One of the most surprising and public celebrity couples of 2020 is still going strong toward the end of the year. Ben Affleck, 48, and Knives Out starAna de Armas, 32,
have been romantically linked since vacationing in Cuba together this March. After meeting on a film set in late 2019, they kept their relationship decidedly low-key—until quarantine hit. Then, the couple often got photographed walking their dogs and going on coffee runs in Los Angeles. According to People, Affleck and de Armas just celebrated their first Thanksgiving as a couple with his three children with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner. Here, everything we know about the co-stars turned couple as they near the one-year mark on their relationship.
Fall/Winter 2019: Production began on Deep River, a psychological thriller in which Affleck and de Armas play husband and wife. According to a Peoplesource, filming on the movie wrapped in New Orleans in November. Although the pair "had great chemistry right from the start," they maintained a professional relationship while working together. “Ben always seemed very relaxed and happy around Ana, but at the time there were no signs of romance,” the insider said. “He was very focused on making a fantastic movie. He arrived early and was one of the last people to leave.”
The timeline for their potential romance occurred about a month after Affleck reportedly ended things with 22-year-old Playboy model Shauna Sexton. The actor had weathered another breakup in April 2019, when he split with SNL producer Lindsay Shookus for the second time.
February 2020: In mid-February, Affleck gave a round of interviews to promote his new movie, The Way Back. He inspired headlines when he referred to his divorce from Jennifer Garner, which was finalized in October 2018, as "the biggest regret of my life" during a New York Timesinterview.
For a sit-down with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America, he spoke candidly about his sobriety journey and hopes for the future. When asked where he sees himself five years from now, Affleck hinted at a possible relationship. "Five years from now, Ben Affleck is sober and happy, and sees his kids three and a half days a week, and has made three or four movies that are interesting to him," he replied. "[And] directed two [movies] that he's hopefully proud of and is in a healthy, stable, loving, committed relationship."
.@BenAffleck opens up to @DianeSawyer on his supportive friends in Hollywood, his sobriety and his new movie "The Way Back." https://t.co/cjkwru67WQpic.twitter.com/GJoe05cJrN
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 21, 2020
March 8, 2020: The following month, de Armas and Affleck were spotted on a trip to Havana, Cuba (the actress's hometown). A source told People, "They are definitely dating," adding that the couple was seen making out in the airport before boarding their private jet. Photos of the rumored couple soon emerged. Fans took pictures with Affleck and de Armas as they visited museums and ate at restaurants in the area.
? • Ana hoje (5) no restaurante "La Corte del Principe" em Cuba com Ben Affleck. pic.twitter.com/33uP8aIa3U
— Ana de Armas Brasil (@dearmasbr) March 5, 2020
Ana de Armas & Ben Affleck visit an art museum in Havana, Cuba. pic.twitter.com/FUohAFglSu
— Ana de Armas Updates (@ArmasUpdates) March 6, 2020
Ana de Armas & Ben Affleck dine at the ‘Ivan chefs Justo’ restaurant in Havana, Cuba. pic.twitter.com/Cl25FiLq6N
— Ana de Armas Updates (@ArmasUpdates) March 7, 2020
After the trip was completed, a source spoke to Peopleabout the romantic getaway. "Ben and Ana had a great time in Havana," the insider said. "Ana was his tour guide and took him to all her favorite places. Ben seemed to love the trip. He was in a great mood and very friendly. He was approached by fans multiple times and happily posed for pictures. They visited several restaurants and enjoyed Cuban cuisine." A Twitter user even noted that Affleck spoke Spanish to de Armas on the vacay.
March 10, 2020: Next, Affleck and de Armas jetted off to Costa Rica, where they were spotted walking down the beach and showing PDA. In the photos, Affleck can even be seen taking sunset pictures of de Armas, which will become important later in their love story. TMZ also shared footage of the couple's photo session:
March 15, 2020: In an interview for Vogue Spain's April cover (translated via People), de Armas spoke about working with her rumored beau. “The first time we read the scenes together, it became pretty clear he was going to do something exceptional with a very complex role,” she said. “His character is the engine of the story and requires him to move between tragedy and irony or between realism and the most absurd comedy.” She added, “Not only does he know how to do it with ease, he also manages to surprise you in every shot. His talent is infinite.”
Affleck called de Armas a "brilliant actress" in that same interview.
March 18, 2020: Apparently, Affleck earned his Instagram boyfriend credit on the Costa Rican beach. De Armas shared a series of photos that Affleck had taken to Instagram. One shows the actress in focus, staring at the camera mysteriously. The others are blurry but still clearly show de Armas in the dress she wore the day Affleck photographed her. She captioned the post simply, "✨?."
As if there was any doubt that Affleck was behind the photos, the actor himself asked for attribution, writing, “photo credit pls ?.” However, neither de Armas nor Affleck follow each other on the platform.
March 19, 2020: The following day, the couple was seen making a coffee run in Los Angeles, via People. Affleck and de Armas took a break from isolation by strolling with the actress's dog in matching gray wool jackets.
March 22, 2020: In another mid-quarantine update, a source spoke to Us Weeklyabout the couple's relationship. "Ana is very happy with Ben," the source said. "She loves spending time with him and they have great chemistry and a lot of fun together."
The insider also revealed that Affleck's ex Garner had given the romance her seal of approval. "Jen has completely moved on from Ben in a romantic sense," the source said, referencing Garner's two-year relationship with businessman John Miller. "She considers him a friend, thinks he is a good dad to their children and respects him. She is happy in her own life and supportive of him and happy for him and his relationship."
March 24, 2020: De Armas and Affleck were caught by paparazzi again while on another break from self-quarantine. This time, they were spotted walking de Armas's dog around Brentwood, California. De Armas wore a pair of pink slip-ons while on the stroll, where the pair stopped for a quick kiss.
A source gave Entertainment Tonighta clearer timeline of when de Armas and Affleck's romance began. The two have been dating "for a few weeks," the source explained.
"Ben and Ana have been dating for a few weeks and are enjoying each other's company," the source said. "The couple met while filming [upcoming psychological thriller] Deep Water in Louisiana and instantly had a connection."
The insider continued, "Ben is sober and in a really good place and Ana respects him for the process he's going through. Ben and Ana are still early into their relationship, but it's been fun and exciting for both."
April 2, 2020: A source spoke to Us Weekly about the dynamic de Armas shares with Affleck's ex and mother of his children, Garner. The insider said that Garner and de Armas had “very friendly” conversations while meeting “a couple of times briefly.” However, the source said, “They haven’t all hung out with the kids as one big group. Jen is not there yet. There is no doubt that they will do dinners and hangouts with the kids when Jen is ready, but no one is pressuring her to jump into that.”
April 12, 2020: Affleck and de Armas apparently spent Easter together while quarantining, a source told People. “They seem to have a great time together,” the insider said of the couple. “They order delivery food and groceries and only leave the house for walks around the neighborhood with their dogs. Ben looks incredible happy. They are flirty and goofy. Ana always has a huge smile around him.”
April 30, 2020: With the celebration of de Armas's 32nd birthday, the couple went Instagram official. In a collection of photos from the day, Affleck appears in an outdoor snap with de Armas. "Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes and love! Cheers to another great year. ???????✨?
Gracias a todos por los mensajes de cumpleaños y el amor. Un brindis por otro año maravilloso," she wrote alongside the photos on Instagram.
May 24, 2020: Per TMZ, Affleck has introduced his three kids, Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel, to de Armas.
In the photos obtained by the site, the family, all wearing masks, is out walking two dogs. TMZ says one of the dogs is Jennifer Garner's dog, Birdie, who was handled by Violet. De Armas walked her small dog, Elvis, as she brought up the back of the group with eight-year-old Sam.
June 3, 2020: At the start of the month, Affleck and de Armas were photographed attending a Black Lives Matter protest in Venice, California. Photos posted on Twitter show Affleck holding signs that read "Black Lives Matter" and "Save First Baptist Church of Venice," a Black founded church that was facing demolition, according to People. An Affleck source told the outlet that "Ben wants to continue to be a model for his children. They talk about these important issues."
Ana de Armas & Ben Affleck attend a protest for the #BlackLivesMatter movement in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/CnI1g7gIv6
— Ana de Armas Updates (@ArmasUpdates) June 2, 2020
June 5, 2020: The couple was spotted wearing masks for a trip to Whole Foods in Los Angeles.
That same day, The Daily Mailcaptured photos of Affleck's three children placing a cardboard cut-out of de Armas on Affleck's lawn.
June 15, 2020: On the heels of de Armas's day with Affleck's kids, she spent time with his mother Christine Boldt. A source told People that the couple flew to Georgia with his kids for a visit with Christine. "They are spending a few days in Georgia with Ben's kids. It's a low-key vacation," the source said. "Ana seems to love being around his kids. Everyone has been getting along great. Ana is making an effort to get to know his kids."
June 20, 2020: After landing back in L.A., the couple was seen on a mask-less walk through Los Angeles. Both opted for dark-colored denim, while Affleck wore a black sweater and de Armas chose a dark gray sweater and aviator sunglasses.
June 30, 2020: The couple strolled through Los Angeles again, walking their dog while de Armas wore a floral dress for the outing.
A few days later, Affleck and de Armas shared a laugh while walking the dog and sipping coffee.
July 3, 2020: After less than a year of dating, the couple was reportedly spotted touring houses in Los Angeles. Later that month, they were captured on yet another stroll with a dog while wearing masks this time.
A source told Us Weeklyof the pair, “Ben is so sweet to Ana and does everything he can to make her happy. She can say anything—lunch, trips, etc., and he will make it happen.”
August 4, 2020: The following month, Affleck and de Armas are photographed spending a beach day in Malibu with Affleck's best friend Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso. TMZ obtained photos of the outing, which shows de Armas and Affleck smooching mere feet away from Damon.
August 15, 2020: Just as Affleck helped de Armas celebrate her birthday, she returned the favor for his 48th. According to People, she gifted Affleck a custom BMW motorcycle, which was constructed for the Oscar winner at WYLD Garage Co. The couple was spotted testing out the motorcycle while wearing matching helmets that same day.
August 16, 2020: The next day, de Armas shared a rare photo of herself and Affleck on Instagram, captioning the black-and-white selfie with a pink heart.
August 18, 2020: A source opened up to E! News about de Armas's impact on Affleck's sobriety. "Since Ana has been in Ben's life, being sober has become easier to manage," the source said. "She came into his life and has given him everything he wants and needs in a partner. He's very satisfied with Ana and isn't looking for a coping method. She has a vivacious personality and is a very talented actress."
The insider went on to say that de Armas herself isn't a major drinker. "Drinking isn't part of the equation with Ana," the source added. "She's very supportive, and she doesn't party or make alcohol a big part of her life. It's not what they do as a couple or a part of their relationship. He really hasn't felt the want or need since they have gotten into a relationship."
The source went on to address de Armas's bond with Affleck's children. "She's wonderful with his kids and very loving. It's hard to put into words how happy he is with her," the insider said. "She fills him up, and he doesn't need anything else."
August 24, 2020: Later that month, Peoplereported that de Armas was seen moving items into Affleck's Los Angeles home. "She had a huge grin and seemed very excited about living with Affleck," a source told the outlet, adding, "Ben and Ana really care for each other, and they have a good thing going. She's aware that his family comes first. And appreciates that. They work very hard at that balance."
September 17, 2020: “Ben and Ana basically live together and Ben is very into Ana and so sweet to her,” an insider told Us Weekly of the pair. “They are like any couple and sometimes she picks dumb and immature fights with him, but he doesn’t get flustered and they’re never about big issues [or] dealbreakers for either of them.”
The source went on to say that Affleck and de Armas had been spending time in Ireland while he preps his next project, The Last Duel, which he wrote with Damon.
November 19, 2020: After a few low-key months for the couple, Affleck and de Armas were spotted filming reshoots for their movie Deep Water, the set of which they met on late last year. The couple was photographed kissing on a porch in New Orleans, where de Armas sported a diamond ring on that finger.
While rumors swirled about the new piece of jewelry, a source told Peoplethat it was merely a prop, as Affleck and de Armas's characters are married in the movie.
November 28, 2020: According to multiple sources, de Armas and Affleck spent their first Thanksgiving together as a couple. A source told E! News that the pair spent the last few days in Los Angeles upon their return from New Orleans. "They had a busy few days of family time together and seem very happy," the insider said
Peoplereported that the couple hosted Affleck's children with Garner for the holiday. "Ben and Ana seem great," the source said. "Everyone seemed very happy. Ana has been traveling so she had not seen the kids for a while."
November 29, 2020: Most recently, Entertainment Tonightreported that de Armas and Affleck enjoyed a day of shopping in Pacific Palisades, California, with his kids. "It looked like birthday supplies," an eyewitness told the outlet, adding, "Ana was very social with the kids. They also took a family selfie together." ET noted that the party supplies could be for Affleck's eldest daughter Violet, who will turn 15 on December 1.