“He’s taken criticism personally,” is looking for an escape from all the ruckus

Aug 1, 2014 15:27 GMT  ·  By
Sad Ben Affleck is sad Batman in first “Dawn of Justice” photo in character
   Sad Ben Affleck is sad Batman in first “Dawn of Justice” photo in character

Ben Affleck seemed the most uncomfortable person when he, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot walked up on stage at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 during Warner Bros.’ panel on “Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” only to wave to fans, smile, and pose for photos. That’s because the pressure of playing the Caped Crusader is getting to him.

Since Warners announced the casting, Affleck has been at the receiving end of a lot of criticism and even open hate. At one point, the backlash was so serious that it was comparable to the kind Heath Ledger was subjected to when he was cast as The Joker in – ironically – another Batman film, Chris Nolan’s “The Dark Knight.”

The difference between Affleck and Ledger is that only one made a Daredevil movie and only one ruined the character with his sub-par performance – and it’s not Heath.

The hatred didn’t stop even when it became clear that Warners wasn’t going to uncast him no matter how much fans protested online. By the looks of it, Affleck is looking at another 1 and a half year of the same, because the movie comes out in May 2016 and the fans won’t stop until they have seen him in the film.

That’s a lot of pressure for a film role. Affleck doesn’t regret taking on this massive challenge but, insiders reveal for Radar Online, he’s looking for relief from it in all the wrong places: his gambling addiction has gotten worse.

“The pressure of playing Batman is weighing on him. It’s fueling the poker playing,” an insider reveals. “He’s withdrawn more and disappeared into it. His guy friends are starting to worry.”

Affleck might have played it cool on his first TV interview after the casting announcement, saying that there would always be haters and he had no intention of paying them any mind, but the reality is that all this has really been affecting him.

“He’s been under so much pressure playing Batman, he is absorbing himself into gambling. He’s taken the criticism so personally, especially after the failure of Daredevil. Those who’ve seen the film think it’s going to be a hit and all worth it, but he’s feeling a lot of pressure for it to do well,” the spy continues.

“He seems obsessed with poker. It’s now beyond a family issue. It’s starting to worry people. It’s too much and everyone around him is saying they have to find another outlet for him,” the same source explains.

It’s not even a question of losing money at the poker table, even though Affleck isn’t winning as much as he’s telling himself he is: this is about becoming so taken with something it’s starting to become a problem.

Hopefully, the backlash will die down until the film’s release date or else Affleck will need to find a way to overcome his urges.