'We encounter these kind of hurdles and we have to deal with them.'
Ben Affleck is opening up about his struggle with alcoholism.
During an interview with Hoda Kotb on Today, the 46-year-old Triple Frontier actor discussed his long struggle with alcohol, four months after his 40-day stint in rehab. While Affleck revealed that "some people are sort of uncomfortable" discussing alcoholism, he said "it doesn't really bother" him to discuss it.
"It’s a part of my life. It's something I deal with. It doesn’t have to sort of consume my whole identity and be everything, but it is something that, you know, you have to look at," he said on Monday. "I feel like I had a problem and I really wanted to address it and I take some pride in that... It's about yourself, your life, your family. [As] people we encounter these kinds of hurdles and we have to deal with them."
Affleck's Today interview came just days after a source told ET that he was "doing great" following his most recent time in rehab.
"Fighting and/or contending with this disease is tough," the source said. "He spent a lot of focused time finding support that would help set him up for success."
While on the morning show, Affleck also discussed his family; ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their three children, Violet, 13, Seraphina, 10, and Samuel, 7.
"She's wonderful," he gushed of Garner, whom he said he "of course" still loves. "Somebody's the mother of your kids they're gonna be the most important, central person in your life and that’s good."
As for being a dad, Affleck hopes to be "a pretty good" one. "I certainly try pretty hard," he said. "I’m lucky they got a great mom and she helps out a great deal with making sure we co-parent in as good a way as possible."
"Dads are so important to kids and it's our responsibility to be there for them; to be present, to be mindful, to be attentive, to be part of their lives, to be in it just as much as moms," he continued. "That’s really the central preoccupation of my life. The focus of my life. It’s what I love doing. It makes me happy. The rest of the stuff kind of follows."
ET's source told recently echoed the sentiment that Garner and their three children are Affleck's main focus.
"He and Jen have a really good relationship," the source said, adding that Affleck's top priority has always been his children. "He loves spending time with his kids."
Affleck and Garner got in some major co-parenting recently, when the pair celebrated their son's seventh birthday with a How to Train Your Dragon themed bash. After Affleck donned his Batman costumes at last year's celebration, Garner decided to try out the costume thing this time around, a move that embarrassed Samuel.
"She wanted to jump in on the whole costume phase... I think my son definitely killed it because she came out with all the makeup and the whole thing and he’s like, 'Hey Mom, we already have an Astrid,'" he revealed with a laugh. "... That’s part of being a parent, is when you realize you are... way not cool."
ET's Nischelle Turner caught up with Affleck at the premiere of his flick, Triple Frontier, on Sunday and the actor revealed more details about Garner's birthday party fail.
"I was shocked as anybody when I saw Jen come out as Astrid," he admitted. "But then she said Sam was like, 'OK Mom. We already have an Astrid.'"
"I felt so bad. She was devastated," Affleck continued with a good-natured laugh. "She had gone to all these lengths to put on the costume."
Watch the video below for more on ET's interview with the actor:
RELATED CONTENT:
