Ben Affleck accepts he ‘loves Latinas,’ reacts to ‘Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor’ tag after divorce from Jennifer Lopez

Also read: Ben Affleck says it is ’embarrassing’ to talk about divorce from Jennifer Lopez; praises ex-wife Jennifer Garner

In February, a source revealed to PEOPLE that Affleck is trying his hand at “casual dating,” as he is super focused on his work now and “if he’s not filming, he spends long days at his office.” The Batman actor also seems to be spending a lot of time with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their three kids—Violet, Samuel, and Seraphina. While Affleck said he’s feeling good about being back in the market, one of his close friends recently revealed to InTouch, “No matter what Ben says, the fact is, he’s happiest when he’s in a long-term relationship with somebody he respects and sees as an equal.” They added, “He’s already experienced that a few times in his life, and he’s resolved to find another relationship like that and, if possible, have more children.”

Also read: Ben Affleck is ‘crushing’ on another of Brad Pitt’s famous exes, calls her ‘very hot,’ 20 years after they dated the same woman

For the unversed, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck infamously dated in the early 2000s and even got engaged, but soon after, they called off their engagement and ended their 18 months of romance. Decades later, they rekindled their old flame and got married, only to end it again in just two years. The Jenny from the Block singer filed for divorce on August 20, 2024. This followed their long-rumoured “trouble in paradise” reports, which were quite visible on their faces during public outings. When they were separating, many theories floated around as the couple kept it mum till the end and only opened up about their divorce in separate interviews. One theory claimed their documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told, had something to do with it. However, in a recent GQ interview, Affleck put an end to all those rumors, saying there is no bad blood and that, “There’s no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue [about our divorce]. The truth is, when you talk to somebody, ‘Hey, what happened?’ Well, there is no, ‘This is what happened.’”