Ben Affleck might be a Hollywood heavyweight, but the kids playing “Fortnite” apparently aren’t impressed. The actor admitted that trying to keep up with his teenage son’s favorite game has led to some bruised pride and profanity-filled exchanges with young opponents. And when the trash talk starts, Affleck doesn’t always let it slide.
His gaming confession comes alongside another awkward admission about navigating life online. While he joined Instagram to keep an eye on his kids, he says the platform twice banned him for impersonating himself.
Ben Affleck Says Young ‘Fortnite’ Players Keep Humbling Him
According to the Daily Mail, Affleck opened up about his competitive streak during a recent appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast. “Twelve-year-olds just f-ck you up,” he quipped.
The 54-year-old explained that his teenage son’s enthusiasm for “Fortnite” inspired him to give the game a shot. His son is “obsessed with Fortnite,” bringing the actor into an online world where his fellow players have little hesitation about telling him exactly how he’s doing.
Unfortunately for Affleck, his earlier gaming experience hasn’t translated into the winning streak he might have hoped for. He said he gets eliminated quickly, leaving him on the receiving end of taunts from the younger competition.
The Actor Admits He Fires Back When The Trash Talk Starts
Affleck came into “Fortnite” with experience playing “Madden” and first-person shooter games. But the third-person game proved to be a different challenge, especially against opponents who clearly knew their way around it. “I get killed right away, and they taunt you and sh-t like, “You suck! F-ck you!””
Rather than quietly accepting defeat, Affleck admitted that he sometimes gets pulled into an argument. “I end up getting in arguments. “F-ck you! I don’t suck, I’m a grown man!””
His Son’s Gaming Obsession Brought Him Into ‘Fortnite’
Affleck shares three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14. His son’s love of “Fortnite” gave him a reason to try something new, even if the experience came with a considerably steeper learning curve than expected. But gaming isn’t the only place where Affleck’s efforts to stay connected with his children have gone sideways.
In a separate interview with Variety, published Wednesday, the actor revealed that he had created a small Instagram account to follow his kids and some of their friends. “I got banned from Instagram twice for impersonating myself,” he said.
“I had six followers. It was my kids and some of their friends. It was just an excuse for me to look at [my kids’] social media accounts,” he explained.
Ben Affleck Says He Values Having A Private Life
Affleck, who has been promoting his Netflix crime thriller “Animals,” also explained why fans shouldn’t expect him to become a regular presence on social media. He described himself as someone who would make a “terrible influencer” and said he no longer uses the platforms.
“There used to be a time when everything you said or did wasn’t on the permanent record,” he told Variety. “As you get older, you become aware of what that means.”
Having experienced life before sharing every moment online became commonplace, he said he appreciates what it means to keep parts of his world to himself. “I experienced the whole world and had a whole life in private. I have a real sense of how valuable that is.”
He Doesn’t Think Fans Need To Know What Actors Had For Lunch
Affleck pointed to several acclaimed performers while explaining why he doesn’t believe a constant stream of personal updates improves the moviegoing experience. “I think Daniel Day-Lewis and Meryl Streep and Viola Davis and Denzel Washington are brilliant actors,” he said. “It doesn’t help me appreciate their movies to see what they had for lunch.”
The actor acknowledged that his view might not fit neatly into an era when social media gives fans nearly unlimited access to their favorite stars. “I realize I sound like an old, out-of-touch person, but I believe that as an actor, you have to maintain an illusion.”
Affleck may prefer to keep his private life off Instagram, but he’s happy to spill on his “Fortnite” frustrations. Keeping up with his son is one thing. Taking trash talk from a bunch of 12-year-olds is apparently where he draws the line.
