These are photos of Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and their daughter Seraphina out getting ice cream on Tuesday. In some pics these two look really annoyed at the paparazzi, which is understandable. There are photos of them out yesterday, with Violet, where they’re kissing and looking loved-up. I think they know when to turn on the charm when it’s needed.
Where this family is concerned, there’s always the question of whether they court the paps. I believe that they do somewhat, although I don’t think they can control them by any stretch. Let’s put it this way, if you leave food out and too many ants come in your house, should you keep leaving food out? That’s a bad, over-simplified analogy, but you get the point. They would have to move outside of LA to stop the daily photos at this point and that would involve switching their whole life around. They would have to change their daughters’ schools and move out of their mansion compound, etc. Plus we talk about them constantly when they’re photographed and that benefits their careers. The paparazzi ants are more like symbiotic creatures who are sometimes pests, or whatever.
Ben did a recent interview in which he revealed that he’s going to be taking care of their three kids on his own (with the help of nannies presumably) and he jokes that he’ll have to shape up for it, like Mr. Mom. Garner told The Telegraph earlier this month that they trade off caring for the kids – sort of. She said “I definitely work less because Ben is so busy but we have three kids, that’s just part of the deal… I’ve reserved this summer [for work]. It’s mine.” So Ben is stepping up:
Ben Affleck’s next leading role? Mr. Mom! The actor joked with reporters at the premiere of his film, To the Wonder, on Tuesday, April 9 that he’s preparing to be on daddy duty this summer while wife Jennifer Garner goes back to work.
“She told me to go to the gym, I’m preparing myself,” Affleck, 40, joked on the red carpet of the premiere, sponsored by Fiji water, at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. “I’m going to take on some more of the burden.” (Over the past couple years, Affleck has worked on To The Wonder, Runner, Runner and the Oscar-winning film Argo, which he also directed.)
Aflleck and Garner, both 40, are parents to daughters Violet, 7, Seraphina 4, and son Samuel, 13 months. “She’s got a couple of movies coming up,” Affleck explained. “There’s going to be a little Mr. Mom action and I’m going to get back in the ring.”
I haven’t even heard of Ben’s film, To The Wonder, which is out tomorrow in limited release. It’s a Terrence Malick film (Tree of Life, Thin Red Line) co-starring Javier Bardem, Olga Kurylenko and Rachel McAdams. The trailer makes it look like a treatise on love and life, which is similar to Tree of Life I guess. (I didn’t see it yet sorry! I did see that Roger Ebert called it one of the top ten movies of all time. Sidenote: they just released his redesigned site posthumously.)
Getting back to Ben being Mr. Mom, that’s cool and I’m glad he does that for his family, and wife. Ben said in an interview earlier this year that he doesn’t “want to be a stay-at-home dad. Work is very important to me.” I’m guessing that he’s only half-joking that he’s going to have to shape up in order to watch his kids this summer.
photo credit: Pacific Coast News
Dude is in the middle if writing two different scripts (the Whitey Bugler film with Matt Damon and another crime film). So it’s a bit of PR spin if he’s acting like he’s not going to work at all and only take care of his kids this summer.
At the premiere he said he submitted a script earlier that day. And he’s not writing the whitey script.
And there’s a difference between working on a script for three or four hours a day and going to Uzcrapistan on location to act or direct 12-16 hours at a stretch for three months.
Agreed.
There’s a big difference between writing and doing pre-production at home in LA, vs. being on set and on location, which is where Jen will probably be.
True. Also, I forgot that there is a long ass process to getting a film made (especially a film with a larger budget)…After he turns in scripts he just has to take meetings and such for ages and deal with pre-production before actual filming begins. He probably has to deal with the little things for another few months before the cameras start rolling.
I like them. I don’t think they always court the photographers – sometimes their predictable schedules help and the paparazzi only focus on the, because the public likes their family photos (supply and demand always). Other times they do court it but its part of the machine. Whatever. The kids always look happy around both of them which is always key to me.
I like them. Sue me.
whitey bulger is being written by Terrance Winter who also writes Boardwalk Empire, and in his interview with USAToday he said ge submitted the script he was working on today (meaning Tuesday)
Their kids are so cute. Always jumping around, singing and the like. Totes adorbs.
See? I can be nice.
ha, that’s what I was going to say.
I agree. Whatever they’re doing seems to be working out well for the kids.
Love the pics of Sera. She’s my favorite!
She is so dang cute! I saw some pics of her getting a pony ride recently… I was hoping they might be here! Okay, off to figure out where I saw them…*I’ll be back*.
Okay, there are a whole bunch… she looked absolutely giddy! 🙂
http://www.justjared.com/photo-gallery/2844979/jennifer-garner-farmers-market-trip-violet-seraphina-01/
@Lemony: Little Sera is my favorite too!!!!
I really like that their kids always look like KIDS: joyful, jumping, skipping, etc. I find young kids that look and act like mini-adults to be kind of creepy. The affleck kids seem to have a lot of childish enthusiasm for life, which is wonderful.
That being said, don’t know them, so that is a big assumption.
But will he blog about it and share his recipes and tips? Hey I would read it!
lol! imagine, a male paltrow ughh
My close friend knows Jennifer Garner (she is in the business, once did production, now is a casting agent)and she told me that Jennifer cultivates a decent relationship with the paps because that way, when she REALLY doesn’t want to be papped, she can say “hey, I give you shots, now you give me privacy.” And most of the time it works. *shrugs*
Does Jenn look pregnant in these potos or is it just me seeing things.
I’ve been saying I think she looks pregnant since last month.
Most of the A listers do that. The B-D listers court the paps, they call them. But, I do believe the paps know the A-listers schedule and park outside their residences. To make peace; they’ll give them a shot or two. I heard the same thing about the JP’s.
Jen Garner is not A list.
She is married to one, and trying really hard to stay relevant by using that connection to the max.
Thank you for the fair and balanced comment, paranormalgirl. I agree. The Afflecks aren’t the first parents to make a deal eg let the paps take a pic at the park with a long lens if they agree to keep their camera out of the child’s face on her way into pre-school. In my mind, this isn’t courting the paps or “keeping the paps on speed dial” or some such nonsense. It’s simply dealing with the unavoidable reality of the situation as sensibly as possible.
When she is with her kids she tries not to let her irritation show (for their benefit) and tries to act “normal” — again for the kids’ sake. But you can tell that she does not like these strange men following her and calling out to her and her kids. People who say otherwise clearly don’t get it.
This makes me thing of Halle and that incident at LAX with Nahla and Olivier.
Methinks that seeing her mom getting all worked up and visibly upset would be way more upsetting than the paps themselves.
sorry, but your story sounds as true as star wars.
most of the pics we see are made near car parking. that proves only one thing: the Afflecks cannot avoid stalkarazzy at the parking, and there those stalkers try to catch their sloppy moments to earn some bucks.
even people with half brain can figure that much out. 🙂
Little Sera!!!! 🙂
Yeah I’m sure Ben will be doing all the child care. *eyeroll* Well good for the nannies/cooks/housekeepers, it’s a rough economy.
Also I know Garner seems to believe it is 1954, but can we do away with the whole “Mr Mom” crap? It’s just called parenting.
I don’t like that either. Stop making a big deal out of fathers/husbands taking care of their kids. It was funny 60 years ago but not anymore. Women know that men can operate a toaster, change a diaper, & read a bedtime story, at the bare minimum.
There are so many men who do a great job fathering their children. Just sayin.
Exactly! I mean there are men who are raising kids alone for various reasons and going just fine. It’s such an insult to them.
Thank you, ladies! I think it’s called being a father, and it’s what you should be doing if you choose to bring children into this world.
And I HATE how single fathers are always given so much credit and admiration and support while single mothers scorned and ignored.
Oops, I just said the same thing basically down-thread. Should’ve read the comments first. I agree.
Exactly. Mr Mom = being a father.
I also agree. When I was a child my mom was working late and my dad was taking care of me and the house (he worked too but not as much as mom) and other men were making big deal out of it like cooking dinner or taking his own daughter to the piano lessons was somehow emasculating and women were acting all surprised and praised him for doing the simplest things (which he didn’t like, he felt like a monkey playing a guitar or something). It was not so long ago, I’m only 24. Parents take care of their children, fathers are parents too and it is completely normal. A man who sits at home with his children is not Mr. Mom but simply a dad.
You beat me to it!! “Mr Mom”??? Puhleeze. And yeah, I bet the nannies will get some time off — NOT!!
Yeah, when my husband says he’s “helping me” by doing stuff with the kids or “babysitting” on the very rare occassions I go somewhere other than work I just want to punch him.
This is what you’re SUPPOSED to do. And a lot more often than you actually do.
Thank you! I was just about to comment on the “Mr. Mom” B.S… so irritating. It’s called being a Dad!!
Btw, this is totally (another) planned photo op. See: their carefully rolled up jeans.. and Ben is decked out like Johnny Depp.
Thank you, ladies! I hate when men call it babysitting. It’s not. It’s called fatherhood.
As for Ben, stop talking! I have never had warm fuzzies towards him, but everything he says irks me these days.
Those nannies better be old, fat and ugly…lmao
don’t rule that out, did you see Arnold Schwarzenegger’s nanny lol.(not saying she is ugly but…)
I’ll say it, that bish fug!
Oh MsAubra,
Ahahhahahahahahaha 😀
I find his choice to use the word “burden” interesting.
What Rhiley said. maybe ‘responsibility’?, but ‘burden’ is very telling; much like ‘work’ on the marriage is.
Me, too.
I think he’s naturally dramatic with word choice (he’s a great writer!). But, I expect him to be doing more of this going forward. It could be his way of diminishing the shock value of his Oscar speech. I didn’t find it bad, but, for those that did maybe he is attempting to turn it into a, “Just Ben being Ben” thing.
They don’t court the paps. They sit at their home and follow them. Jen said she had seven vehicles follow her the other day from her house. There’s no way to escape them unless they move to a ranch or something.
I think Jennifer and Ben are great parents and their kids seem super happy and smiley. This little girl is one of the cutest!! If she does have a good relationship with the photogs, that’s pretty smart of her, maybe they do respect her enough to back off when she wants them to.
I like them, too, and I also agree about the relationship with the paps. (Seems like it pretty much works for them, right?)
I don’t see why they should have to stop taking their children to school, or going to the Farmer’s Market, or anything “normal” parents would do, just because they’re famous.
Yay, so glad Jen goes back to work! I love them… why don’t they make some movies together???
Reasons why they don’t work together:
A. It worked so well for Ben to work with his SO in “Gigli” and “Jersey Girl”
B. “Daredevil”
C. It would mean both parents being out of pocket for both their kids for three months and I don’t think it’s something they want.
I think it really depends on the movie… I mean, both examples you gave were of shitty movies… and yes, he did play with a love interest in Gigli but it wasn’t the same Jen. They don’t have to play the 2 leads or lovers… but I think it’d be nice seeing them in a movie together after all that time. As for the kids… I think Ben and Jen are pretty much in a place where they can call the shots. So shorter days, bringing them to set…
Ben said he didn’t want to be a stay at home dad, meaning he wants to have a career. Him and Jen have always had an arranged where if one works the other does the parenting. Just because he said that didn’t mean he meant he was never going to be the main parent, just that he wants to be able to work too…which I don’t see anything wrong with. Plus he was already “mr mom” after saying that since she did “Dallas Buyers Club” in November and December in NOLA and be stayed with the kids in LA.
Well, they decided to have children and both have careers, so like you said they will both have to share the resonsibilities. If he didn’t want the responsibilities, then he could have made different choices. Ug, I just find him insufferable and he always looks miserable and bitter when with his family. I truly feel deeply sorry for Jen (she is a great mommy!), as I think he’s likely a collasel pain in the *ss. Body language don’t lie.
When did he say he wasn’t willing to take the responsibly? Wanting to have a career and be a parent is not irresponsible. All he said was he didn’t want to be a stay at home dad. That doesn’t at all mean he isn’t ever willing to, it just means he also wants to work and doesnt want to just be a stay at home dad for the rest of his life. clearly if he encourages her to work, he doesnt mind staying home and doing the parenting. Him and Jen have been doing this switch off where if one works the other parents since Violet was born.
He should be willing to bear his share of the responsibilities 50/50 without complaining, even if that means being a “stay at home dad”. You have children, you do what needs to be done to ensure their care. Yet he keeps on asserting his patriachal privileges as if this is the 1950’s. His wife has just as much right to a career and life of her own as he does. She is wonderful and patient, yet his comments do not at all reflect any appreeciation of his blessings. Rather “stay at home dad”, as he put it comes across as a backhanded remark. Yes, I think he’s a brat. And yes I think Jen deserves better. This is the kind of
… this kind of arrogant attitude leads to divorce.
“Mr. Mom?” I’d be more impressed if he would just call himself “dad.” He doesn’t need to role play “mom” to be at home with his kids.
BTW, I saw “To the Wonder” last week. I see why I could never get into arthouse type films. LOL It kept my interest tho
I call it more of a partnership than Ben simply being Mr.Mom.
UGH with these two. That is all.
If he has nannies to do the work, he isn’t doing anything. These celebrities crack me up with the “work” they talk about having to do. Honestly.
LMAO
Sorry Ben Assface the world isn’t as stupid as your wife. He can cheat, drink, gamble all he wants, we’re not ur wife…just stop pretending that ur some amazing human being…you’re not.
The “cheating, drinking, gambling” clucking has become so tiresome
+1
Not as tiring as watching this act of “the happy family” play out weekly.
The PR is crap
Not as tiring as watching this act of “the happy family” play out weekly.
I’m sure she’s not stupid concerning his behavior; moreover, she is the glue that holds it all together. But everyone has a breaking point. And how do we know he is not abusive and controlling. He gives off a ‘stink’. He is a jerk and his negative comments about his marriage (at the Oscars) was a backhanded narcissitic slap if there ever was one.
Odd, I don’t smell anything? How in the world do you know if any person that YOU DON’T KNOW is abusive or controlling? WOW. Way to throw out some random crap though… I guess judging the guy on random, unproven rumors is no longer good enough so you thought you would start more?
Cheating, drinking etc – you of course have a solid proof for that?
Or just some “blind gossip” is the only reason you spit it out in every topic here?
Give the nannies, housekeeper, cook and personal assistant the day off and look after the kids yourself Ben then you’ll know what a burden is, you’ll probably be reaching for the vodka bottle after 5 minutes.
Tree of Life is an awful movie. Awful. I never even finshed it, almost to the end, but refused to torture myself anymore.
That outfit she is in is so unflattering. Have some pride. You can look casual jeans andi sweatshirt, but at least wear something that flatters your figure when you’re walking with your hunky husband who looks great.
They don’t have nannies(only one)or cooks or assistants that help them everyday.Good lord.. give this guy a break already.Anything this guy says is turned around to look bad.I suppose if Matt Damon had said it people would’nt have made a big deal about it.But if Ben says there’s a meaning behind it.Give me a break!
Unless you know them personally, you don’t have a clue how many nannies or other hired help they have. Get a grip.
By the same logic, others that state they have multiple nannies and cooks don’t have a clue either.. and need to get a grip?
Once again, if you don’t like someone, it is pretty easy to pick apart everything they say or do. I am just a TINY bit older than Ben and Jennifer… and the Mr. Mom movie was big when I was growing up… just because someone jokes about someone being a ‘Mr. Mom’ does not mean they have a 1950’s mentality… it is a JOKE, using a reference from a funny memory of a movie.
As for the ‘responsibility’ issue, no one has any idea what was decided between Ben and Jen in THEIR marriage when it came to who would work more and/or who would take care of the children most of the time. Maybe Jen wanted to work less and take care of her children while Ben works.. with the understanding that he will step in if/when she has something she wants to work on. This does seem to be their arrangement, right? These are decisions couples make every day in their marriage, so what is wrong with it? Nothing… unless you only support a woman’s right to choose if you agree with her choices, or if ‘there is just something about Ben’ that bugs you and he ‘seems like a jerk’.
I don’t like how he thinks it’s OK not to raise his kids and how noble and wonderful of him to plan to spend some time with them this coming summer as if it’s an event.
Don’t have kids if you are not going to take care of them and dissappear for months and stay in different cities and countries while other people raise them.
It’s a legitimate choice not to have kids. Much better than having them and not even knowing how to bath them and to read to them every night.
So the first child was not his choice, OK.
What about 2 more?
If you are always away making films, that’s going to be their childhood and their life that he is affecting by his choice to nedlect them.
Does he think he deserves some prize or accolades for acting like a parent for one summer.
That’s just terrible. He must be surrounded by sycophants that never tell him what they really think of him.
CB, Tree of Life=Turd of Life. I like complex films. It was ridiculous. The slow, okay drama is punctuated repeatedly by a kid whispering weird shit in a voice over of actual big bang footage. Ha! It made me laugh but I was also pissed, since it was my first movie on my first date months after having a newborn.
Also, Ben Affleck is unhappy and full of himself. I also think he’s a dry drunk. He needs a REALLY smart, funny and competent wife to exorcize his misogyny. Not sure Jen cuts it.