Ben Affleck's Love Life Faces New Twist As His Best Friend's Wife Reportedly Tries To Set Him Up On Dates
Hollywood star Ben Affleck's next love story might be in the works, thanks to the wife of his best friend.
The actor is best pals with Matt Damon, whose wife, Luciano Barroso, is said to be stepping into the role of matchmaker to help the actor find love again.
Ben Affleck was previously married to Jennifer Lopez for two years, before splitting in August last year and finalizing their divorce in 2025.
Fresh off his split from Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck is reportedly stepping back into the dating scene once again.
According to reports, Affleck has gone on "a couple of under-the-radar dates," though none have sparked anything serious or long-lasting.
Lending a helping hand in his romantic pursuits is Luciana Barroso, the wife of his best friend, Matt Damon. She is "keen" on setting Affleck up with friends that she thinks are well suited to him.
"So far, there's been no magic for him," a source told the Daily Mail about Affleck's dating game. "Ben told both Luciana and Matt he needs more time, but Luciana has two potential friends lined up and is keen to see if Ben would hit it off with them."
A second source claimed that Barroso believes her close connection to Affleck, as the wife of his best friend, gives her a unique advantage in playing matchmaker.
"Lucy loves Ben, they've known each other [for] years," said the insider. "She has her antennas up, looking to see if she could set Ben up with one of her friends."
As the search for a new partner for Ben Affleck continues, one specific trait is reportedly at the top of the list: sobriety.
According to an insider, any potential match must be someone who is "sober," given Affleck's well-documented history with alcohol addiction.
The "Accountant" star first sought treatment for his alcohol addiction in 2001 and has since entered rehab multiple times. His struggles with drinking were also cited as a contributing factor in the breakdown of his marriage to his other ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.
"Right now, he is putting all of his time into work, but when he is ready, he is looking to date a woman who is sober," said an insider.
They added, "His recovery family is urging him to date a woman in the recovery community. Ben being with a woman who drinks is not conducive to his sobriety."
Despite Affleck's separation from Lopez, he has remained amicable with the "Maid in Manhattan" star, a move that was hinted at by their hassle-free divorce.
Recently, in a chat with Entertainment Tonight, the actor showered praises on the singer at the premiere of his film "The Accountant 2," and confirmed that Lopez continues to have a close, ongoing relationship with his children.
"Jennifer Lopez is spectacular, great to my kids, great ongoing relationship with them," said Affleck, who attended the event with all five children, his three kids, Samuel, 13, Seraphina, 16, and Violet, 19 with ex-wife Jennifer Garner and 17-year-old twins, Emme and Max, whom Lopez shares with her former husband, Marc Anthony.
Affleck added about Lopez, "I love her kids. They're wonderful. She's [an] enormously important, tremendous person of a lot of integrity who I adore and am grateful to."
In an interview with GQ Magazine, Affleck finally broke his silence about his divorce, saying it had nothing to do with a scandal.
"There's a tendency to look at breakups and want to identify root causes or something. But honestly ... the truth is much more quotidian than probably people would believe or would be interesting," the "Argo" star told the publication.
He added, "There's no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue. The truth is, when you talk to somebody, 'Hey, what happened?' Well, there is no, 'This is what happened.'"
The revelation from Affleck came months after Lopez shared her own thoughts on their split, describing it as "f—king hard."
"It feels lonely, unfamiliar, scary. It feels sad. It feels desperate," the "Can't Get Enough" singer added at the time, per Interview Magazine.
During the chat with GQ, Affleck emphasized that no defining moment led to his split from Lopez, admitting that discussing it felt "vulnerable."
"As you get older, this is true for me, I assume it's true for most people, there is no 'So-and-so did this' or 'This was the big event,'" he explained.
Affleck continued, "It's really, it sounds more like a couple's therapy session, which – you would tune out of someone else's couple's therapy after a while."
Despite the personal nature of their separation, he made it clear: "I have nothing but respect for Jennifer."
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