Ben Affleck Talks Sobriety, Reacts to Viewers Calling Him ‘Below the influence of alcohol’ at Grammys: ‘Quiet a Mighty Stigma’

Ben Affleck, despite viral memes announcing otherwise, had “a trustworthy time on the Grammys” — and he took point out of those claiming he seemed inebriated on the award point to.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Air actor/director, 50, reacted to his facial expressions within the audience of the Grammy Awards in February changing into social media fodder, viewers assuming he become once bored on the tournament, where he accompanied partner Jennifer Lopez.

“No. I had a trustworthy time on the Grammys. My partner become once going, and I believed, ‘Nicely, there’ll be trustworthy tune. It will also be stress-free.’ At movie award reveals, it is speeches and, love, sound-mixing webinars. Nonetheless I believed this would be stress-free,” stated Affleck.

Of the moments caught on camera, the necessary particular person stated, “I saw [host Trevor Noah approach] and I become once love, ‘Oh, God.’ They were framing us in this shot, but I did now not know they were rolling. I leaned into her and I become once love, ‘As quickly they begin rolling, I may budge far flung from you and leave you sitting next to Trevor.’ She goes, ‘You better f—ing now not leave.’ That’s a husband-and-partner thing.”

Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Lauren Hashian, and Dwayne Johnson on the Grammys.
Kevin Mazur/Getty

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He known as the tune awards point to his “partner’s work tournament” and admitted he has, within the previous, “gone to events and been pissed off. I’ve gone and been bored. I’ve gone to award reveals and been inebriated, a bunch. No one ever once stated I’m inebriated.”

Nonetheless on the present Grammys, alternatively, “they were love, ‘He’s inebriated,’ ” stated Affleck, who has previously been open about his sobriety. “And I believed, that’s attention-grabbing. That raises a complete utterly different thing about whether or now not or now not it is incandescent to acknowledge addiction resulting from there is comparatively a pair of compassion, but there is mild a immense stigma, which is commonly comparatively inhibiting. I originate contemplate it disincentivizes folk from making their lives better.”

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck on the Grammys on Feb. 5.
Kevin Mazur/Getty

Affleck urged THR that he grew to change into “one amongst the poster boys for actor alcoholism and restoration and your complete thing” — “out of no desire of my possess” — when he opened up about getting sober.

“The final note part about that is that generally folk name me up and they’re love, ‘Hello, are you able to support me out?’ And it makes me feel so trustworthy to originate that,” he shared. “The necessary trick of 12-step is the explanation they wish you to support utterly different folk is resulting from it in point of fact helps you more. And customarily what I may boom to folk is, ‘I would steer clear of [your addiction] coming out if I were you. You originate now not have to mild be any one’s poster miniature one. You originate now not have to f—ing picture any one.’ That’s why there is two words on the front of the e-book. They’re correct as valuable, each and each of them: Alcoholics Nameless. It be continuously anonymous.”

Pictures by Austin Hargrave for The Hollywood Reporter

Lopez perceived to acknowledge husband Affleck’s demeanor on the Grammys when she shared the trailer for his movie Air closing month, including one noticeable edit to the video.

Sooner than the trailer begins in her post, there is a gradual image of Affleck in personality as Nike co-founder Philip Knight with a caption that reads “my husband’s fully pleased face,” in an obvious reference to web commentary on his expression on the Grammys. “AIR … can’t wait!” Lopez added within the caption.

Air is in theaters April 5.

Once you happen to or any individual you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.