Ben Affleck’s kids are his biggest critics.
After the Accountant 2 star brought along his kids Violet, 19, Seraphina, 16, and Samuel, 13—whom he shares with ex Jennifer Garner—to the film’s Los Angeles premiere April 16, he detailed why it was an especially nerve–wracking experience for him.
“I was excited that they wanted to come see it,” Ben explained during an April 24 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! “But my kids, they’revery tough and they don’t censor their criticism.”
And Ben detailed the nightmare of watching a movie he’s made with his kids.
“They’ll sit right next to me watching a movie and while it’s happening be like, ‘This is terrible. Why did you do this?’” Ben joked. “Like, we could wait ‘til it ended.”
Luckily, though, the Good Will Hunting star—who revealed ex Jennifer Lopez’s 17-year-old twins Max and Emmejoined his trio at the screening—didn’t have to stress over his kids’ reactions to his new film, which hits theaters April 25.
“They actually liked it,” Ben added. “I was like, ‘You really liked it?’ And they were like, ‘Yeah it was good!’ They were shocked. As if I got lucky, like this magical accident happened and something I did was okay.”
Of course, Ben was twice shy, as he admitted he had been scarred by his kids’ reactions to Armageddon.
“They were like, ‘This is so stupid,’” he recalled of their response to the 1998 film. “My son was like, ‘This doesn’t make sense.’ And I was like, ‘This is not a logic-based film! That was not one of the criteria we used making this.’”
Indeed, Ben had previously admitted that his 13-year-old is particularly difficult to please.
“My son loves everybody but he’s shocked that I somehow know people he thinks are cool,” Ben joked to E! News earlier this month. “He’s like, ‘Why do these people want to hang out with my dad?’ Which may be a valuable question but I’m getting away with it.”
Nevertheless, Ben finds his kids’ positive reviews more valuable than anything else. As he put it, “If I get one positive review from my kids I stick with it—quit while I’m ahead.”
Keep reading for a look into more stars’ dynamics with their kids…
Jodie Sweetin & Zoie Herpin
The Full House alum appears with her look-alike eldest daughter (left) and daughter Beatrix during a trip to Jamaica in 2023.
Yolanda Hadid & Gigi Hadid
Like mother like daughter. After becoming a household name on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the former supermodel Yolanda Hadid‘s daughter Gigi Hadid broke into the fashion industry as a teen and has been rocking runways ever since.
Clint Eastwood & Scott Eastwood
Clint Eastwood‘s fifth child, son Scott Eastwood, has followed in his movie star footsteps by starring in films like Suicide Squad, Snowden, The Fate of the Furious and Pacific Rim.
Jon Bon Jovi & Jake Bongiovi
The Bon Jovi singer and his third child is his mini-me. Pictured: The two appear on either sides of with the musician’s wife, Dorothea Bongiovi, and their youngest son Romeo Bongiovi at the Jefferson Awards Foundation’ 2017 DC National Ceremony at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. in 2017.
Katie Holmes & Suri Cruise
The look-alike duo is all smiles while attending a 2016 performance of Finding Neverland in the Big Apple.
James Marsden & Jack Marsden
Woah, the Marsden men’s resemblance was uncanny at the 2017 SAG Awards.
Sienna Miller & Marlowe Sturridge
The Alfie star’s daughter, whom she shares with ex Tom Sturridge, joined her mom for a rare public outing in London in April 2025.
Kim Zolciak & Brielle Bierman
Double take! The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum’s daughter looks like her younger sister!
Cristiano Ronaldo & Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.
The soccer star has the cutest plus-one ever at the London premiere of Ronaldo.
Christie Brinkley & Sailor Brinkley-Cook
Sailor is taking after her mom in the modeling industry.
Kate Moss & Lila Moss
And Kate’s daughter is also following in her mom’s famous footsteps.
Reese Witherspoon & Ava Phillippe
Here posing for an Instagram snap before the Hot Pursuit premiere in Los Angeles, mom and her daughter have never looked more alike!
Lisa Bonet & Zoë Kravitz
Like mother, like daughter. The two attend the Vanity Fair Oscars party in 2015.
Rumer Willis & Demi Moore
With their matching jumpsuits, sleek hair and glasses, the two look more like twins than mother and daughter! “That moment when you realize you actually are becoming your mother #twinning #imnotmad,” Willis joked on Instagram.
Madonna & Lourdes Leon
Pictured here in 2010, the pop icon’s daughter is a fashionista just like her mama!
David Beckham & Brooklyn Beckham
You’ll get a kick out of how much the soccer star and his son look alike.
Kelly Ripa & Lola Consuelos
The spunky morning show host celebrated her daughter’s 14th birthday with this adorable pic. Look at that resemblance!
Uma Thurman & Maya Hawke
Once upon a time in Hollywood…the Kill Bill actress twinned with her daughter on the red carpet.
Jay Z & Blue Ivy Carter
Little Blue stole the show at the 2017 Grammys, and she’s totally #twinning with her pops!
Alison Sweeney & Megan Sanov
The Days of Our Lives star and her daughter get in the holiday spirit at Disney On Ice Presents Frozen at the Staples Center.
Lily-Rose Depp & Vanessa Paradis
The mother-daughter pair looked like virtual twinsies (especially with those matching bobs) at the Chanel fall-winter Haute Couture show in Paris.
Julianne Moore & Liv Freundlich
The Oscar-winner and her daughter both rock the red hair.
Robin Wright & Dylan Penn
The nearly identical stunning stars even dress the same!
Lori Loughlin & Olivia Giannulli
The Fuller House star and her daughter are practically twins at the Summer TCA Press Tour.
Daniel Day-Lewis & Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis
The Last of the Mohicans and Lincoln star’s young adult son, whose mother is French actress Isabelle Adjani, made his big runway debut at 2015 Paris Fashion Week, walking into the Chanel show with Julianne Moore.
Gillian Anderson & Piper Maru Klotz
The two stunned on the red carpet at the Olivier Awards in London.
Kaia Gerber & Cindy Crawford
If you didn’t know better, you might’ve guessed they were sisters!
Tom Hanks & Colin Hanks
This apple certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree!
Mamie, Grace and Louisa Gummer & Meryl Streep
Mammia Mia! You can certainly see the family resemblance.
John Legend & Luna Legend
The EGOT winner posted this baby photo of himself, looking exactly like baby Luna on Oct. 6, 2017
