Kevin Smith Praises Friend Ben Affleck as a 'Sweetheart' and 'Great Father': 'One of My Favorite People' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Kevin Smith and Ben Affleck in Hollywood, California, on Oct. 14, 2019.Photo: Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images

Kevin Smithis heaping praise onto his longtime friendBen Affleck.

Despite the past ups and downs in their relationships,The 4:30 Moviewriter-director, 54, tells PEOPLE that Affleck is “absolutely one of my favorite people on the planet.”

“I’ve always adored him,” says Smith, who has directed Affleck, 52, on several films includingMallrats(1995),Chasing Amy(1997) andDogma(1999).

Smith says that the two-timeOscarwinner is “just the goods,” adding, “I know everyone is aware of his private life from the outside, but I just wish people could hang out with him for a day and know him the way I know him, the way [friend and collaborator]Jason Mewesknows him.”

“He’s just a really funny sweetheart of a guy who’s a great father — just like Jason Mewes, another great father,” says theClerksauteur.

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Ben Affleck and Kevin Smith at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France (1999).Neil Munns - PA Images/PA Images/Getty

Neil Munns - PA Images/PA Images/Getty

Smith previously touched on what happened between himself and Affleck in November 2018, after a user on Twitter (formerly X) wrote, “Sometimes I wonder what really happened between Ben Affleck and Kevin Smith that made them not talk to each other,” tagging both stars’ accounts.

Smith responded at the time, “If I had to guess? It’s because one of us has a big mouth and told too many candid stories that sometimes weren’t his to tell, and the other one is Ben.”

And not only was Affleck in attendance during the 2019 event, but he spoke during the ceremony, as did Smith’s daughterHarley Quinn Smith.

Affleck also appeared in that year’sJay and Silent Bob Reboot, which marked his and Smith’s first actor-director collaboration since 2006’sClerks II. (Affleck also appeared in 2022’sClerks III.)

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Kevin and Harley Quinn Smith in Hollywood, California, on Aug. 24, 2022; Ben Affleck in Austin, Texas, on March 18, 2023.Albert L. Ortega/Getty; Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty

Albert L. Ortega/Getty; Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty

And while he hasn’t seen Affleck since last year, “I’m sure I’ll run into him again; it’s a very small town,” Smith tells PEOPLE. “Of course, there’s always something that I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I need a movie star. Let’s call Ben.’ "

He also briefly touches on Affleck’s divorce fromJennifer Lopez, telling PEOPLE that he believes they are both “wonderful” people.

Lopez, 55,filed for divorceon Aug. 20, which marked the second anniversary of theirtraditional wedding ceremony in Georgia, at which Smith was in attendance. She and Affleckinitially married in Las Vegason July 17, 2022.

“If they’re not going forward, that breaks my heart and stuff, but I’ve always adored him,” says Smith of Affleck.

Kevin Smith; Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.GETTY (2)

Aside from a love of filmmaking, the two share fatherhood in common. Smith is a dad to actress daughter Harley, 25, while Affleck shares three kids with ex-wifeJennifer Garner:Violet, 18,Seraphina, 15, andSamuel, 12.

TheAirdirector bestowed quite the hilarious compliment onto Harley after she gave her dad a “well-reasoned-out” explanation aboutwhy she didn’t want to starin the lead female role in Smith’s new coming-of-age, semi-autobiographic comedyThe 4:30 Movie.

“I told [Ben] that Harley passed on the movie andhe was like, ‘That’s a smart kid. No Kevin Smith movie has ever made any actor’s career better,’ " joked Smith.

source: people.com