Ben Affleck says George Clooney gave him plenty of time off to be with his kids.
![Ben Affleck was grateful](/image-library/partners/bang/land/1000/b/ben-affleck-was-grateful-aW1hZ2VzMS8yMDIxLzEyLzIyLzE2NDAxNjU.jpg)
Ben Affleck was grateful
The 'Tender Bar' actor has opened up on working with his friend and fellow father - who directed the new movie - and how he was able to spend as much time as possible with son Sam, nine, and daughters Violet, 16, and Seraphina, 12.
He told PEOPLE magazine: "My life has really changed a lot. Once I had kids, it became very obvious to me that the priority was time with them.
"George was spectacular in that way. He's a dad too and would let me out on the weekends or cut me early.
"He really understood and appreciated how important it was for me to see my kids."
Ben - who has his three kids with ex-wife Jennifer Garner - revealed he made sure to prioritise his family over his career following their divorce in 2018 when he "had half the time" with his kids.
He added: "So I'm trying to fit a whole week of dad into three and a half days, [it's] hard and stressful. My standards really changed.
"I don't want to go travel and do something if it's not really rewarding and meaningful.
"Yeah, I have to work. The kids know I have to work. Their mom has to work. They understand that. But it's not like I'm some martyr for my kids. I get more out of it than anything else."
His work on 'The Tender Bar' - which is based on J.R. Moehringer's memoir - met his standards, with Ben playing Uncle Charlie, who is a father figure to JR.
He said: "I have to find a way to make [a role] resonant to me. Some things are easier, some things are a stretch.
"In my case, there are some very clear [parallels to my 'Tender Bar' character]. My dad was a bartender. My dad was really interested in writing and literature and storytelling and passed that on to me.
"And it was a community very similar to the community on Long Island that's depicted in the movie."
Tagged in Ben Affleck George Clooney Jennifer Garner