Ben Affleck was snapped at his Pacific Palisades homes on Wednesday, his first sighting since going to rehab.
Ben Affleck was snapped at his Pacific Palisades homes on Wednesday, the first time he's been seen publicly since he was taken to rehab by his estranged wife, Jennifer Garner, two weeks ago.
The 46-year-old actor was at home working out but has not left treatment, ET has learned. Affleck is being allowed to work out a few hours a day at his home while in treatment and is always accompanied by his sober coach and therapist.
Affleck dressed casually in a black hoodie, shorts and a white T-shirt, and the sighting is already a noticeable improvement from the way he appeared in photos taken of him on Aug. 22, also at his home, when he appeared visibly distraught in the backseat of Garner's car.
Garner drove her estranged husband to rehab in Malibu, marking his third stint in rehab. Throughout his career, the Argo director has been open about his issues with alcohol addiction, his first stint in rehab being in 2001. A source tells ET that Affleck has "been working intensively on himself in rehab."
"It has been an intensive challenge but he had no choice," the source says. "For Ben this was a life-and-death situation. It was very dire and that is the main reason Jen had no choice but to get involved."
As for Affleck being able to temporarily leave rehab to work out, the source says, "He believes he is strong enough to venture outside the facility with sober coaches."
ET has reached out to Affleck's rep.
A source previously told ET that Affleck was on a "bender" before Garner drove him to rehab. According to the source, 46-year-old Garner -- who split from Affleck in 2015 after 10 years of marriage -- went to check on the father of her three children, and the actor "was in terrible shape."
“Jen was incredibly concerned because Ben was making excuses for missed plans and rarely answering his phone in the week before he entered rehab," the source said. "She knows this pattern very well and became worried.”
“She went over to check on him fearful of what she might find, and sure enough found him with empty bottles strewn all over the house," the source continued. "He reeked of alcohol and clearly had been on some type of bender, and was in terrible shape.”
Another source told ET that Affleck had fallen off the wagon when it comes to sobriety, but not for lack of effort.
“Ben gave it his all, but sadly he wasn't able to sustain a sober lifestyle," the source noted. "We were all rooting for him, but his addiction got the best of him again. He went from taking the steps he needed in life to heading back to his old ways and, for those of us that love him, it was devastating to see him lose the battle.”
"Ben’s real problem is that he repeatedly gets it together for the sake of everyone else and now it's time for Ben to do it for himself," the source added. "Ben has so much love and support and he is so strong. We have faith he can turn things around and live a healthy life.”
For the latest on Affleck, watch the video below:
-- Reporting by Adriane Schwartz
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