Ben Affleck claims those paparazzi photos show him with what he calls “resting hard face”, a reaction to constantly being hounded.
The paparazzi is a truly invasive breed, hitting stars when they’re at their most vulnerable or going about their life as normally as possible or when they’re carrying Dunkin’ iced coffee in about the most reckless way possible. The series that these hounds have taken of Ben Affleck over the years has hit all of these and more, with the latest — Affleck looking downright miserable — being some of the most meme-worthy to ever be snapped. And not that he needs to rationalize why he might look grumpy when a stranger is taking his picture for profit, but Ben Affleck has his reasons.
Appearing on Kevin Hart’s Hart to Heart (via EW), Ben Affleck confirmed that he has “resting hard face”, some sort of male version of RBF. He added, “I’m also a little bit shy. I also don’t like a lot of attention. That’s why people see me and they’re like, ‘Why’s this dude always mad?’ Because somebody has their camera and sticks it in my face and I’m like, ‘Okay, here we go.’” So he’s not mad, it’s that “people are projecting something onto me that I don’t feel about myself at all.”
As much as we can expect more or less the same look from Ben Affleck every time, those singular frames don’t necessarily dictate who that person is at any given moment. It’s a quick look or gesture that might be part of a reaction – whether planned or not – but doesn’t encapsulate everything. Yet, you can look at any snap of the star and pretty much nail that the headline will be something along the lines of: “Ben Affleck ANGRY While Handling Dunkin’ Donuts—What’s His Problem???” That’s just part of the paparazzi’s game, however despicable it is.
We’ve seen this sort of behavior from the paparazzi since the term was coined in the 1960s. And while celebs on the street will always get cameras going, there has been major outcry as of late as to how they are treated within their own private lives. When candid pictures of Jack Nicholson leaked, a field day was had over how he looked…at 85…in the comfort of his own home…Thankfully people who have some decency came to his defense, insisting the paparazzi and internet trolls back off.
What do you think the role of paparazzi is in 2024? Is our constant use of cell phones part of the problem? Give us your thoughts!