Ben Affleck rented a 28k/mo apartment for Lindsay Shookus on the Upper West Side

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Do you remember how Ben Affleck was shopping for a home, with Lindsay Shookus in tow, just a few weeks ago in LA? Well shortly after that he was rented an apartment in New York where he and Lindsay could stay together while he was visiting here there. Lindsay is reportedly staying there while Ben is away and it sounds amazing. It had three bedrooms, 2,761 square feet and panoramic views. Apartments in that building go for around $28,000 a month and of course there’s a butler, pool, movie theater and I’m sure a gym. This news came out last week but I just read about it now, so I wanted to report on it. Here’s People’s story:

Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus are sharing a lavish New York City apartment when the actor is in town.

The Justice League is paying for the Upper West Side apartment and stays there with Shookus when he’s in the city, a source tells PEOPLE. The Saturday Night Live producer moved in about a month ago.

Affleck’s focus continues to be on his family and staying healthy, another family source says, adding that part of his happiness is being with Shookus.

The 2,761 square foot apartment includes 3 bedrooms, panoramic views of both Central Park and the Hudson River, a private movie theater, pool and 24/7 butler service. Apartments in the luxury building lease for an average of more than $28,000 a month.

[From People]

That’s some perk to dating Ben Affleck. I’m sure Lindsay makes bank, but not enough to afford a place like that. Meanwhile Ben was spotted out in LA over the weekend with his estranged wife, Jennifer Garner. They were seen out taking a walk on Friday and you can see that photo here. They look very matchy and well dressed. Then, on Saturday, they went to shop for a Christmas tree with their kids. The Daily Mail has those photos, they’re exclusive. As for everyone who says they’re just doing what they have to do for the kids, I get spending Thanksgiving and the holidays together but it seems like they do more than most couples who intend to get a divorce. Every couple/family is different, but I see how the tabloids keep speculating that they’re reconciling, especially given how this has been playing out.

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photos credit: WENN, Backgrid

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156 Responses to “Ben Affleck rented a 28k/mo apartment for Lindsay Shookus on the Upper West Side”

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  1. Lizzie says:

    awww sweet. now they can accurately reenact the most tragic scenes of lost weekend!

  2. Nicole says:

    Everything about him turns me all the way off. So ugh

  3. Jerusha says:

    “That’s some perk to dating Ben Affleck.”
    But isn’t the downside dating Ben Affleck?

    • Susannah says:

      Ugh, just thinking about that makes me happy to live in my little Philly apartment. At least I don’t have to have Ben Affleck on top of me!

      • magnoliarose says:

        Ewww. I am happily eating a snack and that just made my food turn into dirt in my mouth. YUCK!

    • Ankhel says:

      Ben Affleck IS the downside. It’s everything on the side of the plate that are perks. Fame, luxury, money, influence. No woman in a good place would go for that.

  4. MostlyMegan says:

    Shookus has a little girl, right? Somehow I always forget she is a mom of 4 year old. I guess her little girls is living in Affleck’s flat too?

    • Alleycat says:

      I think her daughter lives with the father. She travels too much to be the primary care giver.

      • MostlyMegan says:

        Ohhhhh. That makes sense on a lot of levels. I didn’t see Ben jumping out of domestic bliss only to shack up in another very domestic/child-rearing situation.

      • KBB says:

        They could very well have joint custody. She doesn’t spend more than a few days in LA when she goes there. Those could just be the days when her daughter is with her dad.

    • shashta says:

      There is no way to know who the “primary” caregiver is but I would say Lindsay and yeah, I’m sure the little girl has her own room in the new apartment. Ben has met LS’s family in Buffalo. He’s met her elderly grandma. He’s all in, xmas tree stroll or no.

    • Sky says:

      Here comes the mommy shamers, what are the post without you guys.

      • MostlyMegan says:

        No one is shaming. This is a gossip column and often times relationships and domestic situations are discussed. It seems like at least part of the reason Affleck strayed from Garner was his inability to conform to a strictly domestic role – and his demons of gambling and alcohol came to the fore (as he admitted). Therefore it seemed surprising to me that he would jump into another such situation so soon after freeing himself from one. That is all.

      • Sky says:

        @MOSTLYMEGAN

        There is a lot of mommy shaming going on when it comes to Lindsay. The funny thing is the people making those comments never direct the same criticism towards Ben.

      • Jerusha says:

        It pales in comparison to Jen shaming. ‘Doormat, pathetic, control freak, stupid dog’ are some of the names she’s been called just in this thread alone.

      • Sky says:

        @JERUSHA

        No it doesn’t Lindsay has been called ugly, manly, a bad mother, she doesn’t love her child, she’s a bad dresser, her hair is nasty, she’s the reason for Bens drinking, pathetic and more.

      • Jerusha says:

        @Sky 😂😂😂 And JG has been called wonky eyed, overprotective, bad dresser, horrible shoe person, botoxed, forcing Ben to come around, unloved, the reason for Ben’s drinking after family holidays and more. And the old chestnut-she trapped him by getting pregnant! I guess it was an immaculate conception. And the idea that anyone in Hollywood would be forced into a marriage because of pregnancy is laughable. This is HW we’re talking about. And now people are speculating LS is pregnant like, no problem, even though both are still married AFAIK. I don’t recall ever saying anything bad about Lindsey, as I rarely post on these threads, but I do read them and see there’s plenty of nastiness aimed at both women.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        And that, ladies, is how the bro culture flourishes. Men know that women will blame, trash, and take down other women, and men just get a slight mention, and likely be excused because there was a woman somehow involved who will get the lion share of the blame.
        Bro’s have each other’s back. Women will always go after the woman nearest and blame her for everything, including the man’s behavior.
        It’s a thing.

      • trina says:

        @Jerusha You “rarely post on these threads”? lol Sure, Jan. You come into literally every Garner-Affleck-Shookus thread and post a dozen times to defend Jen’s honor.

      • Jerusha says:

        Sorry, trina, that’s a lie. Go back through the scores of threads on this subject and you will very rarely find me. But, whatever floats your boat.

  5. JoJo says:

    All these pics with Lindsay are over a week old. He’s spent the last week being seen strolling/at school events and xmas tree shopping with Garner, and of course, the In Touch trash saying Ben will dump Lindsay in a heartbeat if “Jen would take him back.” I’m not sure he actually wants to go back, and although I think In Touch is highly dubious, I have no doubt Jen would take him back if he promises, for the 100th time, to be a good little boy.

    • minx says:

      Exactly. He forced the issue by being seen with Shookus. There was no going back after that. He wanted out.

      • pam says:

        I think Shookus made it impossible for Jen to realistically take him back. She’d lose too much face. She’ll milk the grieving divorcee angle for awhile like Jen Aniston but she can’t take him back now. Lindsay is more than just a fling, clearly.

    • Taissa says:

      He’s not going back to Jen. Even if he and Shookus eventually split, he has no interest in Jen romantically and being with her doesn’t “fix” his pr probs anymore.

  6. Your Mom says:

    I could never be away from my child that much, especially primarily for dick. And I used to be an Affleck apologist.
    Also I have never understood massive coffee drinks.

    • kayla says:

      He’s addicted to everything including caffeine.

    • KBB says:

      A lot of divorced parents only have their kids 50% of the time. That’s what happens when you split custody.

      • ScotiaGirl says:

        And that is exactly why Jen Garner never wanted to split, she loved Ben yes, but the big thing was she never wanted to lose control of the kids 50% of the time to an unstable father, and be on worried mode half her life! IMO that is 100% why she held on as long as she did. I totally agree she loved him right to the end but still think she would have pulled the plug sooner and learned to get over him if it wasn’t for the custody of the kids.

    • Ankhel says:

      The point of massive coffee drinks is how much alcohol it’s possible to pour on top. Who do they think they’re fooling? They almost always carry cups and look hung over. Then, when he’s with Jen, he’s suddenly not carrying drinks, only sulking.

  7. mary says:

    He seems to more serious about Lindsay than I thought. He is really done with Jen.

    I think it’s still a tad pathetic that Jen has Ben over for the holidays and xmas tree shopping and their little walks. I think she invites him to every family event possible in hopes that he will realize that he misses their family life together and come back. But all signs point to him moving steadfastly on with Lindsay. Jen should get a man for herself and start learning to do things without Ben.

    • KBB says:

      I used to think that too, but I think she just knows that he works a lot and travels a lot, so she goes out of her way to accommodate him and invite him to spend time with the kids when he can.

      By inviting him along with them, he can spend time with the kids but he isn’t taking them out on his own (which may be a concern for her depending on how long he’s been sober).

      • mary says:

        Possibly and I think that makes her a control freak. She needs to quit trying to control every interaction Ben has with his children. I think it’s a way she still holds onto him. He is a grown man and doesn’t need Jen the babysitter. They look miserable around each other. She is a control freak

        At the end of the day, those kids are half his and she should really let go a little and let the man be a father.

        On the other hand, maybe he is lazy and doesn’t want the challenge of taking the kids on his own and its easier to tag along with Jen. Either way, Jen needs to give it up and move on with her life and build a life without him.

      • K (now K2!) says:

        Alcoholics make poor fathers. This one has been in and out of rehab, and his impulse control issues extend to sleeping with their nanny. I’d want supervised in her shoes, too.

    • Annetommy says:

      I don’t see how that’s pathetic. But of course that’s generally the Garner narrative round here. I think that’s an adult way to make sure your kids don’t suffer more than they have to. And “getting a man” may not be her top priority. Whatever man she may or may not “get”, Ben is the kids’ father. And always will be. For ever and ever. Amen.

      • magnoliarose says:

        I agree with you. He is their father and very troubled. I would much rather have him around when I am around then letting them go with Lindsay and Ben who appear to have a lot of alcohol in their lives.
        Jen isn’t strictly single either. She is just willing to take the hits and keep her private life to herself.

    • ScotiaGirl says:

      I think its so he can be a father to his kids and be involved in their lives and so they can still have the semblance of a family even though their parents are not a couple anymore. She includes him so that he, NOR THE KIDS, miss out on seeing each other on holidays so they still have family traditions. I think he can decline and go be with Lindsay if he so chooses to disappoint his kids. You guys make it seem like she has him twisted over a barrell, he is a grown man and doesn’t have to do ANYTHING he does not ultimately want to do. Its pretty simple if he wants to see the kids he goes to the family home and does not disrupt the holiday for his kids OR if he wants to see Lindsay he goes there instead OR he splits his time between the two.

      I think Jen will not be without the kids for major holidays and has that in stone (Ben has brought that on him self by past behavior and instability as a parent) so he can either choose to join them or do whatever he pleases if not. But ultimately it is the only way he is going to see the kids and I think she has the upper hand on him on that front, but at the same time she could be a total Bitch and block his access altogether is she wanted, she has enough ammunition on her side. I think she WANTS Ben to be a presence in her kids life but she wants to be there as much as possible, and given Ben’s behavior recently would you do any differently as a parent?

    • Tiffany :) says:

      If you read the linked article, Friday was one of their daughter’s birthday. It makes sense that dad would want to see the kid on her birthday. They bought the trees the next day.

      Someone pointed out that Affleck hasn’t been seen/photographed with his daughters without Jen. Perhaps supervision is a part of his custody agreement due to addiction and recovery situation.

  8. roses says:

    Messy!

  9. Tiffany says:

    28k for a apartment.

    Dude knows that he is going through a divorce, right??

    • MostlyMegan says:

      AND that he is giving away all his Weinstein money to charity.

    • KBeth says:

      No shit.
      28k?? Jesus.
      I suppose that’s a drop in the bucket to the wealthy….

    • senna says:

      I know! My bro lives in the upper west side for about a tenth of that price. NYC is insane for the cost of living, and it sounds lovely to live in a swanky 3 bedroom place, but I would feel less than comfortable being bankrolled by a SO without a formal commitment in place. I suppose if it doesn’t work out, she got to live in a beautiful apartment for awhile, and she does have a great job to support herself with, so it’s not like her life will be ruined.

      • hillary says:

        You bring up an interesting point. I think that while LS makes great money at SNL and could afford to drop almost $6k a month on rent, $28k a month is well out of her price range. So… I highly doubt that she’d give up her affordable place to move into this apartment that she can’t afford without something serious to go on. If they break up, she wouldn’t be able to afford the place on her own. Engaged? Pregnant? I’m leaning towards the latter.

      • senna says:

        @hillary: I HOPE this is not how people actually make life decisions such as whether to have another baby, but my face is like 😐 at the possibility.

  10. Sky says:

    Fact is Ben and Jen know what they are doing with these photo ops. They know the stories the tabloids are going to come up with. I mean did Jen need Ben there to pick out a Christmas tree?

    • JoJo says:

      Yeah, you can just feel the next tidal wave of tabloid stories coming on, speculating about a reconciliation – especially with xmas coming up. It’s Jen is fueling it with her “I don’t want to be single, I don’t want to date” comments and the PR strolls and xmas tree shopping displays of togetherness. Way beyond “for the kids” IMO. I do think he really cares about Lindsay, but I’m predicting some sort of meltdown soon. Lindsay is going to get sick of the constant presence of almighty Jen, so they’ll probably fight, split up, etc. I’ve always said, Jen plays the long game – she’ll wait this out like an Olympian.

      • KBB says:

        Lindsay has been playing a pretty long game too…I wouldn’t count her out just yet. She was willing to take the backseat to Jen for years. Now she’s got a cushy apartment and a famous boyfriend. I don’t see her as the type that necessarily wants to marry Ben.

      • pam says:

        I think you’re underestimating Shookus. Ben has been going above and beyond to spend time with LS, not just in NYC whenever he has the chance, but long holiday weekends with her family and friends in Buffalo. He’s met her family. He’s been to her (previous) NYC apartment that she shared with her daughter and according to x17, she’s been at the home where his kids live with Jen. His romantic interest in JG seems to have expired years ago. LS is who he wants to be with now, I don’t see him ever going back to Garner. He doesn’t have any movies coming up, nothing to promote. He can lay low and avoid all events. He’s good at avoiding being photographed when he wants to.

      • JoJo says:

        I agree with you both @KBB and @pam. But I could see him equivocating only because of his image. That’s something he’s always seemed to care about, maybe too much, and he knows that Jen’s white picket brand tends to extend goodwill his way (not necessarily to us, but to lots of others … minivans, etc.) He sees the negative reaction to Lindsay – just like with the nanny. Remember when they split in 2015. By every account, it was him who wanted out, but when the nanny news broke, he was villainized, and then he seemed to waver, and sort of be half-in, half-out until they filed. Will be interesting to see…

      • Rose says:

        @Pam

        The X17 story about Ben and Lindsay and Jen house was not true Jen was out of town with the kids.

      • A says:

        @JoJo But Jen’s “white picket fence brand” doesn’t help him anymore. He tried that when the groping stuff came out and everyone called him on it. It hurt Jen too because people were calling her out for protecting him. It was actually very damaging. Look at the comments on these pics. They are clearly miserable getting this tree but still people are like, “she’s so pathetic.” No one will be able to print anything about these two people ever again without mentioning: the nanny affair. the alleged Shookus affair for years. the apartment in NYC. I could go on. There is no there, there anymore — the charade is over. We’ve seen the man behind the curtain. There’s no going back to pretending it’s all rosy.
        @Rose The meeting with Jen was basically made up but for some reason, X17 saw Ben and Lindsay drive up to the house and stay there for an hour+. Why they did that is anyone’s guess.

    • ScotiaGirl says:

      NO she didn’t need him but perhaps the kids did?

  11. shashta says:

    So how does he pay for the apartment, from a joint account? I wonder how much community money he has spent on his girlfriend at this point. Is Jen even bothered by it all? If they aren’t close to finalizing their divorce, you’d think that Jen would want to get it all on paper. But, forever and ever his doormat. He really does whatever he wants, whenever he wants, with whomever he wants and she just takes it. Sad, pathetic, etc.

    • kayla says:

      MTE. All the trips to visit her, staying in 5-star hotels each time, shopping at Chanel or Tiffany’s or wherever they were spotted, now this apartment. Granted, Ben and Jen had a lot of money but for someone whose divorce settlement isn’t finalized, Ben is spending a lot on his girlfriend.

    • KBB says:

      They’ve been separated for two and a half years, I doubt they’ve got joint finances at this point. Either way, he’s got enough money that even if they split it all 50/50, he’d still be able to pay 28k a month for an apartment. Jen is keeping their Brentwood mansion, right?

      • pam says:

        I personally don’t think it’s a matter of whether or not he/they have the funds to cover the $28k/month bc it’s clearly just a drop in the bucket for Batman. It’s the fact that he’s not technically divorced yet but purchasing property with/for a girlfriend and possibly doing so out of a joint account.

      • mary says:

        They are separated. In California, the courts do not award a penny to her of his money that is earned after the legal separation papers are filed. I would be shocked if their personal accountants have not created separate personal bank accounts for them at this point. They are divorced for all intents and purposes, it’s just negotiations at this point.

    • ScotiaGirl says:

      IN that case then he wants to do these photo getting meet ups with Jen,

    • magnoliarose says:

      She isn’t single and she doesn’t want him back. At all.

  12. JA says:

    DAMN sleeping around and ruining your marriage/reputation/ child’s view of you can be very lucrative it seems! Nah tho… my kid will know I loved it more than celebrity D and 28k a month apartments. Perfect couple really!!!

  13. Jordan says:

    These two deserve each other. Trash with recycled trash.

  14. kayla says:

    Funny how days after the story broke that Lindsay had put her apt up for sale and she and Ben were sharing a very fancy place together, we get two pap strolls. One of BA and JG doing the school run on Violet’s b-day and another with the tree. Neither stroll looked very pleasant or fun. What is the point of it all? What are they trying to prove? Even if they weren’t divorcing, if I saw these photos I would immediately assume that the marriage was over. What do they get out of appearing in public together when both look totally miserable? None of it can be fun for the kids.

    • LearningtheSystem says:

      But the kids do appear to be very happy and enjoying the time with their parents in the photos. Clearly, the photos don’t tell the whole story.

    • ScotiaGirl says:

      I don’t think they are doing it for you and I OR to prove anything to us, they are doing it solely for the kids not for the public! BOTH OF THEM are doing it for the kids, not each other.

  15. pam says:

    I guess I can understand Ben being around for the holiday moments. Maybe the kids wanted him there to pick out the tree and asked him to go. Not like he would say no. To me it seems like if he and Jen were honest about it, they’d want to do these things separately but they’ve committed to co-parenting for their kids so they’re soldiering through. I don’t really think it’s a great time and despite Jen’s proclamations that they are friends, they don’t really seem to be on friendly terms. It always seems very tense between them.

    • KBB says:

      I don’t think they’ll ever be able to happily co-parent and co-exist like Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. She was always more in love with Ben than he was with her. Although I think she was more in love with who she thought he could be rather than who he actually was. There will always be resentment between them.

      • mary says:

        Yeah, no matter how chipper Jennifer Garner has pretended to be over the years -the fact that her husband cheated on her with their nanny (amongst many many other women) would dictate that Jen has got to have some serious resentment and anger towards him for that.

        I don’t care how fake happy and delusional she appears in public, thats gotta hurt.

  16. KBB says:

    Wrong place

  17. daria says:

    I don’t care about the pap strolls with Jen and the kids. They are just that — strolls to prove what good co-parents they are being. Even though they look shrouded in misery every time, this is I guess what they are currently promoting. Both care way too much about what the public (i.e., total strangers) think about their divorce. Hasn’t done a thing for either of them in terms of good pr or actual film career advancement IMO. Justice League is a joke and Jen’s new film made like a couple hundred bucks at the box office this weekend.

    The apartment thing is yet ANOTHER public humiliation for Jen Garner. She’s like the stupid dog that Ben keeps kicking around who keeps coming back for more. I guess it’s not enough that he’s here, there and everywhere with the woman — now they have an apartment together and the divorce isn’t even final yet. Might as well get engaged if they haven’t already. He has so clearly and obviously moved on and is serious about LS. I just wonder how much of this Jen is going to take? She just looks so pathetic at this point.

    • Rose says:

      The thing is Jen allows Ben to humiliate her. He snapped his finger and she comes at his beck and call. He needs a happy family photo op and she there to participate, he needs her to comment on his behalf against his sexual assault claims and she’s there to support him. She stayed in a marriage where he cheated with her non-stop and she gave up jobs for him and did nothing but fix his image.

      Somehow I think the split when the nanny story came out was Jen trying to scare Ben into realizing what he might lose and it backfired on her because he’s happy having his cake and eating it too.

      A lot of people feel that’s Jen a doormat, but I don’t think she is. I think Jen is somebody with a low self-esteem despite the image puts out in public. That’s why she cares so much of what the public thinks about her and her relationship. That’s why she allows Bend to use her and that’s why she plays along with it because she doesn’t think she deserves better. I also think her recent comment about dating for me doesn’t seem like she waiting for him to come back, but that if she’s in a relationship then she can’t be of use to Ben.

    • Lady D says:

      What happens when/if Ben marries her? I doubt that is part of Jen’s plan.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        Bwhahaha I don’t see him going down that road again. As it’s been said here many times, he’s not the marrying type and I think he’s figured that out for himself.

      • Rose says:

        I think the only way Jen will move on is if Ben ether gets married or has a baby with someone else. It would mean that their will be someone else called Mrs. Affleck and another child that’s not her own calling him daddy.

        Just like I think the only way Ben will move on from using Jen is if he finds someone else to fix his image.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        I feel pretty confident that Jen has already moved on. That doesn’t necessarily mean that includes a new romance, though. Women CAN have a full and good life without one. Why does it still seem to be the standard, even among women, that until a woman has another man in her life she hasn’t moved on from the last? That is garbage and keeps alive the myth that a woman is incomplete outside of a romantic relationship.
        She can never MOVE ON from the fact the kids love being around their dad and that he has issues that make safety a concern. They have not been seen together in months outside of a child-related event. They WILL be seen together for years to come at child-related events. It means nothing, other than that they share children. I’m sure its not easy for either of them given their clear animosity, but since the kids appear to enjoy the events, they will have to learn to suck it up and be kind to each other if they want their kids to be ok. I think they both want that and are willing to work at it.
        Jen’s been working very hard to re-establish an identity outside of Ben’s wife and Ben has clearly been doing the same with the LS campaign. They’ve both moved on, except both being their to give their kids the best they can.

      • magnoliarose says:

        I have been told she is dating but quietly and I believe it. I think she a little likes to remind the public that Lindsay is the other woman.

  18. minx says:

    BTW are they divorced or not?

    • JoJo says:

      I don’t think so. When they filed in April, TMZ said the divorce could be finalized in 6 months, which has already passed. I think subsequent TMZ articles said they had made no moves toward dividing up any assets since they spit in 2015, so it could be a long process.

      • mary says:

        I have been thinking Jen is pathetic but maybe she is also angling for a good divorce settlement so maybe that is part of why she is being such an over accommodating doormat?

      • The Original G says:

        I think Jen’s behavior and incessant need to have the paps document it, is about protecting her own brand as the wholesome mother in subpar tearjerkers and endorsements. Otherwise, she’d keep those kids out of the press.

      • Sky says:

        She trying to create a brand for yourself mommy blog and all. That’s why she doesn’t want to rock the media boat. She has been trying to create a brand for years but it never took off. She tried for a talk show (it was said that they didn’t think she would be relatable) and her partnership with Jo-Ann Fabrics also failed. That’s why she’s on Instagram now she’s trying to create a following, I think she wants to be the next Jessica Alba.

        I think she would come across as more relatable and she dropped the perfect Mommy, wife, ex-wife, divorce, marriage image

      • trina says:

        @sky I agree, there is nothing relate-able about the very fake Jen Garner. Everything she puts into the public realm, from her instagram to the grinning, organized gym and church strolls — it’s all a facade.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        @trina, Who, in that industry, is more than just a facade to us in the outside world? Isn’t that the very nature of that industry? It appears to have been that way since the beginning from all the stories that come out about Old Hollywood, as well as New Hollywood. It’s all PR – “I want you to know the person I want you to believe that I am, so you’ll buy what I’m selling.” That doesn’t mean the real person behind that facade is always bad, though – the real person might actually be a decent human being. Sometimes, that facade DOES cover someone who is bad (HW and many others).

      • Tiffany :) says:

        “they had made no moves toward dividing up any assets since they spit in 2015”

        That isn’t how it works. They don’t make “moves” to divide up the assets. They have forensic accountants on both sides go through decades worth of income and expenses. This takes FOREVER, especially when each project is a different revenue stream. Then sides propose different scenarios (if I keep this asset and I get this income and I get this responsibility then you get….). It is coming to agreement on the difference scenarios that takes a very long time. Many times is a battle fought by lawyers and accountants, though, not former spouses.

      • JoJo says:

        @Tiffany – Yes, that’s what I meant when I said they made no moves. After they split in 2015, they apparently never discussed dividing assets and didn’t engage lawyers/mediators/accountants in beginning that process until they filed in April 2017 – so they were starting at ground zero when they filed. From TMZ:

        “We’re told Ben and Jen never discussed dividing assets because they were ambivalent about the divorce, so now they have to deal with a fortune in assets … It will take a minimum of 6 months before the divorce is final, and sources say because of the amount of property, it will probably take longer.”

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        Some of the other HW divorces have taken multiple years to be finalized. Without a prenup, this is likely to be lengthy as well. I don’t know if he signed the multi-batman deal before they split. If not, they may have to wait until all of those numbers come in to see if that figures in as well.
        Rich people problems….

      • Tiffany :) says:

        TMZ doesn’t know jack unless something is filed in court (they scan docs at the courthouse that are public record). You don’t need to file anything with the court to get the process started. Hollywood couples know that once papers are filed your information gets out there, so they limit the share of information by limiting what is filed until they can no longer wait.

        They could absolutely could start their teams on information gathering and brainstorming options without filing anything. No one, including TMZ, would know whether or not they “discussed” dividing assets.

        Based on previous experience where I have direct knowledge, I advise against trusting TMZ. They lie. Many times they take a nugget that they do know and add in so much fiction that it ends up being a completely different thing. TMZ manipulates information, misleads its readers, and outright lies…even about things that seem inconsequential. I don’t get it, but I have seen it with my own eyes. Take that for what you will.

  19. Caroline says:

    Their children are really growing up fast! Violet looked so cute in her Jean skirt & boots.
    The pic with Sam carrying his tree was just adorable!
    I like that they each have a tree to decorate for themselves!
    I think they are trying to keep their children’s lives as normal & traditional as possible, which cannot be easy.

  20. The Original G says:

    Is living together still considered dating?

  21. LearningtheSystem says:

    Ben is still Ben. LS is the new thing, just as JG was the new thing, just as JLO was the new thing, and so on before her.
    As has been said here many times, men like Ben don’t change. He’ll repeat past behavior in this and likely every future relationship. So, I hope LS enjoys it while she has it and it’s worth whatever humiliation it will ultimately be to her (i.e., JLO and JG). As a fellow female, I hope her self esteem grows and she walks away intact before he can do to her what he’s done to the others before her.
    Also, we haven’t mentioned his “alleged” sexual assaults lately….don’t want to let those be forgotten. He has shown a flagrant disrespect toward women for years. I don’t get the women that support him.

    • Grapefruit says:

      +1

    • hillary says:

      What’s your point? Jen Garner loved being his doormat for 12.5 years and would clearly be very happy to do it again if he’d have her. Do you want Ben to live like a monk for the rest of his life or something, and have no relationships? If Lindsay (or whoever) wants to date him, that’s her business.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        First, I would disagree that she has been his doormat for 12.5 years and absolutely don’t believe for a second she would go back to him.
        I agree it is Lindsey’s business if she wants to date him, and Ben’s as to whom he dates.
        My point is that there seems to be a theme in comments that somehow this thing with LS is “real” as opposed to his relationship with JG. Ben’s thing with JG was “real” in the beginning, as well, as was his relationship with JLO. This has long appeared to be Ben’s pattern. He seems to genuinely enjoy the fresh, and then gets bored (seemingly) and seeks variety “allegedly.” I am sure he feels what he feels for LS, but am surprised by the comments from women here that this is new and special for him, and that somehow he is going to behave differently in this scenario than he has in ALL of his past relationships. It just shows that even women who think they see clearly are happy to put on the rose colored glasses to see what they want to see – romance is real THIS TIME, unlike the last few… Also, there have been many comments over the years that JG knew what she was getting into with Ben and no one had sympathy for her. And yet, somehow Lindsey is different – she is exempted from this special knowledge that should tell her not to enter into a relationship with Ben. I’m actually sad for her she is giving up her apartment. I don’t think this is going to end well for her long term. I believe he showed us who he is the first time.
        Oh, and I don’t want us to ever forget how his behavior towards other women has displayed such an utter lack of respect or regard for their bodies. His fluff “apologies” were seemingly empty and intended to present a pretty facade in my opinion.

    • christinez says:

      Maybe that’s true and he will eventually hurt and humiliate Lindsay as he has Jen. Or maybe they will be happy together for a number of years. Many people, myself included, made mistakes with Marriage #1 that we managed not to repeat in Marriage #2. Perhaps (and this is what I suspect) he and Garner were not a great fit from the start and this thing just ran its course. Either way, I’m not going to sit around and root for people and relationships to fail. That’s just petty and bad karma and they’re all strangers to everyone here. We think that we know what transpired between them because we read tabloids but that’s ridiculous. I truly don’t understand how anyone gets satisfaction out of exclaiming, “yeah… we’ll he’s gonna cheat on HER too!11!!” I mean, people talk about Jen needing to move on but some people in here seem very butt-hurt that the Garner-Affleck marriage failed and need to move on from that themselves. It’s like they’re taking it personally which is really weird. Everyone deserves to be happy. I think Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner will be happier with other partners. Their home life obviously wasn’t great if there was that much infidelity and substance abuse.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        They may well be happy for a few years. There have been dozens of comments over the months/years on this board that men like Ben don’t change, but a woman who falls in love with him thinks he’ll change for her or she can change him. That is said a lot about Jennifer – that she knew who he was, but thought she could change him. That’s the trap many women fall into. They don’t change, though – or if they do it is a singularly rare event. I’m not rooting for failure. I’m simply stating that there are those on these boards that seem to be buying into the trap – that this time is different – he’ll change for LS. Maybe he will, but the likelihood is beyond slim and I’m just drawing attention to the pattern of the trap. He has a very well documented, established pattern of being in love, and then falling out of love after a period of years, cheating, and then moving on a new love. He broke off his engagement with JLO like 2 days before the wedding – and they had been on Barbara Walters selling their deep and abiding love!
        Time will tell, but I’m not buying into the “he’s different with LS.” No, he isn’t. He’s following his own pattern. His other pattern – going after married women. Yeah, that’s the gambler in him. Once a gambler wins, they no longer get the rush and leave the game.
        LS was married, with a new baby, when they started out. Then there was the thrill of the cheating. Now it’s out in the open…
        I am familiar with that kind of thinking/behavior.
        Ben is Ben and will do what Ben does. As I said, time will tell. And, I seriously hope Lindsey wakes up before she is too damaged by the process.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        LL, really?
        We all sift through what is out there and decide what is logical and believable versus what is not. I’m good, thanks.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        I’m not anti Lindsey – I think she is caught up in something that will eventually be not good for her
        I am very anti- men like Ben who treat women so very disrespectfully. They get away with a lot because women are conditioned to excuse their behavior and blame the women. That’s all.
        And yes, I am passionate about that. I’ve become so much more aware in the past couple of years just how much men have abused their positions and I do speak up here and other places in that regard.

      • Meme says:

        @ LL

        I have a hard time believing their affair started when she had a 3 month old either. I mean, especially if she was breast feeding, have the time to conduct an affair? Let alone start a sexual romance with a new person at the point after healing from birth..Stranger theres have happened but I don’t think thats very plausible.

        @learning I think there may have been some overlap with the marriage and Shookus but I think the majority of their relationship these past few years have been after the separation. Would Ben have probably lingered with Jen for a few more years if Lindsay wasn’t in the picture? Yes, I think so, so in that sense you can call her a home wrecker but I also think its clear their marriage was broken and had been broken for awhile before him and Lindsay ever started up. Perhaps Lindsay sped things up but this marriage was doomed for failure with or without her in the picture.The writing was already on the wall i suspect by the time he engaged Lindsay

        Ben is a dog and is more than likely not going to change (leopard doesn’t change his spots blah blah) . I think Ben cheating on Jennifer Garner and finding love with another women are not mutually exclusive. I think it is quite possible he will find love and it was not with Jennifer and never was going to be.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        Again, we all choose to believe what is presented is truth in whole, in part, or not at all.
        I do believe the timeline as presented when Ben and Lindsey first came out – being that she had a few months’ old baby at home.
        I respect your opinions and right to speak them, and simply ask that you do the same for me.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        I don’t care if they continue to see each other. It matters not at all to me. It means nothing to me. It’s likely he is “serious” about her right now. That point is clearly very important to you and I don’t dispute it.
        That wasn’t my point, and I stand on my point. He has a pattern that has repeated more than once. This is his pattern. That’s all.
        Why are you attacking me personally? This is a blog and we all comment our opinions. We don’t agree and that’s ok with me. We don’t have to. I do enjoy debate, however, so I don’t mind the back and forth at all.

    • ORIGINAL T.C. says:

      @Learning

      I’ve read through the comments and none of them reflect your summary. You appear to be upset that others are not throwing dirt and spit at Shookus. They had an affair and have transitioned into a relationship, it is what it is. Nothing said on a gossip tread is going to change this reality. No one is saying Shookus is a poor victim of Ben’s nor that chose to be with him without knowing all his faults. And I have yet to see anyone calling their relationship ‘Ben’s last and greatest love’.
      What they are saying is even up to the day he and J.lo split he never had the look of complete disinterest towards her he has shown Jen nor had he said bland things about his previous GF’s like he has at awards shows about Jen. People have been saying this on Celebrity waaay before their separation. Re-read the comments without prejudice??

    • ORIGINAL T.C. says:

      PS
      And yes, I will judge the heck out of anyone (male or female) who chooses an unfit or shady spouse to have children with. Kids don’t get to pick their parents but *we* do. One child-ok, two-say what?, three-are you crazy?

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        I think that’s very idealistic. In the real world, if you haven’t personally experienced what it is like to be around an addict, you have absolutely no point of reference for how bad it can be and how manipulative they are. Once you are in, the pattern begins and it is an incredible up and down roller coaster and you get caught up in it without even being aware. That’s why abused women stay with an abusive spouse – the emotional manipulation is intense. They are genuinely sorry just after a bad time, and change for a while, then they go back. Rinse, repeat. Once you are finally free of that cycle, you see how damaged you were, but in the midst of it, not so much. I do have great empathy for women who make these choices and will champion the dickens out of them while trying to be free of them.
        My references in my post above are cumulative of months of these boards about Ben and Jen – not just this one. There have been the themes I referenced spread throughout.

  22. Grapefruit says:

    HA. I highly doubt he is donating any Weinstein money to, and to quote him, “that woman’s charity.” He wants to keep Shookus happy and quiet because of their shady history hence the swag apartment. I also have a gut feeling that she’s staying there vs. in the same building as her ex as previously reported because her ex might not like Ben – duh of course not – and him hanging around their kid. Sure, he’s met Shookus’ side of the family but no kid mentioned. Therefore, mistress turned gf gets new digs for when he visits (notice they’re quick to clarify that). A little nookie nest, lol. That’s my gut anyway. He’s messy and always will be. He’s committed to it until it doesn’t serve him. What starts badly, ends badly. I used to be an apologist for him but I can’t find anything redeemable about him anymore.

    Also, I do think Jen puts up with visits from him for the sake of making sure her kids have a relationship with their dad. I’m not a fan of hers, but I am not quick to blame or judge her for having him around for the holidays. She seems to be a good mom trying to do what she feels is best, even if we disagree with her methods. For better or worse, he’s the father of her children so she’s got to put up with some shit whether she likes it or not.

    • Rose says:

      What would he be keeping Shookus quite for? She seems happy with what ever arrangement they have, she not the nanny. This new apartment is probably more comfortable them, then living in the same building as her Ex. I’m sure he doesn’t what to see Ben face when he come home and Ben may have wanted something big enough if or when his kids and family come to visit.

    • The Original G says:

      Maybe Lindsay and her ex want to protect their child from incessant pap walks?

    • shashta says:

      Shookus put her old apartment up for sale last week. She’s living full-time at the new place that Ben purchased. It’s not a nookie pad.

  23. Scout says:

    Aww, it’s sweet he is renting an apartment for his former mistress.

  24. Jenfan says:

    Lindsay is officially a kept woman now.

    I don’t know how Jen takes it. But maybe she is playing nice till she gets her settlement and I hope it’s huge, like the costliest divorce ever.

    • mary says:

      I don’t think that having the partner that has a substantial higher income pay the majority of the rent is that big of a deal. She may be contributing to rent or in other ways financially. She seems independent and has been supporting herself. I don’t think she is with Ben for the money.

      If money is what she wanted, there are plenty of single and richer men in New York where she lives. Ben has so much baggage and drama, that I think she must have real feelings for him to have gone this far with him.

      I wonder if part of Jen’s motivation for being so over accommodating to Affleck is to get the best settlement possible.

    • S says:

      Lindsay was living in a $6k/mo apartment before. It was gorgeous. She doesn’t need his money to live really well. To live lavishly as this new apartment is, is another story. But… just sayin.

      • Jenfan says:

        So she is living the life in this apt and her kid is living with her/ them? Or does the child live with her dad and she has visitation?

        If your Ben’s children, how do you view this? Instead of my dad living with/near me, he is ac cross the country with someone else’s child. Really if you think about so typical of what happened in divorces 50 years ago. Parents split – Dad moved on and had a new family. Just saying

      • daria says:

        We don’t know. No one knows anything about Lindsay’s custody arrangement. However logic and reason tell us that if she has joint custody of her daughter (as she seems to), and she gave up her old apartment and is sharing with Ben, then her daughter lives there as well when she’s with her mother.

      • Rose says:

        @Jenfan

        Ben hasn’t moved to NY full time he seems to be there part time, just like Lindsay only says a couple of days in LA.

      • JoJo says:

        @Jenfan – Have divorce dynamics really changed that much though? My dad moved to NYC with his now-current wife of 20 years when I was 16 and my brother was 10, and they had a son, while we stayed back in Mass. with my mom. Many of my friends are divorced, and the kids’ time is definitely skewed more toward the parent they live with on a daily basis. Sometimes the kids only spend extended vacations like summer, school breaks, etc. with the other parent due to geographical distance. This still seems like the norm in divorces to me – as unfortunate as it is, it’s just the reality. Divorces rarely result in perfectly split 50/50 time. If anything, I think celebs have it easier since they actually have plenty of money to have multiple houses and fly anywhere, anytime.

      • Jenfan says:

        @jojo I things are a little better now, in terms of fathers trying to remain in their kids lives even if they are divorced. My husband’s parents divorced when he was 11. His dad subsequently remarried a woman with 2 children. He became their father, mostly abandoning his own children, who were raised by their mother alone. No blended family, just a new family. My husband just accepted it as that was what happened.. he got a new family.

  25. SlightlyAnonny says:

    This is superficial and petty but Jennifer Garner is too rich to have such a poorly fitting bra.

  26. JoJo says:

    FWIW, I saw Jen’s new film Tribes of PV this weekend on demand, and it was “ok.” The plot has been way overdone, and it’s hard to feel sympathy for these people, especially in this climate – super rich, white family moves to affluent LA area, husband cheats, wife has a breakdown, kids take the fall. I thought Garner did an ok/decent job with the role, and I predict she’ll campaign during awards season. I just can’t help it – I have to work really, really hard to get past her voice and awkward facial/mouth expressions, which never really went away even in this role.

    • daria says:

      lol She won’t be campaigning. It’s all over and done. The movie opened in 1 theater and is a total non-entity. Where do you come up with this stuff? She couldn’t even get herself booked on any talk shows this past week to promote it.

      • Jayna says:

        It was shot to be a VOD movie, basically, like many are now. They release it in a couple of theatres in big cities in case there’s a chance for a nomination.

        I saw it. She was good, but the story and directing had issues per critics’ reviews. She basically got good reviews. The movie was okay, nothing great. There’s not a chance for any nominations.

      • LearningtheSystem says:

        Both Wakefield and Tribes were women-produced and written films. I do respect the fact that Jennifer is willing to support other women in the industry and do films like these.

    • Jenfan says:

      Do you really think she will campaign? I can’t see it. I don’t think she has a shot. A while back Lainey felt she had a chance, but I think it was just interesting to her for the level of gossip that would cone out of it.

      • S says:

        Lainey will post anything to get clicks. This movie is a total joke. However since JoJo likes to blow everything out of proportion and be super dramatic I’m not surprised. Literally no one is talking about this film. It opened so lowly that it isn’t even mentioned in weekend estimates. It has a 63% on RT — way too low. Jen Garner is not someone who gets awards attention, she peaked 15 years ago. To suggest that she’ll be up for awards for this movie is one of the strangest and funniest things I’ve read on here in awhile.

      • JoJo says:

        @daria – I don’t necessarily think the number of theaters matters – a lot of indies are moving to streaming releases.

        @Jenfan – I don’t know. I mean, there are a few reviewers who are really praising her performance. Like I said, I personally didn’t think it was exceptional, and I don’t really think it’s deserving, but I feel like awards bodies love it when someone plays against type.

      • Rose says:

        Their is no buzz or promotion for this movie and their is no studio pushing it for the awards season so why would she campaign. Not to mention the race is already too crowded as it is.

      • Jerusha says:

        It’s 63% on RT, beating JL at 41% by 22 points, so somebody likes it.

    • hillary says:

      omg I am dying laughing at the suggestion that IFC is going to mount an Oscar campaign for Jen Garner. Are you for real?

      • JoJo says:

        Omg, did I say “Oscar”? No, I didn’t. But you know what, I digress. I’m sorry I ever even uttered the words. I didn’t realize it would cause such outrage. I was basically just trying to say that there are some reviewers who are really praising her performance, and I wondered if they’d try to go after some awards (not necessarily Oscar) … clearly it was an utterly stupid thought.

  27. Jayna says:

    I don’t think they are living together yet. He’s there a lot to see her, so rented a swanky apartment instead of nonstop hotels, where he has more privacy. I bet she still has her same apartment in the building where her ex lives and her daughter goes back and forth between them. When Ben is in town, she will be over at his apartment. If she moved in with Ben, that would mean her daughter, who she has half custody of, was moving in also. I don’t see that happening right now.

  28. Adele Dazeem says:

    Question: how much do you think LS makes at SNL? And her ex, in a similar role, what kind of ballpark money do these people make? Was she living in a dump before? Can she not make rent? I’m slightly confused.

    • Sky says:

      According to people above her previous apartment was 6k a month so she’s making good money. I’m not sure what’s confusing it seems like he bought an apartment for them this share as a couple.

    • magnoliarose says:

      Lindsay makes around 275 thousand a year.

      • Ana says:

        That is a lot for ordinary people . But for her, that is very small. No wonder she clings on to Affleck. She caught a pri$e.

      • Adele Dazeem says:

        Agreed Ana. It’s a ton to us but that plus an NYC lifestyle….she isn’t loaded.

      • Sky says:

        @Ana

        How is that very little money for Her? And where is she clinging to Ben? He the one buying a place in NY to be closer to her and not the other way around.

      • S says:

        Yeah I don’t get that either. First of all, magnoliarose is merely speculating that this is her annual salary. Secondly, it was apparently enough for her to afford an amazing $6k/mo apartment which I’m going to guess is a lot better than any hovel people in here are living in currently. And third, Ben Affleck is the one setting up shop in HER city, but *she’s* clinging to him? LOL. It’s Garner stans trying to turn the clingy argument around on Ben’s new girl except that it doesn’t work.

      • Ana says:

        MagnoliaRose is more or less correct. I came from TV and has seen some talent contracts. Actually $297k year is pretty small for SNL staff. I said clinging on, because Ben has a ton of money and this is a great opportunity for her.

  29. Jen says:

    Damn. I mean I know he’s loaded obvi. But damn 28 k??

  30. Shannon says:

    Meh. I guess Jen & Ben do hang out a lot. But when my husband and I divorced, we would hang out sometimes. Sometimes with significant others, sometimes without. When you share a child it feels important to keep some sort of bond; it wasn’t always the most fun thing in the world but I think it does give the kid(s) a sense of security. Like, just because we’re not together doesn’t mean we’re not both here for each other and you.

  31. Tina says:

    Totally agree. They must be engaged. I don’t know her custody arrangements, but there is no way she would move into this apartment with her child if there wasn’t a formal arrangement in place. 3 bedrooms doesn’t leave much space for Ben’s children. I guess he will see them in LA and she sees her daughter in NYC. Anyone still believe this is a “new relationship”? Has she finalized her divorce yet? My guess is they will marry sometime next year.

    • KBB says:

      I’d be surprised if they got married that quickly. He’s still spending the majority of his time in LA. I think he just needed a place in NYC for when he visits her.

      He needs to get a longer period of sobriety under his belt before he jumps into another marriage. They’ve been dating for years, but always in a sleazy hidden way. Didn’t he cheat on her with the nanny?

      I hope she doesn’t see him as anything but a fun boyfriend, but her selling her apartment isn’t a good sign of that.

      • Tina says:

        Selling her apartment is huge. Ben Affleck has gone to great lengths to ensure that the public knows he is in a serious relationship with Lindsay. Remember the house hunting photos from LA? I wonder where the puppy will live? Does he still have the puppy? Lindsay seems to be well-matched to him and I do believe she makes him happy. It is a messy situation for sure, but I think they are in it for the long haul.

  32. bvFTD says:

    Mr. Afflecks’s eyes are dead, his grin cooked because he physically has a hard time smiling, and he unashamedly flaunts the mistress. I wonder if she is also ill?

    He and she will continue spending until most of the money is gone. I suggest he see a neurologist to test for a common, horrific, under-recognized brain disorder called frontotemporal dementia, often called “midlife crisis.” I am fairly certain that Mr. Johnny Depp is also sick.

    This devastating, midlife brain disease must begin to be widely recognized.

  33. curious says:

    Meanwhile Garner is chewing up her fingernails in anger because he dare spend their family money on the new girl.