'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ben Affleck’s “Sad Affleck” meme, born from a 2016 Batman v Superman interview clip, has fueled countless viral images of him looking glum.
In a June 2024 interview on chatshow Hart to Heart with host Kevin Hart, Affleck addressed this phenomenon while promoting his work with Artists Equity. The candid, conversational setting allowed him to explain his apparent displeasure with photos. When Hart suggested Affleck had a “resting bit*h face", the Gone Girl actor replied,
“I have resting hard face. People are projecting onto me something that I don’t feel about myself at all….I also don’t like a lot of attention. This why people see me [and] they’re like, ‘Well, this dude always mad…’ Because somebody has their camera and sticking to my face."
Trending
Affleck’s response stemmed from frustration with intrusive cameras and constant scrutiny, particularly when it affects his family.
The interview explored his career, personal life, and public image, shedding light on why he seems unbothered by the meme’s persistence. It underscored his focus on protecting his privacy over engaging with media narratives.
“I Don’t Notice You”: Ben Affleck on his infamous sad face
In the Hart to Heart interview, Ben Affleck elaborated on the paparazzi’s role in perpetuating his “Sad Affleck” image. He explained that photographers catch him in moments of irritation or distraction, creating a false impression of constant anger.
He clarified that he’s fine with photos at public events like premieres, saying, “Knock yourself out,” but draws a line when it involves his kids—Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel—with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, or his stepchildren with Jennifer Lopez.
"I don’t mind you taking my picture about a club, a premiere, whatever. My wife, I don’t give a f—. Go ahead. Knock yourself out. I don’t notice you,” he said before adding, “My children, that’s a different thing.”
Navigating fame and family under the lens
The Hart to Heart conversation with Kevin Hart is not the first time that Ben Affleck has talked about the effect of media scrutiny and paparazzi culture on his personal life. In a 2022 conversation with the LA Times, The Accountant star said that at one point he "just stopped reading and stopped caring" about misrepresented public perception.
He referred to the 'Sad Affleck' meme and added,
"But then, as my kids got older and started seeing the internet themselves, that's the difficult part. Even the 'Sad Affleck' meme — that was funny to me. I mean, there's nobody who hasn't felt that way at a junket. But then my kids see it and I think, 'Oh, are they going to think their dad is fundamentally sad or they have to worry about me?' That's really tough."
Ben Affleck's latest film The Accountant 2, the sequel to his 2016 film, was released in the United States on April 25, 2025. He is also directing the upcoming crime-thriller film Animals. He will star in the film alongside Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington, and others.
