Father of three and movie star Ben Affleck has opened up about his past as well as his present life with wife Jennifer Garner in a new interview.

Both 40-year-old actors, Affleck and Garner have been married for seven years and share three children, daughters Violet, 6, Seraphina, 3, and son Samuel, 6 months old.

Before marrying Garner though, Affleck was briefly engaged to Jennifer Lopez in 2003. The actor admitted that he refers to that period of his life as "the annus horribilis," or the year of horrors of his life, and compared himself to President Obama in an interview with Details magazine.

"I got shorthanded as 'That Guy': Jennifer Lopez, movies bombed … It's hard to shake those sort of headlines," explained Affleck speaking to Details. "I made a bunch of movies that didn't work. I was ending up in the tabloids. I don't know what the lesson is, except that you just have to find your compass."

It was the year 2003 that Affleck starred in the box-office bust "Gigli" and ended his relationship with Lopez.

Affleck jokingly added that 2003's failures are something he is still defending against today, but that similar to President Obama's journey toward presidency: great things can come to those who started small.

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"People bring up 2003, and I get it," said the actor. "Jennifer Lopez, and 'Gigli,' and all this s--- just kind of blew up. But, you know, Barack Obama was a state Senator in Illinois! Okay?"

While Affleck is best known for starring in and co-writing "Good Will Hunting" as well as other hit films, his wife Garner starred in the television series "Alias" and most recently appeared in the Disney film "The Odd Life of Timothy Green."

With both parents being so busy, Affleck also discussed maintaining his successful Hollywood career while also taking care of his family during the interview.

Affleck, who is often away on film sets serving as director, admitted that Garner is a more "present" parent.

"I am not very present in the rest of my life," said the "Argo" director. "My wife's very patient. She does everything. If I have time, I try to spend time with the kids, even if just to be a physical presence, the bath, whatever, but my mind's always going, 'How are we going to light that shot tomorrow?'"

The actor confessed to a preoccupation with his work, but that his attitude toward his career has significantly changed since having become a husband and a father.

"Anytime you think, 'I'm wasting my time here,' the first thought you have is, 'I could go home and be with my kids,'" explained Affleck to Details.

He jokingly added, "Now, you may go home and be with your kids and very quickly start thinking, 'I wonder what's on the work front?' Because running around after three kids is very trying."