Ben Affleck borrowed the batsuit to dress up for his son Samuel’s superhero-themed fourth birthday party. I get the sense that he did it both for his kid and to have a good story to tell on the talk show circuit. He first talked about it on Jimmy Kimmel’s show after the Oscars last Sunday. There were other hired actors in character as superheroes from both the DC and Marvel universe including Wonder Woman, Iron Man and Captain America. Apparently Jennifer Garner dressed up too, but she opted for a more general costume and went as a ninja. In a new interview with Extra TV, Garner talked about Samuel’s birthday and she gushed about Ben dressing Batman at their son’s party.
After a tough personal year, Jennifer Garner is back on the big screen in the emotional new movie, “Miracles from Heaven.”
Jen sat down with “Extra’s” Renee Bargh for the first time since her Vanity Fair tell-all in which she talked openly about her very public divorce from Ben Affleck.
Garner, who was joined by 12-year-old co-star Kylie Rogers, told Renee about her youngest son Sam’s 4th birthday bash over Oscars weekend.
Sam asked for a superhero party, and Jen explained, “We all dressed up, I dressed up as a ninja, and Ben dressed up as Batman for Sam, which was the best dad moment in history,” adding, “It was pretty sweet.”
Kylie, who called Garner a “magical mom” on social media, told Renee that Jen is so good to her kids, “She’s sweet.” When Renee asked Jen if the kids know she is famous, she said, “They have an understanding of what their parents do for a living and they get it… we just talk about the pros and cons.”
Jen said when times get tough for her, she relies on her friends. “My girlfriends for sure, and they’re everything, and I include my sisters in that… I think I’m so lucky to have grown up with two sisters because I make my girlfriends my sisters and I make my sisters girlfriends.”
The actress hit the Vanity Fair Oscar party with one of her girlfriends. “I had a great time, I went with one of my very best girlfriends. We’ve gone together maybe eight times, so we have a whole routine and we had a blast!”
So was Garner just overenthusiastic and speaking in hyperbole? She’s been a celebrity for long enough that she knows that “best dad moment in history” is going to get more headlines than “it was awesome.” This was meant to get her some coverage for her Christian miracle movie, and again I can’t blame her. Ben got his mileage out of the batsuit story and now she’s getting hers.
A lot of people were saying that Garner was throwing shade on Affleck in her Vanity Fair interview and I think there was some of that but more that she was putting him on notice. She wanted him to know that she can come out of this the wronged party without playing the victim. Celebrity divorce lawyer Laura Wasser gave a recent interview in which she said that several divorces will be filed this month. Will Ben and Jen file after their respective movies come out? We’ve heard that’s the plan.
These photos of Garner in a t-shirt and ripped jeans yesterday were labeled “Jennifer Garner goes to church.” I highly doubt she would wear that outfit to church, but she does appear to be carrying shoes and a change of clothes. Kaiser and I still have a bet that Ben will go to church with her before his movie opens. Ben Affleck is shown on 3-4. Credit: FameFlynet
If it is really his best dad moment( I can’t stop to roll eye about ” best dad moment in history”) it is really the clue that he is a mediocre daddy .
This matches her description of him as having “wonder sperm” as the quintessence of something I have strenuously tried to avoid in my career as a doting wife and mother.
yes, on top of that its obviously way easier for someone like him to show up in a (even real) Batman costume.
The best Dad moment in history? No.
Happily !
I like Ben but come on. He did it for his own kid. What about people such as RDJ and Chris Evans who did if for kids that were not theirs and for kids they didn’t even know.
+1000
I’m really fatigued with these two…. Ben just looks like a douche to me now and these kind of stories don’t help
Same here.
Sums up my opinion. I was neutral about both, until this overplayed separation drama.
Here is the difference between Ryan Reynolds and Ben Affleck. Ryan Reynolds walked off set with a Deadpool suit because he had to wait ten years to make that film. Ben Affleck had to borrow the Batman suit because well it apparently cost so much money. One movie is a passion project and the other is just an opportunity to shove Ben Affleck (and Superman) down our throats. For that I hope BvS is terrible (it looks terrible), so then I never have to hear from Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner again. They can go disappear just like Daredevil of 2003.
Their lives are moving slower than a slow train wreck, but I still keep clicking on the link hoping that one of them will make a move – stay or go, get on with your lives.
I’ve lost all respect for both of them, they are playing this for the maximum publicity and don’t even have the decency to be entertaining about it. Using your kids to sell your image is what leads to the pap attention and if they were a fraction as good as parents as they like to present they would not expose their children to that.
Truthfully if they had filed for divorce last summer when they announced it, changed their routine a bit to avoid the paps and kept their heads down for a while most people would have forgotten they were ever married and the gossips would have lost interest long ago. But they’re selling an image and this is the sell. The longest, most torturous, miserable looking celebrity divorce of the most boring people ever.
I agree x 1000.
Unfortunately that contrasts nicely with his “worst dad ever” moment of screwing the kids’ nanny.
Oh my gosh Lucy, thanks and jinx…I was just only able to think “screwing the kids’ nanny…”
Ha!
No kidding. To be a good daddy he had to put a costume on. To be a bad daddy he simply took his clothes off.
Bwahahhahahaha
@who are these people: well played!
Jennifer Garner is so simple. She will take any small gesture and turn it into something huge. That’s how crappy their marriage was, I guess.
Yeah, I think she’s really overcompensating, and probably has been for a while. Do that for the kids, let them know you think he’s been a good dad, but on a talk show? Not necessary.
+100000000
I think she knew, once again, it would get headlines and paint him in a positive light ahead of Batman. But that kind of hyperbole? It’s a bit condescending to the masses and kind of goop-like.
Also, I’m still wondering about the VF interview. Contrary to subtle shade, you could just as easily look at it In the opposite way, as her publicly setting the stage for a reconciliation. She attempted to soothe her bruised ego by saying the nanny happened after they separated (therefore, “I’m not a doormat if I stay with him.”) I’m still not fully buying the divorce yet.
They are so over. She knows it. It’s been almost a year split as I believe her that they were broken up a few months before June. If she hasn’t been kissed for ten months, there was never even a moment of reconciliation between these two.
He’s chomping at the bit to start publicly dating, but behind the scenes I”m sure he’s quite busy.
She gave a cute interview with the little girl in the movie, and the interviewer brought up Sam’s birthday and she gave a cute line. That’s how Jen always talks when describing things, a little over the top. People are making more out of it than is necessary.
She gave the big interview in Vanity Fair to get it out of the way before promo. We will hear her little children anecdotes over the next few weeks for cute stories to include in promo interviews just like we had to hear Angelina’s fights with Brad stories for weeks while she was promoting the movie in interviews, etc. like with other stars during promo tour that you hear over and over.
I saw Jen’s interview. I have to say she looked amazing. She doesn’t look her age at all and so natural. All these filler/overbotoxed-addicted 40-somethings need to take their cue from Jen.
Yes, I agree she did it partially to get it out of the way before her movie press tour, but I also just don’t see her pulling the trigger on the divorce. I know the People article quoted a source that implied it would be after their movies are out in March, but another in that same story said they were in no rush and it could be quite some time. I guess we’ll see soon enough.
I think the comments to Jen’s comments are unnecessary and cruel. I bet his son was out of this world with delight that his dad came in a Batman costume. (just what costume would have been acceptable to you) I am so tired when people use a figure of speak , everyone takes it to literally. Best Dad moment…you know what she meant. And why shouldn’t she try and put a rosy glow on her shitty situation? She was publically humiliated. What do you expect her to say? You would criticized her if she complained (like you all did when another celebrity was heart broken when another actress had an affair with her husband on the set of a movie that they were making) There will be a day when her kids are old enough to read all this on the internet. Good for her, keeping a really negative situation as possible as possible. She has three kids she has to think about. She is not in denial, she refuses to bad mouth the father of her children. Unlike Brandy who takes every opportunity to make her ex and his new wife look like the worst people in the world. (they may be) but how does that affect her children?
Agree.
@crtb, Right on. I so agree.
And to talk about Sam’s birthday and include Ben’s costume story in there is to show they are co-parenting great and get along and take the wind out of the sails of the rag mags. I think she acts with dignity, not trying to pretend or hope they are back together. It’s more she’s not going to give rag mags and gossip sites the upper hand on her life.
I wonder what color the sky is in her world. She seems to live in denial. Where is your pride? Get a backbone, he is not the only man in the world. Clingy women who refuse to let go of the dream man they thought they had will never heal. Of course, this is my opinion only. I have never been accused of being weak and would never tolerate or paint a watercolor of my ex cheating, womanizing husband.
Really, she’s exhausting. Quit while you’re ahead, girl and keep your kids out of the press.
She is still a doormat type. I mean he was with nanny before the legal separation announcement which probs push them to announce etc..
It seems to me she is helping him helping herself. She will be The ex Wife and him doing good helps her since she will be al always attached kids and all. She is unrelatable even a bit fake. He doesn’t deserve to fail as this can break him but she just push too much for him beyond the level. May be the moneys gets in her account too.
I’m sick of both of them, tbh. Now she’s talking him up, making sure that everyone knows that he’s Super Dad. Also? There were those pics of her walking down some stairs with that “mystery man” — note that she made sure to mention that she went to after parties with two female friends. Watch them get back together. A doormat like her will always take her man back.
Oh my goodness, she’s unstoppable.
I should feel bad for her lack of dignity but I choose to address my pity to someone who actually deserves it.
I don’t really judge either of them for their marital issues or whatever is going on there, but this image of being all about the family and putting the kids first is just straight up lies/delusion. Yes, other celebs have children and maybe use them for attention to some extent, but who else uses their kids to this extent and get all the more respect for it? It’s very strange to me.
Talking about pros/cons, as if it’s up to the kids to make an educated choice whether this is the childhood that would be best for them… Really? They’re both reasonably intelligent people in good health, with a fortune to their disposal, they could go on to find other jobs (or even just move away) and allow their children to live a normal life with everything they could possibly need. Even if we believe that they don’t intentionally encourage the attention, why not deal with the reality of the situation rather than holding the paps/media responsible for your children’s anxiety, and going on to raise them to think it’s NORMAL to have strangers stalk you and photograph you on a daily basis…
Well, what’s up with the TMZ story today, if they’re getting divorced? That says all signs point to a reconciliation, and I thought we just heard about how TMZ gets its tips from celebs. And Gossip Cop isn’t denying this. I’m telling you … I think the VF article could have been a way to start laying he groundwork publicly for when they announce they’re reconciling. She basically said he’s the love of her life, and he didn’t cheat since the nanny was after they split (so, it’s ok if I take him back folks!), and she totally hedged on ever dating again.
I hate to tell you this but Gossip Cop is just another gossip column.
Of course it is. But it is also where celebs and their publicists try to shape (deny) what is being said about them. Ben and Jen’s respective camps go to GC all the time and/or respond to inquiries from GC – to refute what’s being said about them. Whether the celebs are telling the truth is questionable, but it can be telling what they choose not to refute.
@JoJo No one talks to Gossip Cop, lol.
I don’t agree. I think their camps absolutely say yay or nay to rumors for GC when it suits them. Again, doesn’t mean their camps are telling the truth, but I definitely think they would give a “refute” to GC when it befits them or the story they want to tell publicly.
I actually believe she thinks about him like that. He’s the best dad. He’s a genius. He’s the love of her life. She can’t admit he’s just a semi-bright, somewhat good looking smooth talking slime because she thinks people think she’s a fool unless he’s so fantastic that it justifies his philandering. Girl is embarrassed.
I am getting disappointed with JG. There was a comment on her FB from someone in WV that she is all smoke and mirrors. And Ted Casablanca commented on his Twitter that he would not read the VF article as Hollywood is just protecting vile people. I guess he was referring to her. Could not JG promote a project without mentioning her kids and Ben?
Oh and Lainey has a new write up today about how Ben needs Jen because she is a better image seller. Whatever!
I know that Ted C. couldn’t stand Jen Garner. You can find old references to that if you search on his name and hers from a few years back. Whether it’s actually warranted, who knows.
In the 90s growing up I can see why Batman appealed to kids – there were the campy movies with Jim Carrey and Jack Nicholson and there were cartoon versions to watch but current day Batman is not in kids movies… (unless there are still cartoons I am unaware of). I’d think Batman would be scary to a 4 year old?!
I feel like they both overplay the coolness of Batman. Those movies are so not for kids, it’s not like they know the movie Batman anyway. Any schmo in a costume would do.
It just seems that she’s promulgating her PR image as some perpetual martyr for love and family. Personally, I find this merchandishing of “her side of the story” detestable.
Jen thinks he’s an amazing dad because he wears his work clothes for one birthday party. Honestly, he’s a terrible dad because he sets such a bad example to his children as to how women should be respected.
Maybe just maybe everything she says and does is the real deal and it’s just the rags and all of us that are construing it to sensationalizing it and reading it in way too many ways.
You’re probably closer to the truth than anybody. Ben once said that Jen was such a good person that if he said something negative about somebody in front of her he felt guilty, because she is so kind.
And although everyone gets off on Ben calling their marriage the best kind of work at the Oscars, before the Oscars were other awards that he won where expressed his love for Jen. At the Director Guild Awards where he won best director he thanked Jennifer for being the best person in the world and that he loved her. He then said he wanted to thank her because he loved her.
I think that period was a wonderful time in their marriage. Little Samuel was born. He was on a high with Argo. I was rooting for them as a couple. I think Jennifer loved being part of his comeback and does look up to Ben, and she is just a really sweet person. It’s almost hard to see her love for him out in the audience back when they were a couple and see what has happened the last three years, the downward spiral.
At the BAFTA awards,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1QAZH9HGMo
Unfortunately, the success went into his head. We will see once the divorce is finalized how he will handle himself.
I think you have the order of events reversed. He initially called their marriage “work” and in an interview when asked to describe his feelings about his wife instead of talking about his love for her or how great of a wife and life partner she is he talked about how she’s “a good person”. It’s like asking a guy what he thinks about dating a girl and he talks about her personality. That’s not the first thing men say about a woman they have passion for.
Ben was rightfully criticized for his lack of love or passion for his wife when she oozes it talking about him. So then we went out of his way when speaking at award shows to talk about his love for her.
Listen to Ben talk about how misunderstood he was during the J.lo years (eye roll) or talking about directing then compare that to his clinical description of his wife.
So the best dad moment in history can only occur if:
a) You happen to be the actor currently portraying Batman in movies
b) You manage to convince the studio to lend you the Batman suit, which must be worth a small fortune (judging by past batsuits)
I guess that means literally every other man in the world can never recreate the best dad moment. So sad. We’re lucky we have celebrities to show us plebs how to parent properly.
They’re getting back together. All of the reporting today seems to be hinting at it. Watch the TMZ video. I’ll be shocked if Jen files.