Images
‘He can’t go on any dating apps to meet people, not even celebrities. He tried this before he married J.Lo and it was a disaster. One of the girls he was talking to asked him out and even though it was almost five years ago, it still haunts him, he would never take a risk like that again.
The source adds, ‘And Ben’s standards are very high; He is not going to compromise for anyone. This is the longest period anyone can remember that he has been alone and it is clear that he is not adjusting to it well.
Now the source says Ben has also struggled to move on from the two loves of his life.
He tells us, ‘This new vow to live alone is highlighting just how lonely he is and the many regrets he is facing. He doesn’t look happy. The truth is that losing the two great loves of his life caused him more grief than most people realized.
‘People assume that’s because he’s a person who has no emotional value, but he went through the same pain as both J.Lo and Jen. This was not an easy path for anyone.