American actor Ben Affleck finally broke his silence over the memes that surfaced on the internet after his appearance at the 2023 Grammy Awards in February 2023 alongside his wife, Jennifer Lopez.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published on Thursday, March 16, the 50-year-old star was discussing his upcoming film Air, set to release in April, when he was asked about his Grammys moment that led to "Sad Affleck" memes.
Affleck said that when Grammys host Trevor Noah sat beside them at their table, he felt that a comedy stint was coming, and he wanted to get out of it before it was too late.
"I was like, 'Oh, God.' They were framing us in this shot, but I didn't know they were rolling. I leaned into her and I was like, 'As soon they start rolling, I'm going to slide away from you and leave you sitting next to Trevor.' She goes, 'You better f**king not leave.' That's a husband-and-wife thing."
The explanation comes after Ben Affleck was caught looking upset on camera, which led several fans to speculate that the Gone Girl actor was bored at the event.
Ben Affleck admits that he has "been bored" on award shows before
During the same interview, Ben Affleck shared that the memes and the viral moment from the 2023 Grammy Awards did not bother him.
"I had a good time at the Grammys. My wife was going, and I thought, 'Well, there'll be good music. It might be fun."
He also admitted that there have been award shows where he has gone and been "pissed off."
"I've gone and been bored. I've gone to award shows and been drunk a bunch. Nobody ever once said I'm drunk."
Speaking about the 2023 Grammys, Ben Affleck stated that people thought he was intoxicated while attending the show since he has had addiction problems.
"I thought, that’s interesting. That raises a whole other thing about whether or not it’s wise to acknowledge addiction because there’s a lot of compassion, but there is still a tremendous stigma, which is often quite inhibiting. I do think it disincentivizes people from making their lives better."
The Good Will Hunting star also shared that his wife, Lopez, looks out for him and helps him open up because he seems "serious."
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez broke up two decades ago but rekindled their romance in 2021. They tied the knot a year later in two ceremonies.