In a new interview, Ben Affleck talks about the media's obsession with his relationship with Jennifer Lopez and reflects on the "sexist and racist" coverage Lopez received in the tabloids In an appearance on the Hollywood Reporter's "Awards Chatter" podcast ( open in new tab), Affleck recalled his high-profile relationship with Lopez, whom he dated from 2002 to 2004, and applauded the actor, musician, and businesswoman for her remarkable decades-long career.

"There's always a story of the month, and my relationship with Jennifer Lopez happened to be in the tabloids at a time when that business was growing by leaps and bounds," Affleck said. People were so mean about her, sexist, racist, you name it. Ugly, vicious crap was written about her, and if you wrote it now, you would literally be fired for saying those things.

"Now she is celebrated and respected for the work she did, where she came from, what she accomplished! If she is from the Bronx, she is more likely to have a career like Jennifer Lopez, now 50, than she is to be like Justice Sotomayor of the Supreme Court.

In 2017, Lopez spoke about the end of her relationship with Affleck (opens in new tab) and the 2005 film "Ghibli," in which the then-couple starred. She told Vanity Fair magazine, "I lost myself, I questioned whether I belonged in the business, and I thought maybe I was up to no good."

"My relationship [with Affleck] destroyed itself in front of the whole world," Lopez continued. It was two years for me until I got myself together again."

Affleck, who is currently dating actor Ana de Armas, also brushed off accusations that he intentionally "pap-walks" for publicity in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. Still to this day, there are people who say, 'I saw you in the paparazzi and in the pictures!' ' and people say, 'Oh, yeah. Yes, I left the house and took out the trash. But they say, "Dad, you were out walking! They say, 'You took a walk, didn't you? As if leaving the house is just doing so in the hope of getting lucky enough to be number six in the Daily Mail. Ridiculous!"