Ben Affleck knew immediately that Blake Lively was the perfect choice to play his character’s difficult ex-girlfriend in the movie, The Town. He didn’t consider anyone else for the role.
The 53-year-old actor was surprised and impressed by a young actress from the TV show Gossip Girl. She was 15 years younger than him and hadn’t appeared in any films before.
He explained to Interview magazine that this actress came to the audition unexpectedly – no one had warned him she was coming. He initially assumed she was just another attractive blonde, but she completely blew him away with her first reading. She had a strong, authentic Boston accent and delivered a fantastic performance, leaving him genuinely surprised.
But such enthusiasm for working with Lively, now 38, has seemingly fizzled.
Although the Daily Mail previously lauded the actress 15 years ago, sources now suggest why Affleck might have been reluctant to assist her when she reportedly sought his help with the film It Ends with Us. This film is central to her ongoing and contentious legal dispute with director and co-star Justin Baldoni.
And the reason is said to lie with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
According to a source who spoke with the Daily Mail, he’s really hoping to avoid any public conversations with Blake, as it could be upsetting for Jennifer. He’s worried it would dredge up painful memories for her.
Ben Affleck and Blake Lively became close friends while filming a movie together in 2010. At that time, Affleck was married to Jennifer Garner and they had two daughters, Violet and Seraphina (now Finn). Lively, meanwhile, was dating her “Gossip Girl” co-star, Penn Badgley, for about a year.
The movie, featuring Jeremy Renner and Jon Hamm, was filmed in Boston, where Affleck grew up. He showed Lively around his old neighborhood and frequently praised her in interviews. Sources also reported they shared a dinner after filming an intimate scene, where Affleck complimented Lively on being ‘very poised and comfortable’.
He insisted there was no other option for the part and explained he’d found Lively himself. He told Interview magazine he believed she was on the verge of becoming hugely popular and he wanted to be seen as someone who recognized her potential early on – like investing in a company before its stock price soared.
Gossip magazines fueled rumors of a connection between Affleck and his younger co-star, implying he had strong feelings for her, but this reportedly caused distress for Garner.
According to a source who spoke to In Touch Weekly, Jen trusts Ben, but she can’t help but worry he might return to his old habits, particularly now that he’s working with a younger colleague named Blake.
The hidden conflicts appeared to come to a head in 2011 when private nude photos, reportedly of Blake Lively, were released online.
Okay, so when those… photos started circulating, everyone immediately thought they were for Ben, you know? But Blake’s team was SO quick to shut it down. They were adamant – absolutely, positively 100% fake! They said Blake would never take photos like that, ever. It was crazy, honestly, but they really tried to squash the rumors fast. I mean, I knew it wasn’t her, but it was still unsettling!
Afterward, seventeen additional images were made public, leading to a close examination of each one. People observed resemblances between the actress and the individual in the photos, noting similar star tattoos—like those Blake Lively had in the movie The Town—and a comparable cellphone.
Rumors about the photos continued, and later that year, Reese Witherspoon sparked further discussion when she spoke at the MTV Movie Awards about women and nude photos – an event Blake Lively also attended.
Reese Witherspoon explained that in the past, private, intimate videos were something people would be ashamed of and keep secret. Similarly, she noted that people used to hide their faces in personal photos taken on their phones.
A representative for Reese Witherspoon told Us Weekly that the actress hadn’t been talking about Blake Lively when she made those comments.
During a 2023 conversation with Reese Witherspoon in Los Angeles, Garner hinted at a difficult past experience, leading fans to believe she was talking about the leaked photos. She shared, ‘I remember going through a really tough, public time, and Reese was there for me.’
Over the years, there’s been a lot of speculation, so it’s understandable why Affleck might want to stay away from any drama involving Lively, particularly because he’s built a strong relationship with Garner. They were married for thirteen years, from 2005 to 2018, and have three children together, including their youngest son, Samuel, born in 2012.
According to a source, Ben Affleck wasn’t interested in getting involved in the drama surrounding the ‘It Ends with Us’ movie. He wasn’t connected to the film at all, and he isn’t particularly close to the people involved.
He knows everyone’s been talking about the rumors involving him and Blake from when he was married. He and Jen have worked hard to build a solid relationship over the years, and he worried that reconnecting with Blake could jeopardize that – not just for himself, but for Jen as well.
They’re fantastic co-parents and genuinely support each other’s happiness – Ben wants Jen to thrive, and she feels the same way about him.
In May 2024, while working on the movie adaptation of Coleen Hoover’s popular book, It Ends with Us, Lively reached out to Affleck by email. She was hoping he could help her resolve a disagreement with Baldoni.
Recently released court filings revealed a series of messages. Though names were removed, references to a Dunkin’ ad, a woman named Jennifer, and the names Matt and Jason Bourne – likely alluding to actor Matt Damon – suggest the messages were sent to Ben Affleck.
The email began with, ‘It’s Blake. Please don’t hang up!’ She wrote that she hoped I was doing well, and that Ryan had been talking about me a lot lately, especially with everything going on. He was really impressed! She also mentioned he loved my Dunkin’ commercial, so apparently I have fans in both Canada and Burbank thanks to them.
She described a recent film project as the most difficult experience of her career, adding that the documentary about making the film would likely be more compelling than the film itself.
She vaguely mentioned serious human resources problems involving Baldoni, and then asked if the person she was messaging had any thoughts or information. She also expressed a strong desire for Jennifer Lopez to see the film, saying it would be a privilege if she did.
Okay, so here’s what I’m hearing – apparently, Ben Affleck wasn’t very engaged with Jennifer Lopez’s email. A source told me he just didn’t seem that interested in the details, which is why no official response was ever actually filed with the rest of their correspondence. It’s a little detail, but it gives you a sense of where things stood at the time.
According to reports, he only exchanged a few polite words, and seemed eager to move on.
You know, I’ve been following this situation closely, and it’s clear he anticipates questions about it in upcoming interviews. He’s actually relieved it surfaced after his recent promotional work was done. But honestly, when everything is fully revealed, I think people will see he wasn’t deeply involved. It seems like he just sort of let it happen, and then it naturally faded away for him over time.
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Affleck for comment.
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2026-02-01 21:51