Ben Affleck is learning to put himself out there again.
Three months after the Oscar winner finalized his divorce from Jennifer Lopez, he shared how he found himself relating to his Accountant 2 character Christian Wolff.
“Here’s a guy who’s trying to figure out—he wants to have a relationship with a woman,” Affleck said in a recent interview clip shared by Page Six. “He’s trying to figure out how to do that, how to put yourself out there.”
“He’s not comfortable extending himself,” the 52-year-old continued of his character. “He doesn’t really know how to flirt, exactly. He’s not comfortable, like so many of us.”
And as Affleck—who shares kids Violet, 19, Seraphina, 16, and Samuel, 16, with ex Jennifer Garner—continues to navigate his single era, he admitted that there was a lot he had to relearn, especially when it came to reading signals in relationships.
“It’s not easy for anyone figuring out relationships,” the Good Will Hunting star noted, “particularly at the very early part, where you’re trying to gauge, ‘What does this signal mean? Is this person looking at me? Do they like me? Am I going to humiliate myself if I go over there?’”
As for why Affleck and Lopez decided to call it quits after two years of marriage? While J.Lo has shared the occasional glimpse into how she’s been doing, the Argo director has kept the details surrounding their breakup a bit more private.
“The reason I don’t want to share that is just sort of embarrassing,” Affleck told GQ in a March profile. “It feels vulnerable.”
“There is no: ‘This is what happened,’” he continued. “It’s just a story about people trying to figure out their lives and relationships in ways that we all sort of normally do.”
But for her part, the “On the Floor” singer admitted, in an Interview profile published last October, that her “whole f--king world exploded” when her marriage fell apart.
“You have to be complete, if you want something that’s more complete,” J.Lo told comedian Nikki Glaser during the interview. “You have to be good on your own. I thought I learned that, but I didn’t. And then, this summer, I had to be like, ‘I need to go off and be on my own. I want to prove to myself that I can do that.’”
Without naming any names, she added, “Being in a relationship doesn’t define me. I can’t be looking for happiness in other people. I have to have happiness within myself.”
To look back at their relationship, keep reading.
December 2001: Filming Gigli
The two prepare to film a scene for the movie in West Hollywood. The couple met on the set of the film.
October 2002: Spotted in Beverly Hills
The two are spotted in the city.
November 2002: Filming Gigli and Engagement
The two film the movie on Will Rogers State Beach in Los Angeles. That month, the actor proposes to the actress with a 6.1-carat pink diamond ring.
November 2002: Filming Jersey Girl
The two film the movie in New York City.
November 2002: Leaving MTV's TRL
Is there anything more '00s than both Bennifer 1.0 and TRL?
December 2002: Red Carpet Debut
The two make their red carpet debut as a couple at the premiere of her film Maid in Manhattan.
January 2003: Sundance
The two bundle up at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
February 2003: Daredevil Premiere
The two appear at the premiere of Daredevil, starring Ben as the superhero.
February 2003: Daredevil Premiere
The two appear at the premiere of Daredevil, starring Ben and future ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
March 2003: Oscars
The two attend the Academy Awards together.
May 2003: Basketball Game
The two sit courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game.
July 2003: Canada Trip
The two film a Dateline interview for NBC in Vancouver.
July 2003: Gigli Premiere
The two appear at the premiere for their movie in Westwood, Calif.
August 2003: Gigli Is Released
...it flops at the box office.
September 2003: Wedding Is Off
The two postpone their wedding. No future date is given.
October 2003: Baseball Date
The two are seen at a Boston Red Sox game. The team is Ben's favorite.
January 2004: It's Over
The two end their engagement.
September 2021: Red Carpet Royalty
They're baaaack. On Sept. 10, the couple makes their first red carpet appearance in 18 years at the Venice Film Festival premiere of The Last Duel.
September 2021: Look of Love
There's no denying J.Lo makes for a stunning plus-one!
September 2021: Back to the Stage
Ben supports J.Lo at the 2021 Global Citizen Live event in New York City, where she performed onstage. It marked her first music gig since she performed at VAX LIVE in May, where the actor also appeared onstage separately, fueling rumors of a rekindled romance.
September 2021: Met Gala Debut
The two attend the Met Gala together for the first time.
October 2021: PDA at Premiere
Jen and Ben put on a sizzling display on the red carpet at the premiere of his film The Last Duel in New York City.
April 2022: Engaged Again!
Jennifer confirmed her engagement to the Gone Girl actor with a video posted to her On The JLo site, revealing a glimpse of her beautiful engagement ring with a green stone.
July 2022: Married!
On July 16, Jennifer and Ben tied the knot in a surprise ceremony at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.
July 2022: Post-Wedding Trip to Paris
The two vacation with her twins and two of his kids in the French capital soon after their wedding.
June 2023: Red Carpet Fabulous
J.Lo steps out with Ben in support of his movie The Flash.
February 2024: This Is Them...Now
Jennifer release This Is Me... Now, an album about her relationship with Ben. The record is accompanied by a musical film titled This Is Me... Now: A Love Story and the documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told.
March 2024: Jenny on the Block
The couple enjoys a day out in NYC on March 30, 2024.
August 2024: Divorce
J.Lo filed for divorce Aug. 20, listing the date of separation as Apil 26, according to the filing obtained by TMZ.