Ben Affleck reportedly crushing on A-list Hollywood actress linked to Brad Pitt after split from Jennifer Lopez

Ben Affleck has a crush on one of Brad Pitt's Oscar-winning exes, and it is not Gwyneth Paltrow.

Ben Affleck is officially back on the Hollywood singles scene and reportedly harbours a long-standing admiration for a fellow Oscar-winning actress, according to a source close to the actor. The star recently named Angelina Jolie as his ultimate movie star crush, revealing he’s long respected both her beauty and intellect.

According to a Daily Mail source, Affleck “always thought that she was very hot” and admires how she has handled her career, adding, “He has called her smart.” He also appreciated her work as a director, drawing parallels to his own experience behind the camera with films like Argo and The Town. “They would certainly have a lot to talk about over dinner,” the source claimed.

Jolie, who has not been publicly linked to anyone since her high-profile divorce from Brad Pitt in 2016, shares six children with the actor. Affleck, who has three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, finalised his divorce from Jennifer Lopez earlier this year. Despite the split, he stated in a recent interview that there was no dramatic cause behind the breakup, noting, “There’s no scandal, no soap opera, no intrigue.”

The actor and Jolie share history dating back to early 2000s award show encounters. In 2001, Affleck was seen whispering to Jolie at the Vanity Fair Oscar party. In 2014, they were again photographed engaging warmly at the Hollywood Film Awards, sparking speculation about their chemistry.

Their romantic timelines have also overlapped with mutual connections. Both dated Gwyneth Paltrow during the late 1990s — Pitt was engaged to her before Affleck entered the picture in 1997. Pitt is now dating jewellery executive Ines de Ramon.