Gwyneth Paltrow dated 'technically excellent' Ben Affleck after breaking off with Brad Pitt in 1997

Gwyneth Paltrow candidly spoke about her time dating Ben Affleck after sharing 'major chemistry' with Brad Pitt
UPDATED JUL 21, 2024
Gwyneth Paltrow discusses her relationship with Ben Affleck on a podcast following the 1997 split from Brad Pitt (Getty Images)
Gwyneth Paltrow discusses her relationship with Ben Affleck on a podcast following the 1997 split from Brad Pitt (Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck began their relationship in 1997 after she had called off her engagement to Brad Pitt.

Later, Paltrow candidly spoke about her time with Ben Affleck and Brad Pitt, describing the former as "technically excellent" and about sharing a "major chemistry" with Pitt, as reported by Showbiz Cheat Sheet.

Ben Affleck dated Gwyneth Paltrow after her split from Brad Pitt

LONDON - JULY 02:  Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and daughter Apple watch Coldplay singer Chris Martin per
Gwyneth Paltrow shared her experience of dating Ben Affleck after breaking up with Brad Pitt (Getty Images)

Gwyneth Paltrow opened up about her relationship with Ben Affleck, with whom she dated on and off from 1997 to 2000.

In a revealing interview on the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast in May 2022, Paltrow compared her relationships with Affleck and Brad Pitt, providing candid insights into both.

When asked by host Alex Cooper about which of her ex-boyfriends was better in bed, Paltrow found it difficult to choose. "Brad was like the sort of major chemistry, love of your life, kind of, at the time and then Ben was, like, technically excellent," she said, (per People).

"I can’t believe my daughter is listening to this!"

When Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez met in 2001, she was married to Cris Judd, and Affleck had recently ended his relationship with Paltrow. Despite maintaining a friendly relationship with Paltrow after their split, some sources speculated that she was unhappy with Affleck's new relationship with Lopez.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 12: (L-R) Ben Affleck and  Jennifer Lopez attend the Los Angeles pr
Ben Affleck is reportedly estranged from his wife of two years, Jennifer Lopez (Getty Images)

At the end of 2002, rumors circulated that Affleck and Paltrow were caught in a compromising position in a Manhattan bathroom.

Affleck denied these claims, stating, "This is clearly about me," he told Vanity Fair.

"There’s no truth in it whatsoever. Gwyneth is in London. The last time I saw her was at the memorial service for her father. While we’re friends, you would not find us in any compromising position."

Affleck shared that Paltrow, concerned about the impact of these rumors on Lopez, reached out to him.

"Gwyneth is one of the most gracious and well-mannered people I’ve ever met," Affleck said. "When I saw her at the, what’s it called, the shivah, in the middle of what had to be the worst time of her life, she said, 'You know that’s not true. Please tell her it’s not true. I wish you guys only the best'."

Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck remained friends after their breakup

VENICE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 03:  Actress Gwyneth Paltrow (Earring Detail) attends the
Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck remained friends after their breakup  (Getty Images)

Despite their breakup, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck remained friends. She expressed her admiration for Affleck, describing him as "super intelligent," "really, really talented," and "funny." However, she also acknowledged that Affleck was not in the right place to maintain a relationship at the time. "He wasn’t in a good place in his life to have a girlfriend," she shared with Howard Stern in 2015.

Gwyneth Paltrow is now married to Brad Falchuk, a producer known for his work on 'American Horror Story'. Meanwhile, Ben Affleck is reportedly estranged from his wife of two years, Jennifer Lopez.

MORE STORIES

The post Khloe Kardashian liked featured Charlie Kirk speaking with a fan at an event about his devout Christian faith
Sep 13, 2025
Whitney Cummings sparked widespread outrage after posting a controversial tweet about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk
Sep 13, 2025
Prince Harry was spotted entering King Charles’s London residence, months after saying his father had ignored his calls
Sep 11, 2025
Rosie O'Donnell said Ellen DeGeneres’ friendship denial hurt so much she printed T-shirts for her staff reading, 'I don’t know Rosie, we’re not friends'
Sep 10, 2025
A post alleged that Karoline Leavitt called Patti LaBelle 'just a singer,' leading LaBelle to deliver a seven-word response that froze the studio
Sep 10, 2025
Jennifer Lopez feels free channeling emotions into music, but Ben Affleck is embarrassed and sees it as crossing a line, according to the source
Sep 9, 2025
Howard Stern added that he missed last week’s show due to illness, not contract talks, and addressed rumors of being fired from his own show
Sep 9, 2025
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement in August 2025 triggered a wave of pregnancy chatter after an ultrasound photo went viral
Sep 9, 2025
Ed Sheeran, 34, revealed that he was leaving Suffolk with his wife Cherry Seaborn and their two daughters, Lyra and Jupiter
Sep 9, 2025
From Ice Spice’s chaotic corset to Paris Hilton’s flame dress, see the celebs who landed on the worst-dressed list at the 2025 VMAs
Sep 8, 2025