Ben Affleck got a surprising update about his own love life when he learned about Ana Navarro’s matchmaking idea. The actor had no idea she had once considered pairing him with Shakira. His reaction made it clear that the plan had never reached him. Affleck also shared why dating was not a priority for him.
Ben Affleck says he never heard Ana Navarro tried to set him up with Shakira
Affleck addressed Navarro’s idea while promoting his new movie Animals at its Los Angeles premiere on Oct. 2. He said he had never heard about her attempt before the recent interview. “I swear to God, I never heard that in my whole life,” Affleck said. He then added, “People gossip. Stuff gets made up.”
Navarro previously said she had tried to help Affleck meet Shakira after both stars became single. She raised the idea with Matt Damon, a close friend of Affleck, after seeing him at a Shakira concert in Miami. Damon reportedly thought the pairing “could be complicated” because Shakira and Jennifer Lopez had a friendship. Navarro had never met Affleck herself when she came up with the idea.
Affleck also explained why such a scenario was uncommon in his life. “I don’t really ever get set up, really,” he said. The 54-year-old actor said work and his children left little space for dating. “I work a lot and I see my kids and there’s not a lot of room,” he added.
The actor also said romance was not a top priority in his life. “It’s not a big priority in my life,” he said, while making clear that his children came first. “You can’t have two things that are the most important in your life,” Affleck explained. He added, “For me, that’s the kids,” while saying he felt “good” and “happy.”
Affleck did not completely close the door on romance in the future. “Who knows what adventures life will bring?” he said. “I’m open to it, but I’m not trying to chase anything.”
Affleck and Lopez finalized their divorce in January 2025 after marrying in 2022.
