Ben Affleck is one of the biggest names in Hollywood, and at 52 years old, he has had an incredible career. The actor started out in 1993 with Dazed and Confused, and in the 2003 film Gigli, the tattoos he began getting as a teenager became part of his character. Many celebrities have tattoos, but Affleck arguably has one of the most iconic collections. While he has expressed regret over some of them in the past, he made the bold decision to get matching ink with his ex-wife Jennifer Lopez for Valentine’s Day in 2023. From the majestic to the heartbroken, here’s a guide to the Batman star's tattoos.
Rise of the phoenix
Affleck’s phoenix tattoo on his back is legendary for many reasons. The giant, colorful bird, first gained attention in July 2015 following his split from Jennifer Garner. He was first photographed with it by paparazzi shopping, with the tail peaking out behind his shirt. In 2016, Affleck denied that the phoenix tattoo was real, telling Extra TV’s Mario Lopez that it was a temporary tattoo for a movie, per The Mercury News. However, in 2018, it was photographed again while he was in Hawaii. He finally admitted it was real telling Ellen DeGeneres “It’s not something that I sort of kept private, It wasn’t like I was doing photoshoots or whatever, we were two hours north of the city on an island in Hawaii and we didn’t know the paparazzi were there.” “So they got a picture of my tattoo.”
A colorful cross
The Air star has a cross that has evolved on his left shoulder. The original cross was visible in the 2003 film he starred in with his ex-wife Jennifer Lopez, Gigli. It has since grown with colorful flowers surrounding it.
Another tattoo that has evolved is on his right arm. It had some barbed wire elements and has since grown in size and color. It's believed to be one of the tattoos he got when he was a teenager. According to People, the actor has said of his ink in the past, “I was young. It was fun and cool. I’m sorry now, but it is a good lesson in decisions that have important and long repercussions."
The dolphin
The father of 3 has a lesser-known dolphin tattoo above his hip. He reportedly got it to cover up the name of an ex-girlfriend. The tattoo isn't as flashy as his massive phoenix backpiece, but it's still adorable.
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