Ben Affleck opens up about alcohol addiction and co-parenting with ex-wife Jennifer Garner: 'She's wonderful'

'Somebody’s the mother of your kids, they’re gonna be the most important, central person in your life,' Affleck says

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner finalised their divorce five months ago and are now focusing on co-parenting their three children – a responsibility made easier by the “wonderful” Garner, Affleck has said in a new interview.

The actor opened up about his family life, as well as his experience with alcohol addiction, in an interview with the Today show on Monday.

He told presenting Hoda Kotb he hopes to be a “pretty good” father, and that he certainly tries “very hard” to be one.

“I’m lucky they’ve got a great mom,” Affleck added about Garner.

“She helps out a great deal with making sure that we co-parent in as good a way as possible.

“I think dads are so important to kids, and it’s our responsibility to be there for them – to be present, to be mindful, to be attentive, to be part of their lives, to be as in it as moms. That’s really the central preoccupation in my life.”

Affleck and Garner married in June 2005 and had three children together. They announced their separation in June 2015 and finalised their divorce in October last year.

When Kotb told Affleck he talked about Garner as though he “still loved” her, the actor replied: “Of course. She’s wonderful.

“You know, somebody’s the mother of your kids, they’re gonna be the most important, central person in your life, and that’s good.”

Affleck, who has been opened about his history of alcohol addiction, told the Today host he’s comfortable discussing the topic publicly.

“It doesn’t really bother me to talk about alcoholism and being an alcoholic,” he said.

“It’s part of my life. It’s something that I deal with. It doesn’t have to sort of subsume my whole identity and be everything, but it is something that you have to work at.

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“I feel like I had a problem and I really want to address it, and I take some pride in that.”