LESSONS IN TOUGH LOVE

As he stars in his first film sequel, Ben Affleck reveals what drew him back to a character who struggles to connect – and anticipates a brutally honest reaction from his kids

- ADAM STONE

Ben Affleck may have won multiple awards, but the star of The Accountant 2 knows that his work is not immune to criticism - especially from his children.

“They'll sit next to me while I’m watching something I’m in and say: ‘This is terrible. Why did you do this?’” the actor has said of Violet, 19, Fin, 16, and 13-year-old Samuel, his children with his former wife, actress Jennifer Garner. “I’m like: ‘You could wait until the end of the movie, at least.’ But no.”

The jury is still out on his latest project, as far as Ben's brood are concerned, but the actor, 52, is excited about notching up a career first.

The Good Will Hunting star rarely takes on film sequels - but for a chance to revisit The Accountant, he made an exception.

“The response to the first one was so positive that it made sense,” says Ben, recalling the reaction to the 2016 thriller, in which he plays a forensic accountant working for some of the world’s deadliest criminal organisations.