Featured Image Credit: Pierre Suu/GC Images
Topics: Ben Affleck, Celebrity, Health, Politics, US News
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Ben Affleck, Celebrity, Health, Politics, US News
Violet Affleck has made headlines this week after appearing at the United Nations on Tuesday (23 September) whilst wearing a mask.
The 19-year-old Yale student, who is the eldest of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's three children, has been frequently seen wearing a mask on several occasions after being diagnosed with a 'post-viral condition' back in 2019. She revealed this during her speech for the LA County Board of Supervisors last year.
And, as we say, Violet also donned a face covering for the UN event on Tuesday, where she urged world leaders to take airborne illness seriously and insisted the fight against long COVID is far from over.
Her speech, which saw the teen make an emotional plea that clean air should be considered just as much of a human right as clean water, sparked criticism from fellow public figures, including Meghan McCain, the daughter of John McCain, US senator from Arizona and the 2008 Republican presidential nominee.
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"Every single thing about all of this is why people hate nepo babies so much," the 40-year-old former The View co-host wrote in the post.
Speaking about Violet, who is currently studying public health at the Ivy League university and has published a research paper in Yale's Global Health Review comparing the response to the LA wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, McCain went on: "She has no business speaking at the UN," adding that "what she is speaking about is patently absurd."
McCain, who dubs herself a 'nepo baby' as per her X bio, only kept the post up for a matter of minutes before she took it down.
Amidst all the chatter online, however, some fans were able to point out that the saying 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' is definitely true when it comes to Violet and her mother.
"Christ!!! Even with the mask, she's her mother's daughter!" beamed one Facebook user while another echoed: "Even with the mask, she looks just like her beautiful mom!"
And this is far from the first time fans have made such a comparison as last November, Jennifer Lopez's, Lynda Lopez, shared a snap alongside Violet, prompting countless viewers to comment on just how much she looks like the 53-year-old 13 Going On 30 star.
Lopez and Affleck began dating in 2002, got engaged the same year, called off their 2003 wedding due to intense media pressure, split in 2004, rekindled their romance in 2021, and married in July 2022 before the 'Papi' singer filed for divorce in August 2024, listing their separation as April 26 of that year. The pair don't share any children together.
"Ben Affleck’s daughter is LITERALLY her mother’s (Jennifer Garner) twin," one recently wrote on social media. "Like I know kids will look like their parents, but what role did Ben’s DNA play if any?"
Another joked about Violet's lack of resemblance to her 53-year-old father, asking: "What did you contribute Ben???!!!!!"
"You know you did no work when your kid's dimple is in the exact same spot as your spouse like wow y'all really cut me out of the equation," a third noted.
And earlier that same year, when Affleck brought his daughter along to a party held by billionaire CEO Michael Rubin, others couldn't believe Violet wasn't her mum.
"I think we can all agree that’s Jennifer Garner, totally posing as her daughter," one teased.
Others seemed genuinely 'confused' with a second joking: "Is this Jennifer Garner or her and Ben Affleck’s daughter?"
And a final fan confessed: "I thought this was Jen I was so confused."