'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' stars Zac and Jen Affleck claimed they were related to Hollywood's Ben and Casey Affleck, but a deeper look shows that this connection might be more fiction than fact.
- September 28, 2024
AceShowbiz - Zac Affleck and Jen Affleck, stars of the Hulu series "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," have found themselves at the center of a swirling controversy. According to several sources, the couple's claim that Zac is related to actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck appears to be unfounded.
On the show, Jen suggested that her father-in-law David Affleck is a cousin to the famous brothers, but genealogical checks paint a different picture. The reality TV couple is from Utah while the famous brothers are from Boston.
According to a source close to the Utah Affleck family, "[T]he relationship between the Utah Afflecks and the Boston Afflecks 'is absolutely not true.' "
The source elaborated, "So Zac Affleck is her husband. [His father] is David Affleck. Zac's grandfather is Gordon Affleck. Zac's great-grandparents - which would [establish] second cousins - his name is Alan Burt Affleck."
Keeping it simple, the source further explained, "Then Ben's dad is Tim Affleck. His grandfather is Myron Junior. His great-grandparent is Myron Senior. No, Alan Burt and Myron Senior aren't brothers or anything."
The confusion seems to have started after Jen posted a TikTok in September 2022, shortly after Ben Affleck married Jennifer Lopez, joking, "When you thought you were going to be the next JLO, but instead, she stole your name & you're busting it down to Ms. Rachel."
This playful content quickly turned into serious speculation about the Affleck family tree. The source close to Jen and Zac blames the misunderstanding partially on the couple's sudden rise to fame from the Hulu series. "I would imagine, knowing them, that they're just hoping this will all die down … and not be anything," the source noted.
Both families do have historical roots tracing back to overseas. Zac's ancestors hail from England while Ben and Casey's relatives date back to Scotland. The authenticity of the claimed genetic ties, or the lack thereof, therefore, offers a lesson in how easy it is for family lore to shift into perceived reality when thrust into the public eye.
Ultimately, Zac and Jen Affleck have yet to directly address the controversy. Whether this will change, or if the narrative will simply fizzle out, remains to be seen. For now, it seems their alleged connection to the Hollywood Affleck brothers is more tenuous than tantalizing.
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