Over the past two weeks, there’s been a good deal of speculation about Ben Affleck’s sobriety.
To bring you up to speed, Affleck checked into rehab back in March to seek treatment for an alcohol addiction he’d been battling on and off for over a decade.
Over the summer, however, Ben appeared to relapse and was spotted drinking with girlfriend Lindsay Shookus on multiple occasions.
Now, sources say Affleck is in outpatient therapy for further treatment, and is once again intent on staying sober.
Shookus is a producer for Saturday Night Live, and sources close to the couple tell People magazine that Ben was on hand at 30 Rockefeller Center to support Lindsay over the weekend.
Witnesses note, however, that the Oscar winner was not on hand for the weekly after-party, likely as a result of his efforts to abstain from drinking.
So our congratulations go out to Ben for two reasons today:
Not only does he appear to be recommitted to his own sobriety, he also his position of power to condemn the repugnant actions of disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein.
As you’ve no doubt heard, Weinstein stands accused of sexually assaulting numerous women over the course of the past thirty years.
Weinstein was instrumental in the production and distribution of Good Will Hunting, the film that made household names of Affleck and friend Matt Damon.
But despite his longstanding ties to Weinstein, Affleck castigated the disgraced 64-year-old in a scathing social media post:
“I am saddened and angry that a man who I worked with used his position of power to intimidate, sexually harass and manipulate many women over decades,” Affleck wrote.
“The additional allegations of assault that I read this morning made me sick. This is completely unacceptable, and I find myself asking what I can do to make sure this doesn’t happen to others,” the actor continued.
It’s been rumored that Affleck’s statement was a response to a tweet from one of Weinstein’s alleged victims, actress Rose McGowan, who urged Ben and his brother Casey to speak out against their friend and former mentor.
We may never know for certain if McGowan played a role in convincing Ben to speak out, but the important thing is that Affleck took a stand against Weinstein’s vile behavior.
It’s been a rough year for Ben, what with a high-profile divorce, public struggle with addiction, and rumors of career difficulties.
But he certainly seems focused on ending 2017 on a high note, and for that, we applaud him.
