Casey Affleck thinks Ana de Armas is a "catch"

He said: "The reality is, I think that this year has been really hard on people in relationships. I wouldn't know because I've been single, but I bet there are a lot of people that have, you know, it's been challenging to relationships.

"And I think that Ana is just the sweetest, funniest, smartest, most charming person. I think she won't have any problems meeting somebody else.

"I think she's a catch in every way. And I'll be there to carry Ben through it, but I don't think he'll have any problems [either].

"My advice to them would be like, 'Yes, think long and hard about it, because quarantine is not fun if you're single.'"

Asked if he thinks they could reconcile, Casey insisted he had "no idea" but admitted he would be "sorry if it doesn't work out".

He added to 'Entertainment Tonight': "I think she's really, really great. People don't know her too well because she hasn't, like, been out there [in the spotlight] for so long. But she's just incredibly sweet, such a sweet person and so talented."

The 'Gone Baby Gone' star also thinks Ana is a fantastic actress and even predicted she will "win an Oscar next year".

He said: "I saw her performance as Marilyn Monroe in this movie called 'Blonde', which hasn't come out, and I would bet a lot that she's gonna pick up every single award," he explained. "She's gonna have a good year. I'm not too worried about her."

The 45-year-old actor was also asked about speculation he was the masked man pictured throwing away a life-sized Ana cardboard cutout shortly after news of the split broke.

Casey replied: "No, that's not me, and I can't even really say if they have totally broken up for good or whatever. I would leave that to them to speak to.

"A bunch of people sent that picture to me and I was gonna tweet some, like, joke, response or something. And then I couldn't think of one and a joke didn't seem appropriate. And I don't have Twitter so that wasn't going to work. But it definitely wasn't me."

The cutout had originally been placed in front of Ben's house in the summer by his and ex-wife Jennifer Garner's three children, Violet, 15, Seraphina, 12, and eight-year-old Samuel.