Ben Affleck was “embarrassed” at being related to a slave owner.
The ‘Gone Girl’ actor has spoken out for the first time after it emerged he asked for the history of one of his ancestors to be cut from PBS show ‘Finding Your Roots’ and admitted he was uncomfortable about being related to someone who “owned” people.
He wrote on Facebook: “After an exhaustive search of my ancestry for ‘Finding Your Roots’, it was discovered that one of my distant relatives was an owner of slaves.
“I didn’t want any television show about my family to include a guy who owned slaves. I was embarrassed. The very thought left a bad taste in my mouth.“Skip [host Henry Louis Gates Jr.] decided what went into the show. I lobbied him the same way I lobby directors about what takes of mine I think they should use. This is the collaborative creative process.
“Skip agreed with me on the slave owner but made other choices I disagreed with. In the end, it’s his show and I knew that going in. I’m proud to be his friend and proud to have participated.
“It’s important to remember that this isn’t a news program. ‘Finding Your Roots’ is a show where you voluntarily provide a great deal of information about your family, making you quite vulnerable. The assumption is that they will never be dishonest but they will respect your willingness to participate and not look to include things you think would embarrass your family.(sic)”
Despite his embarrassment, Ben - who has children Violet, nine, Seraphina, six, and Samuel, three, with wife Jennifer Garner - is thankful the controversy has shone a spotlight on an unsavoury part of American history.
He added: “I regret my initial thoughts that the issue of slavery not be included in the story. We deserve neither credit nor blame for our ancestors and the degree of interest in this story suggests that we are, as a nation, still grappling with the terrible legacy of slavery. It is an examination well worth continuing. I am glad that my story, however indirectly, will contribute to that discussion. While I don’t like that the guy is an ancestor, I am happy that aspect of our country’s history is being talked about.”
