Ben Affleck 'Ready to Pounce' on Ex Ana De Armas After Her Split From Tom Cruise

Ben Affleck is "ready to make his move" on ex-girlfriend Ana de Armas following her breakup from Tom Cruise – with friends saying the 53-year-old actor "never stopped thinking about her."

Gone Girl star Affleck, who has endured a turbulent few years following his split from Jennifer Lopez, is said to be planning to reconnect with de Armas, 37, after learning that she's single again. The pair dated between 2019 and 2021 after meeting on the set of Deep Water and were often seen together during the pandemic before going their separate ways.

Now, sources close to Affleck say he believes the timing is finally right for a reunion.

"Ben's never really stopped thinking about Ana," a source said. "He believes there's unfinished business between them and that things ended too soon. Now that she's single, he wants to see if the connection is still there."

de Armas and Cruise, 63, were first linked earlier this year after being spotted dining together on Valentine's Day and later vacationing in Vermont.

Their short-lived relationship ended quietly in late summer, with a friend of the actress confirming she's been "single for a while."

Affleck, who shares three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner and finalized his divorce from Lopez, 56, in July, has been spending more time at home in Los Angeles. Insiders say his recent reflections on love have led him back to thoughts of his former flame.

"Ben's been feeling pretty lonely lately," another source said. "He's been single for over a year now, and not by design. He's been reflecting on the relationships that brought him real happiness, and Ana comes to mind first."

During their relationship, Affleck and de Armas were frequently photographed together – sometimes to his frustration – and their split was symbolically marked by paparazzi shots of a cardboard cut-out of the Blonde star being thrown into a bin outside Affleck's home.

But friends say he's changed since then. "He's a lot more grounded these days," a source said. "Back then, everything in his life felt messy and unsettled. Now he's calmer and more focused, and he thinks that might give him and Ana a real chance this time."

According to the insider, Affleck has been reminiscing about their chemistry. "He says being with Ana was easy – no drama, no mind games," the source added. "After everything that happened with Jennifer, he's realized that's the kind of calm he wants in his life. He's even told friends she might have been the one that slipped away."

While Affleck is said to be eager to reconnect, not everyone in his circle supports the idea. "People close to him are rolling their eyes," another insider said. "They've seen this before – Ben revisiting old flames instead of moving forward. He has a habit of idealizing the past and going after what's out of reach."

Still, those who know the actor well say his intentions are sincere. "He's serious this time," the source said. "He plans to get in touch with her and see where things stand. If she's open to it, he'd love another shot – their chemistry was real, and he figures there's no harm in seeing if it's still there."