Why Ben Affleck Doesn’t Want His Kids to Be Actors

Ben Affleck is a Hollywood triple threat, and for his latest film, “Live by Night” he wrote, directed and starred in the movie.

Now he's getting candid about life in Hollywood, and why he doesn't want his kids to follow in his footsteps.

The Oscar winner sat down with “Extra's” Mario Lopez, and talked about his three kids with fellow actress Jennifer Garner.

He said when it comes to Violet, 10, Seraphina, 7, and 4-year-old Samuel's future, he would discourage them from getting into acting. “I wouldn't allow them to do it until they're 18… and once they were 18, they can do whatever they want to do, but I would discourage it.”

The 44-year-old explained what his life in the spotlight has been like over the past two decades. “Overnight, I went from somebody no one ever heard of, to somebody that gets recognized on the street and could get a table at a restaurant. I was 24 years old and it was a confusing time. I've got three kids now, and it's a whole long road later. I have a much better perspective on it all, although it still can be confusing and difficult to deal with… there's no map to it, you've just got to figure it out on your own.”

Ben and Jen separated, but continue to focus on co-parenting. They recently spent the holidays together as a family. Ben shared that his girls are really into American Girl and Taylor Swift, while his son Sam got a bat cave for Christmas. Mario said, "Bat cave from Batman, very cool," as Ben added, “Yeah, my daughter got an iPod touch, no phones, can't call anybody, can't text.”

Affleck broke news on his next Batman movie, saying he is working hard on the script.

In his movie “Live by Night,” Ben plays gangster Joe Coughlin. The story is set in the Prohibition Era and centers around a group of individuals and their dealings in the world of organized crime.

Chris Messina plays crime family boss Dion Bartolo, and as the director, Ben encouraged Chris to pack on the pounds for the role. Now losing the weight, Chris said, “Thanks to this guy (Ben), he got me a trainer and helped me take off 40 pounds.” He added, “It was more fun putting on the weight than taking it off.”