In a candid interview, Affleck reflects on his own struggles with invasive media attention and expresses deep empathy for Britney Spears, condemning the system that profits from celebrity distress.
Ben Affleck Speaks Out: Paparazzi Culture Is “Collective Cruelty”
Ben Affleck is no stranger to the relentless gaze of the paparazzi, but the acclaimed actor and director is now using his platform to shine a light on what he sees as the darker reality behind the tabloid-fueled media cycle. In a revealing conversation on the April 24 episode of This Past Weekend with Theo Von, Affleck not only shared his personal frustrations with constant surveillance but also extended heartfelt empathy to Britney Spears, who has famously endured some of the most brutal treatment by the press in recent memory.
Reflecting on his own experience, Affleck noted the emotional toll that constant intrusion takes, especially when it intersects with his role as a father.
“Here’s the thing: When somebody’s taking a picture of me, I’m bummed. Because usually I’m with my kids… and then there’s four guys who are like, ‘Hey, man!’ Every time,” he shared.
The Accountant 2 star broke down the mechanics of a system where paparazzi are essentially incentivized to provoke public figures into outbursts.
“The idea is, like, follow somebody around, antagonize them, and then hopefully they’ll have a nervous breakdown and go crazy on you, and then your video will be worth more money.”
It’s a cycle of exploitation, and for Affleck, it evokes a specific memory of sympathy for Britney Spears—a pop icon who became the poster child for media-fueled breakdowns in the 2000s.
“I can remember a long time ago, you know, years and years ago, I really had a lot of empathy for Britney Spears,” he said. “Having had my own experiences, I knew these people are following her around in a time where she may or may not have been having difficulty.”
While Affleck clarifies he doesn’t know Spears personally, his insights speak volumes about the shared reality many celebrities face.
“I do know that the cycle of having people harangue you and yell at you and hassle you and follow you, it kind of seemed like that itself was whipping up the whole thing into a tizzy.”
He likens it to a zoo-like scenario: the public sees only the reaction — the celebrity lashing out or breaking down — without recognizing the provocateurs in the background.
“It’s a kind of collective cruelty, where what’s taken out of the image that you see are the people waving the stick at the tiger… and all you see is the growling animal.”
Affleck speaks from hard-won experience. His relationship history — from his early-2000s media frenzy with Jennifer Lopez to his marriages and breakups with Jennifer Garner, Ana de Armas, and eventually Lopez again (whom he married in 2022 and divorced in 2025) — has kept him in the public eye, often against his will.
Still, the star says he doesn’t mind being photographed at premieres or adult public outings.
“I don’t mind, you can take my picture at a club or a premiere, with my wife, I don’t give a f—. Knock yourself out. I don’t notice you. But with my children, that’s a different thing.”
In a 2024 interview with Kevin Hart on Hart to Heart, he further explained his often-discussed “resting hard face” as a reaction to concern for his kids, not annoyance at fame.
Ultimately, Affleck’s comments underscore a call for a more humane approach to celebrity culture — one that respects boundaries and recognizes the humanity of those in the spotlight. His defense of Britney Spears is not just an act of solidarity, but a sobering reminder that fame, while glamorous on the surface, often comes at a deeply personal cost.
