Matt Damon supports Ben Affleck at ‘The Accountant 2’ SXSW premiere
Ben Affleck is not alone.
The actor and Matt Damon have been best friends for decades, and nothing—not even a little tabloid drama—seems to shake their bond, as Damon showed up to support Affleck at the SXSW premiere of The Accountant 2 in Austin, Texas, just days after photos of Affleck and his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, made headlines.
An eyewitness told Page Six that Damon arrived separately at the Paramount Theatre premiere, pulling up in a black SUV before Affleck and co-star Jon Bernthal arrived in a Ford pickup truck—complete with an Airstream attached to the back. (Because apparently, Affleck likes to make an entrance.)
Affleck, 52, seemed to be in great spirits, posing for pictures with Bernthal, 48, before hitting the red carpet with Damon, 54.
While chatting with People, the Gone Girl star reflected on his decades-long friendship with Damon, saying,
“It’s a beautiful thing. You know, I don’t have very many — none of us really have very many friends. You don’t need a million friends. You need a few good ones. And I’m really lucky to have had a friend in Matt. … I’m lucky to have friends like that in my life.”
Affleck’s SXSW appearance comes on the heels of his recent paintball outing with Garner, 52, and their kids, which sparked plenty of online chatter.
During the family day at Combat Paintball Park in Castaic, California, Affleck was spotted placing his hands around Garner’s waist while she focused on her game.
Their 12-year-old son, Samuel, was also in on the action, while their older children, Violet, 19, and Seraphina, 16, were not visibly present.
While Affleck and Garner, who were married from 2005 to 2018, seemed to be enjoying their time together, not everyone was thrilled.
According to Page Six, Affleck’s second ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez, 55, was reportedly “furious” over the affectionate photos, with a source saying,
“She’s not happy with constantly seeing photos” of Affleck and Garner together.
Another insider suggested that Affleck “would definitely be open to giving things another shot with [Garner] if the timing is ever right.”
However, it seems Garner has moved on. The 13 Going on 30 star is reportedly happy with her boyfriend, John Miller, and “that’s just not where her head is at.”
Meanwhile, Lopez and Affleck, who married in 2022, officially finalized their divorce in January after splitting in August 2024.
As for Affleck, he’s keeping busy with work. The Accountant 2 is set to hit theaters in April 2025—though at this rate, his personal life might be getting just as much screen time as his movies.
