Hollywood star Ben Affleck has publicly responded to a curious claim made by Real Housewives of Salt Lake City personality Lisa Barlow, stating he does not recall meeting her. This comes despite Barlow having posted photographic evidence of their encounter.
The 'Ben and Blake' Excuse
During a promotional interview for his new Netflix film The Rip, the 53-year-old Oscar winner was questioned by Access Hollywood about Barlow's previous assertion. The reality TV star, 51, had once used an excuse involving 'Ben and Blake' – seemingly referring to Affleck and actress Blake Lively – to avoid filming with her Bravo co-stars.
When shown a photo of Barlow, Affleck hesitated, joking that he didn't want to 'get anybody in trouble.' Prompted by his co-star and longtime friend Matt Damon to consider his last visit to Utah – where Barlow's alleged event would have occurred – Affleck estimated he hadn't been to the state in possibly a decade.
'She doesn’t look familiar to me, and I don’t remember it,' Affleck stated, adding, 'I don’t want to embarrass her.' He ultimately concluded, 'I don’t think I’m qualified to weigh in on this.'
Social Media Proof Contradicts Denial
However, the actor's diplomatic denial is contradicted by evidence from Barlow herself. In August 2024, amidst Affleck's very public separation from his second ex-wife Jennifer Lopez, Barlow shared a photo on social media of herself with the filmmaker.
While the exact date of the picture remains unclear, it confirms the pair have met on at least one occasion. In a pointed move at the time, Barlow also posted a separate photo with Lopez, quipping, 'I didn't pick sides.'
Damon and Affleck's Enduring Friendship Banter
Elsewhere in their press tour for The Rip, Affleck and Damon opened up about the dynamics of their decades-long friendship. Speaking to the Today show, the Boston-born duo revealed their pet peeves about each other.
Affleck cited Damon's domestic habits, claiming his friend is 'not great at cleaning up around the house,' a charge Damon rebutted as a trait of his younger self. Damon then fired back, naming Affleck's chronic lateness as his biggest grievance.
'We got here this morning and Ben was three minutes early. He got here before me and that's the first time in 45 years he has not been late,' Damon teased. Affleck hit back, calling it a 'complete myth' and joking that Damon lives 'the life of luxury' where everything is done for him.
The frequent collaborators, who won an Oscar for 1997's Good Will Hunting, now star in Joe Carnahan's thriller about Miami cops who seize millions of dollars.
