Ben Affleck has completed the trifecta of midlife crisis clichés. He had an affair with a 20-something, got a muscle car, and now he has a giant tattoo to remind him of this regrettable period in his life. (You can see the photos at US Magazine.) Plus there’s whatever he had done to his face, which will hopefully settle enough so that he resembles his old self at some point. That’s ok with Affleck, he wants to see himself as rising fresh from the ashes of the fire that consumes him whenever he has a hankering for strange. Here he is with new tight skin and a giant phoenix on his back, symbolizing the new Affleck that’s about to greet the world with a permanently surprised expression. US Magazine got confirmation from a source close to Affleck that this isn’t a fake tattoo and is in fact permanent. It reminds me a little of Angelina Jolie’s tiger back tattoo in that the creature is looking to the side and sort of roaring. This is much larger and more colorful though, that must have hurt. Here’s more:
Affleck has been spotted sporting an enormous new back tattoo. The colorful ink covers the entirety of his back and features what appears to be a phoenix with its wings spread wide across his shoulder blades.
A full shot of the new tattoo was captured by photographers on Tuesday, Dec. 8, while Affleck was working on the Los Angeles set of his upcoming film Live by Night, costarring Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, and Scott Eastwood. And the telling body art — the phoenix, of course, is a mythological creature and a symbol of rebirth and reinvention — is the real deal, a source confirms to Us Weekly.
“He got it done at home recently,” the insider tells Us Weekly of the new ink.
It’s nice, it’s artful I guess. (I have a couple of small tattoos but they’re 20 years old and I don’t think I’ll get any more. Large tattoos are not my style.) We had a glimpse of Ben’s tattooed back this July, but it wasn’t until now that we saw the extent of his giant tattoo. Ben has several other tattoos including a cross on one arm, skull and crossbones on the other, and a dolphin on his hip, which he got to cover up the name of his high school sweetheart. He’s also said, of his tattoos, that “I’m sorry now, but it is a good lesson in decisions that have important and long repercussions.” Of course this time it’s different, right?
Ben is filming Live By Night, a prohibition era film, in LA now. He’s been seen on set with Sienna Miller, who plays his love interest. Ben and Sienna were seen holding hands while they were definitely not filming a scene, but it looked more like a friendly clutch than a romantic clasp. Still, given who we’re talking about, and the fact that they’re both single, it could be on. Check out the photo on US and look at Affleck’s guilty face. That might just be how he always looks now though. For what it’s worth, Ben’s people have denied that he’s having a romance with Sienna and have called him “always professional.”
Here’s a Twitter-pic of the tattoo:
Yes, it's real! Check out Ben Affleck's massive back tattoo! https://t.co/55weLugz4g pic.twitter.com/NIePkMLu6D
— People magazine (@people) December 10, 2015
photo credit: Getty, WENN and Fame
Remember when Tom Cruise all the sudden looked 20 years younger? I feel like Ben Affleck has visited the same doctor. I can’t put my finger on it and his face still moves. He hasn’t been out of the camera’s lens to recover from actual surgery… I think it’s just especially startling because he’s looked so haggard the last few years.
Watched him a week ago on Kimmel, and his face had about as much movement as Kim Kardashians. Which is to say, none.
I agree. I’ve seen pictures and had to do a double take because he didn’t look like himself. That tattoo is, imo hideous!
Both Ben and Tom are definitely bathing in the blood of virgins. Unfortunately it’s coming off more ‘kill the Batman’ than we’d all hope.
I read somewhere that Tom Cruise has his work done in Brazil by a bigwig in the plastic surgery world (that guy trains other plastic surgeons, if I recall correctly).
Maybe he’s become GAAAAAY. The back tatoo and new babyface, it all fits.
Well, that will look mighty fine when he’s 85 and getting a sponge bath in the nursing home.
Ha!! Thanks for the morning laugh!
The standard by which all body modifications should be measured before committing to them.
Why? Who cares at 85 how their back looks?
I thought about getting a tattoo when I reached 40 years old. But the thought of gravity and how it would leave no part of my body unaffected completely turned me off the idea. I’m in my ’50’s now and still tattoo-free – although I had thought of putting the Eiffel Tower peace sign with “Don’t let evil win” on my wrist since the Paris bombings. That is a sentiment that I will always believe in.
Congratulations on winning the Internet today, and thank heavens I finished my coffee before reading this!
I’m betting when he is 85 and in a nursing home the thing at the forefront of his mind won’t be worrying about how his back looks.
Exactly, Beep. My answer for everyone who asks me why I’m not worried about how mine will look when I’m older.
He’ll be just as old and wrinkly as everyone else. I hate the “omg it’ll look awful when you’re old!” argument. Well, yeah, it will look awful, as will the rest of me and as will you too. What’s your point?
I hate this argument, because NOTHING will look good on me when I’m 85. My back will be saggy and wrinkly whether I’m tattooed or not. I’m not tattooed except a couple small ones , but that argument bothers me.
Same here, Wiffie. That argument miffs me slightly too. I’m going to get wrinkles either way, so at least mine will be decorated.
Seems to me like he’s just embracing himself
By plastic surgery? Seems the opposite to me. He’s tired of his life and trying to shake things up.
Midlife crisis indeed
I really thought it was fake & for the movie but now yeah I’m 100% sure Ben Affleck’s hotness has left the Earth. The tattoo, the plastic surgery, the stupid car & the nanny/mistress cheating scandal, I’m over it.
Embarrassing himself.
Yet another bad decision from Ben.
Ya, looks super douchey.
Is he not very bright? I don’t get it. His BFF Matt Damon is super smart, keeps his pants on, and does not look like bread dough about to turn into a nice dinner roll. The tattoo is supposed to be all symbolic and manly but it’s a fail. The hair dye looks like Theroux. Someone needs to tell him he isn’t actually Superman!
I think Lainey got it right, Ben is pretty selfdestructive. He gambles, he drinks (he was an addict, wasn’t he)…..he ruins everything and then he tries to build it up again. It’s very telling that he chose a Phoenix as a tattoo.
I could get with the tattoo if it was done well. My son is a tattoo artist. This does not look well done. I have seen a lot better ink, especially when you are getting a piece done that is that large. There is a scar on his back on the right hand side and it is not covered well at that point either. Surely he could have afforded better.
His face right now reminds me of Tim Allen in the Santa Claus-when he starts to gain weight morphing into Santa. Perhaps Ben is becoming Santa.
lol.. and +1 to all who replied to me earlier! :p
Well he is a Harry Potter fan. Maybe that’s just Fawkes bringing him the sword of Gryffindor? I would actually find that explanation way cooler than the whole “rising from the ashes” thing.
Hahaha! That’s what I thought, too!
Is it bad that I really wish that’s the explanation?
Yaaaaaaaas
10 points to Gryffindor
I’m hoping that’s what it is. Or maybe it’s a big “Fawkes you” to the rest of us.
HE probably did it for his children, you know? As you said, maybe they are Harry Potter fans (yeah, right!)
Are you serious ?
Well it’s not horrible but then again I live in the land of FL where scratcher ink is everywhere so my bar is pretty low. I have two thigh sleeves and my shoulders done but I think I’ll hit 40, get half sleeves and call it quits And for what they’ll look like when I’m older–they’ll look awesome. Because I get them touched up every few years and wear sunscreen 😉
I don’t necessarily think that this is a midlife crisis because if that’s the case, everyone in my generation has been having one since 18.
Everyone is getting a muscle car, banging their kids’ caregiver and getting huge tattoos? Damn, Detroit and ink parlours must be raking it in…😉
Well I mean the tattoo part. Midlife crisis can mean tattoos but not all tattoos mean midlife crisis.
In Ben’s case it’s pretty obvious that his life has been in turmoil lately and that this tattoo is a response to that. Getting humiliated publicly with the nanny isn’t exactly a low key life event.
Agreed.
I guess I’m alone In that I actually think the tattoo looks nice.
–and I am NOT generally a tattoo fan.
I like it too
What I can see looks good!
I love ink. Well done ink that is and I’m just curious what type of thigh sleeve you have. What was your inspiration?
Thinking of getting my first tat for my 40th next year.
It’s not a bad tattoo. The pic is pretty grainy so there’s so way to really assess the quality but it seems to be well drawn and well placed (as in the artwork fits the body parts it covers). It’s not something I would choose for myself but I like it. I hate the automatic association of tattoos with regrets, but then again many people aren’t all that bright and don’t actually think about what they’re doing.
Lol, my mom is fifty and she wants to get a giant dragon tattoo on her back. I think it’s her last hurrah! because she’s definitely a proponent of getting tattoos that are small and easy to hide (and has)……..
That must have taken a long time to do. I have never had the nerve to get a tattoo. Would getting such a large tattoo done be painful?
check out Chery Cole. Her entire butt and lower back was done and I believe she said yes it did hurt.
Cheryl Versinihowsyourfather is not the best example of tasteful ink, or anything much else come to that. That grotesquery she has on her ass is what I interpret to mean, “and my s*it doesn’t stink either”. I can imagine how good that will look when her glutei maximi are hanging behind her knees. Her go to position is always vapid (said in a broad Geordie accent).
Yes. Needles are repeatedly poked into your skin. It hurts. The initial outline isn’t so bad (feels kind of like a cat scratch) but when an area must be filled in it hurts like crazy because the needle is going over already perforated skin. It can feel like sandpaper on sunburn, some areas hurt more than others depending on the thickness of the skin and how much muscle or fat is underneath the skin.
A big tattoo like Ben’s would probably have been done over two or more sessions depending on the endurance of both tattooer and client.
Yuck. It’s almost as bad as that Ed Sheeran tattoo.
Didn’t he say it was fake?
A new botoxed Phoenix Affleck who is rising from the ashes of the mess he created?
Bingo!
Yup!!
Perfect. My thoughts exactly
That looks like a dragon to me. And he has to have had that for a while-something that big and with that level of detail/colors/shading would have taken at least a few sessions with healing time in between.
That’s what I was thinking, he didn’t just have someone pop by the house and slap that on him in an hour.
I wondered about that. A rather beautiful young woman I used to work with had her back covered with very artsy tattoos, and they were not done all at once. I thought it might be due to expense, but the healing time makes sense.
Absolutely. Large pieces can take 5 or 6 sittings, depending on how detailed it is and how long the artist and customer can sit for. Unless Ben got himself a custom press on tattoo (which you can do), this was done over at least, what, 4 or 5 months? Possibly longer. Some large ones I’ve seen have taken over a year.
I can’t really explain it but I find this absolutely HILLARIOUS.
I completely agree!
Me too! In the US photos with the silk pajama bottoms and hospital gown, or the other one where the tattoo is peeking out of his jeans on his muffin top? Good lord. And his hair line looks kinda John Travolta-ish. This new Affleck could be kinda fun.
I was fascinated by the photo in the hospital gown. The view of his face looked to me as if he has a plaster cast on his nose, and his side face looks quite bruised too. Is it just me, or has he had a recent rhinoplasty? The tattoo on his back looks more like a faded old chook than a phoenix, even though you can bet it cost a fortune.
Honestly, I think he is embracing himself. IMO Jennifer looks like a total control freak and I think he was not happy with her— he definitely didn’t look happy. Did that constitute what he did (cheating)? no.. but I think that since the split he looks happier, younger and like he is finally out of his slump.
Get out of here! He was able to do all things that single men can do and more because he has tons of money. Plus, he was able to keep that image that he is a family man. Controlling, my a$$.
The only redeeming factor is he is good enough as a director and nothing more.
I don’t think he looks happy or young. His face is just…. Strange looking now. Not attractive at all. He should grow the beard back. Maybe that will help.
Horrible thing. One of my favorite things is a man’s strong back (hairless), and he just covered his with a massive tattoo.
Oh, Ben, you are reeling from this divorce. Eating your way through it, face peels and botox, huge tat on your back.
I know. All he needs to complete the look are a stack of scarves and a talentless blonde on his arm.
LOL It took me a minute to get that one.
Please, Ben, don’t go with scarves. The younger blonde we know is coming, but in his case, she will probably be talented — or not, since he’s in a midlife crisis.
I predict she’ll be Super Duper talented – in famewhoring and stroking his assholistic, but oh so fragile, man ego.
Ha!!
I feel like he’s probably reeling from the onslaught of negative tabloid attention that’s consuming him (basically the equivalent of Bennifer 2, something he did everything in his power to avoid after Bennifer 1). I think he was looking to make a clean getaway from his marriage, but it didn’t work out that way – far from it. My guess is he’s not reeling because of his split with Jen specifically but more the fact that his family drama is getting him crucified in the press and threatening the image he took more than a decade to rebuild.
Oh, and I think it was E! that had more details about where he got the tattoo. It said that he got it done in the private wing of Jen’s home over the summer and went on to say how they have separate/private wings for when he stays there. Wonder if that house is still on the market?
Well, if he’s that fragile, he should try not banging the help.
Exactamundo, t.fanty. Or as Seal would put it “fornicating with the help”.
I like what he did to his back way more than I like what he did to his face, for what it’s worth.
Snort.
Good point lol. I think he botoxed but I think his eyebrows have been plucked as well? Never a good look on a man imho.
Hey Pandy, I noticed that yesterday. Not only did he pluck them but he colored them! They were greyish and now they’re full on brown. He looks hideous.
The header pic with him posing with the fan gives away the Botox OD. The eyebrows are raised high and not a line on the forehead.
Meh, to each his own. I love tattoos. But I know some people hate them.
With a giant back tattoo like that though, he’d best keep working out, nothing worse than a tattoo on a flabby back!
Well, then it ‘s a good thing he didn’t put it on his stomach. LOL
It’s actually a copy of the British cover of Harry Potter — I can’t remember which book it is though.
IKR ?
It’s the fifth: Harry Potter and the Order of Phenix.
If it’s really a Harry Potter tattoo, I take back every negative thought I had!
I like back tattoos. And when a guy has a nice back (a personal favorite) AND cool ink on said back, I think it is pretty sexy.
The tattoo isn’t BAD. But something about it is off. I don’t know if it is because it is on him, or what, but it just isn’t a good image. it does give the impression of sad midlife crisis choices. Having said that, bad times makes for choices that some people side eye. 2014 was a particularly hard year for me and in March i decided I wanted some ink to commemorate that I’d made it through, so I got a small dragon just below my left clavicle. I still love it, but I’m sure some people assume it a midlife crisis choice.
Totally agree. I think the tattoo is awesome – in spite of the fact that I don’t have any, I love it when people are like, “I’m gonna get a massive, elaborate piece done” rather than some stupid series of characters on their foot in a language they don’t read. Too bad it’s on the skin of such a douchey guy, though. I’m sure your dragon tattoo is awesome and that you are not a douche!
🙂 Thanks! I’m still glad I got it almost a year later-in fact when I get stressed out I find my hand going to it. It has become an odd release button when I get anxious.
I can’t believe that yesterday so many people were complimenting his face and saying he looked better. I never found him very handsome but I think his face looks worse than ever.
I’m not a tattoo fan, but if you must get a great big one, it’s good to have it on your back so you can cover it up if you need to. Though I guess if you get a great big Phoenix draw on yourself you don’t think you need to hide it, so that probably isn’t a consideration. Does anybody stop and think before they do this? Hey, I know…I’ll have some guy in a tatto parlor to put a great big bird on my back so I can’t see it except in the mirror for the rest of my life…I just don’t get it. Why?
Excellent point!
I agree about his face. It just looks so off to me now. I honestly think he looked better before the work, and he would have looked better still if he had just quit whatever substances he’s allegedly abusing, got some nights of better rest, focused on good nutrition, and maybe gone to the spa. I don’t even understand what’s wrong with having heavy eyelids that would make someone try to “correct” them.
I’m actually pissed about this, because now everyone is making fun of phoenix tattoos when they can be exceuted correctly.
I have a phoenix tattoo on my back that is very important to me. I was in an abusive relationship for five years and as a result ended up sixty pounds overweight and in a dead end job despite graduate-level education. My interpersonal relationships were a mess and I was also raped repeatedly, so I had to re-learn how to enjoy sex. After years of therapy I finally got to a good place in my life and am now in a thriving marriage and career. So yes, I did transform myself-you can ask anyone who knows me.
I put a great deal of thought into my tattoo, and worked with the artist for weeks to get the design just right. Sorry, but it does mean something to me, and I enjoy the “great big bird on my back” even though I “can’t see it except in the mirror.” Not sure why people are so incredibly judgmental about tattoos-it’s not your body, so why do you care?
I feel bad for the make-up artists on his movies that have to cover that up.
I thought the same thing SloaneY. There must be a whole slew of people cringing at the thought of having to cover this up for the camera. Can you imagine getting up in the morning, and having to think, “today I have to make a big ass phoenix disappear, and it’s on the back of a big ass douche.” What a way to start the day!
But at least they CAN cover that thing up…Think about Baffleck’s poor PR people – there’s nothing they can do to cover up that BA is a big a** douche.
Tacky. Unsurprising territory for Ben.
Do any of you remember when Jennifer quipped in an interview, “Garner girls don’t get tattoos.” I think she hates them which may be on reason why Ben got the biggest tattoo he possibly could in one go. Just sayin’.
Did Ben have tattoos when he met her? Maybe she thinks they aren’t a girl thing to do only for boys.. but agree, I think it’s Ben lashing out for sure.
“I’m sorry now, but it is a good lesson in decisions that have important and long repercussions.”
You mean like getting married and having 3 kids?
Oh and w/ COLOR??? Why???
At least get it applied the regular b/w.
Really?
I think color is SO much nicer-looking than just plain black ink.
It depends on the tattoo. I like black ink with a touch of color.
I think it is a Hippogriff. He is a huge Harry Potter fan…
“dolphin on his hip”
I’m sorry, I didn’t realize Ben Affleck was a 19 year old sorority girl.
*snickers*
Bhahaha I thought the same. Seriously, so lame.
Gah. Cringe inducing. He’s such a drama queen. A phoenix tattoo symbolizing his “journey” — keep it private, guy.
Meh, it’s his body.
He tightened his face, but he still looks like himself, maybe more refreshed. Would have to see it in person. Don’t guild the lily though Ben, look at pictures of Rourke, Kidman, Cox, you get where I’m going with this. I hate the big ass colorful tattoos. Would be happy to hear it was painted on for a movie or something. His life, his choice I guess.
Well I’m glad to see he can frown so he didn’t over do the Botox. But certainly he got an all over face lift, and his current pudginess adds to the overall oddity of his appearance.
He didn’t get a face lift. He got some kind of laser that took all the dead stuff off and made it smooth like baby’s skin and one that is also known for some tightening effect. It’s the same look Brad Pitt had the other day. Plus it looks like some botox that Ben also used.
What are these guys thinking? Try looking like men over 40 and calm down.
Are you guys all kidding right?! It’s for the movie! It’s not only obvious it would be ridiculous. Now I don’t single out ridiculousness if referred to Ben Affleck but that tattoo is for his gangster character and the glimpse we saw in July was probably part of the makeup rehearsals because it was different than the one he has now.
Okay, that would explain it. He’s enough of an idiot though that, yeah some of us actually COULD believe he’d be that stupid. Sad to say.
This dude is SO tiresome.
Getting a giant phoenix tattoo to express that you are a survivor of your own douchiness: awesome.
I pegged him for a giant red sox tattoo kind of guy.
Who cares about a tattoo. It’s his face that’s freaking me out.
He should have just added another side chick to his repertoire. They are easier to remove from your being than a freaking massive tattoo.
You know that tattoo is for his current movie role right? It’s fake. Come on. I’d like to know who the “source” was. I watched an entertainment show last night and they said it was fake. If it was real wouldn’t they have to cover it up for the current role he is playing?
Thank goodness. That tattoo is a disaster.
TMZ has a pic from July where you can see the tattoo.It is real.Fake tattoos don’t stay on for five months
When did he start filming his current movie though?
It is real and it was confirmed.
See this is the problem with the media. Half are confirming it’s fake and half are confirming it’s real. Who knows.
It’s a period film. He does not have a modern looking tattoo clearly based off a Harry Potter book on his back for a period film.
I didn’t know it was a period film. Anyways it has officially been confirmed as a real tattoo as all gossip sites and entertainment news shows are reporting so.
I have always loved Ben to death. An attractive, super smart, very funny man. Has to be because he is such a bad actor. But I was blown away by his directing. It is too bad he doesn’t have enough grip on his ego to stay behind the camera. And of course he has gone bat shit crazy the last couple of years. I think maybe running away from a marriage that just was not right for him and maybe no marriage ever will be. That said he looks like Caitlyn Jenner, really I did think that for a moment. and 2) a big dramatic phoenix coming up off his back is just the kind of thing a strung out, desperate narccisisist (sp) would think of to symbolize his true nobility and majestically deep fight against those who have brought him down. It is probably for a role (but I like my story).
LOL I love Ben, too.
Re his tattoo, though, I look at it as a man struggling with demons and he wanted a symbol for himself that he will rise above them.
I still hate the tattoo and his new face. Although, I’m sure in a month it will be back to normal.
I also love his directing but don’t mind him in movies at all as long as he doesn’t need to cry or anything, get to that level of emotion, which he can’t.
“I also love his directing but don’t mind him in movies at all as long as he doesn’t need to cry or anything, get to that level of emotion, which he can’t”
LOL true. And I love him too.
Is Sienna playing a resurrected clown in this film?
I don’t like all the orange color in the tattoo. Is it a bad photo or is the outline of head of the critter wobbly? Back tattoos are strange to me – why pick a symbol or design that’s meaningful then put it where you can’t see it. Put it on the chest & you can see it in the mirror any time.
If it’s meant as some personal statement that the wearer can’t see, it could also be considerably smaller. I believe it’s meant to make a statement to others, not to inspire oneself.
Agree about the orange!!!
Well I guess no more shirtless sex scenes for Ben because it will be b***h to cover the back up for a role.
I don’t know this guy; however, I have followed his family for years. If Jennifer Garner was so controlling, she obviously didn’t do a very good job. He has lived a separate life for a long time. I am not sure what he has done to his face, hair, back, etc. but I think he is a very disturbed man. I don’t think he even knows the truth anymore. I have a feeling he is going to implode soon and I think it will be with Sienna. They are two of a kind. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a child with him.
I think he looks great, the best he’s looked in a long time, like refreshed and younger. I don’t see anything that screams plastic surgery at all, so if he did get a little something done he went to the right person. Wish I knew him so I could ask their name! haha
That is a basic, ugly ass tattoo and I weep for the makeup team who has to cover it someday.
The biggest travesty is that horrible clown makeup on Sienna. That blush is a big mess on her face. How do they take a pretty girl, who should actually look good costumed for that era, and make her look like a clown did her makeup? What a mess.
I’m going to say He’s giving sobriety another chance and that’s why he’s looking thinner, younger and more fresh in the face. The tattoo might be a nod to that as well.
I don’t know about it symbolizing giving sobriety another chance – not that I fully buy into him being a full-blown addict in the first place. I have no idea. But the tattoo isn’t super new – there are pictures of him with it back in July, although you could only see the bottom of it. US Weekly ran a story saying it was done in his separate wing in Jen’s home and also that she thought “it wasn’t her problem.” That was since pulled from the online story but Daily Mail still has the quote. But it seems the phoenix tat has been around since the very early days of their split if not before, so I’d guess it resembles another type of freedom, not sobriety. Or maybe it resembles freedom from the shackles of the media’s (and public’s) perception of him. Personally, that’s more believable to me – knowing how sensitive he is to public perception of him.
It reminds me of my first flatmate at university, a pasty, dorky 18-years old math student who got a huge lion tattooed on his pasty, pimply back, because … he was wild at heart?
He doesn’t even look like himself anymore. Looks like his far head has been pulled up at the hairline. Too much Botox.
He looks like a completely different person.
? He looks the same to me.
He always had such a pale, puffy face. The big difference is he lost weight and is going bald at the temples/hairline. He also shaved his puffy chin and dyed his greying hair way to dark for his over-peeled complexion.