These photos are from November
Last Friday, US Magazine announced that Jennifer Garner was going to file for divorce from Ben Affleck finally, once and for all. US has run multiple insider stories which sound like they’re straight from Garner’s camp so it was a promising start, except for the fact that she hadn’t actually filed yet. Well it’s been almost a week, she didn’t file and other major celebrity outlets like E! and ET ran stories claiming everything was the same between Garner and Affleck and nothing had changed. Up until now People and Gossip Cop hadn’t denied those stories or run any updates on the situation, which is unusual. Well Gossip Cop has a denial and it’s based on Star’s new cover story that Garner is finally filing after an “explosive fight.” Supposedly the fight never happened and they’re still in separation limbo and working at coparenting their kids. I’m only going to excerpt some of this from Gossip Cop because you get the gist:
The new cover of Star falsely announces, “Jen Finally Ends It!” Inside the issue, a headline declares, “Ben & Jen: Point Of No Return.” It’s further said, “They’ve reconciled more than once since announcing their split in 2015, but after giving him plenty of second chances, Jennifer Garner is finally ready to divorce Ben Affleck.”
The supposed “nasty fight” allegedly took place last month. A so-called “insider” is quoted as telling the magazine, “It was like they were both ready to unload all of their frustration and anger that had been building up over the past couple of weeks.” It’s claimed the former couple argued over Affleck supposedly putting himself before Garner and the family. “Jen’s had it up to here with Ben’s drama. She wants out,” a “friend” contends to the publication…
Nothing has changed between Garner and Affleck: They didn’t renew their vows, but they’re not imminently divorcing either. Gossip Cop is exclusively told that while they have ups and downs, they remain close and their friendly co-parenting dynamic continues with no major changes.
Gossip Cop also claims that the fight never happened, but come on, Jen was about to file and so she talked to US and put Ben on notice. Then they either reached a truce and agreed to tell the secondary outlets that nothing had changed or Ben’s people told them to try and save face. Jen didn’t go to church on Sunday as usual for some reason so it wasn’t business as usual. In fact none of our outlets have photos of her after February 17, when the story broke. People magazine, which often runs multiple updates on their situation, has no comment or story so far. Maybe they’re sick of covering this or maybe Ben and Jen’s people don’t know what’s happening. I really want to know what’s going on behind the scenes and it’s possible this is all by design – drum up interest by saying a divorce is imminent then deny those stories. Or maybe things are really chaotic at home and Jen wants out but she’s just not ready to pull the plug.
These photos are all from November, 2016. Credit: FameFlynet
I haven’t followed this saga too closely because I find them both annoying. Can someone who has clue me in as to why they just won’t file for divorce and get on with their lives? They both look utterly miserable in all the photos of them together post split.
I think the reason Ben won’t file is because he doesn’t want to give up his family man image which allows him to get good PR coverage. I don’t understand why Jennifer won’t file but I think she probably gets more out of being married to him than if she’s single.
Yes, they both prefer being married to each other because they have more to win this way.
Of course, the official reason is ‘it’s for the kids’.
This story is not very credible. Garner being upset with Ben for putting himself first is like being upset with air for existing. It is what it is.
Affleck has always put himself first and Garner was happy to guide him from the shadows, carry his babies, raise them and give cute interviews to the press once in a while. The split, as much as it is a split, came with the nanny and the nanny story coming out in the press.
I wonder if he has found someone “serious” and Jen is feeling pressured to finally file. I really am curious if she is still in love with him. I know they are addicted to their image, but after all these years could she still be genuinely hoping he will change and love her back? I,don’t believe that Jen is not filing for the kids sake- it’s obvious they can co-parent well enough, so it has to be something else. This has gone on for so looooong…..are they just addicted to hating each other? The only way I can see them divorcing at this point is if Ben wants to be official with someone. I can’t see Jen with anyone else, I don’t think she has it in her.
I go back and forth with her on that. On one hand I think she could remarry. I’d imagine he’d be older than her, divorced, possibly with kids of his own, and not an actor. Someone stable. But then I remember that this is the same woman who is addicted to that Mrs. Hollywood image that she used to have. She loves giving interviews about her A+++ husband and kids and how normal they are despite their status. No one will care about that anymore if she marries some regular guy. Ben is her only tether to VIP status and even that has shrunk considerably in the past two years. Let’s face it, Alias was 15 years ago. Her movie career never took off. She’s doing mom roles in kids movies. Being Mrs. Ben Affleck and Mother to his kids is still the best gig that she has or is going to get at this point.
She could make play for Pitt. She threw her name in the ring when his divorce was announced. He’s still A+++ and she could help him repair any image damage during his divorce.
They look like strangers, not a long term couple or even siblings.
Girl, just pull the plug already. He. Will. Never. Change. You’ll be chasing off twenty-somethings and giving out ultimatums about quitting drinking for the rest of your life.
Actually I think he will change eventually when he hits his 50s and settles down with his much younger second wife.
I take the opposite view. I think Ben’s going to drink hard and mess around on the down low until he dies. I don’t think he wants to start over with some Little Miss Expectations and he would never marry one of his bimbos. This is a guy with a full on Madonna/Whore complex. I think neither of them wants to deal with a property settlement or have to hash out custody.
This exactly. Get out now, work on yourself, be with your kids. And in a few years you’ll find somebody who WANTS to be with you and has his act together.
This is not healthy, they should stop this pr game.
Yeah and this ‘for the kids’ BS is just nonsense. Sure if they were putting on a happy face but secretly miserable maybe i could see the point. But they are deliberately playing this will they wont they divorce game in the public for the world to see. This is going to confuse and damage their kids…
Thankfully their rich enough to afford the therapy these kids will need…
i find this ‘will they, won’t they’ so weird, considering her article in Vanity Fair after their break up, when she positioned herself as a wronged woman and oh so much stronger for it… and now…..i do not understand. Either you separate and remain on good terms for the kids or you have a real relationship and then, why not admit it. You cannot live in limbo land just to appease your public image.
Yes, she seemed very angry in the Vanity Fair interview but she clearly still loved him too.
BUT when she launched into the whole won’t-dance-with-my-husband-at-my-daughters’-wedding stuff, she made it seem like it was definitely over. YMMV.
i honestly don’t get why she doesn’t file for once…. Does she still thinks he is going to change?
This separation limbo must be very confusing for them and for the children
They can still co parent and have a good relationship for the kids’ sake while being divorced you know…
The comments/discussion on the Gossip Cop site for this story are very interesting. Ben spotted in South Carolina this week, but not with Jen and the family. And apparently he was there in December as well. Not sure what the deal is but GC rated their confidence in this story as a 2, not their usual 0. What was the deal with the US Weekly story then? If that was another Jen Garner public warning shot, pathetic.
here’s a thought maybe US made up the story itself or from unreliable sources for a headline and just maybe niether Jen nor Ben had anything to do with it.
As for Jen not being in church in Sunday the kids have a full week off from school, so like every other year, they generally go somewhere for the week.
As for why she has not filed, I think it is because she does not want joint custody and have to turn her kids over to Ben every second weekend with his potential for irresponsible behavior. To get full/total controlling custody would start a war and she would have to put all the sorid details out there and it would be nasty and bad for him and the kids too. Then down the road the kids would read/learn about it and I think she is trying to stay classy with him for them and so she can keep them with her and look out for their welfare. As for why he hasn’t filed beats me, but must be to his advantage. And he can file just as easily as she can, so don’t put all the blame on her for that.
Can you post the South Carolina sighting?
Search Ben Affleck Charleston on FB and Twitter and you’ll see them. He was seen in LA yesterday so he’s back apparently.
Thanks – I don’t see anything on Twitter but someone on FB said they saw him at a seafood restaurant in Charleston on Tuesday night.
Was was the LA sighting?
I miss the days of the Jennifer Garner + Jason Bateman blinds. I can see those two together. But if Jason isn’t available, she could go after Rick Schroeder, who is or soon will be divorced. I think I just want to see her end up with a “Silver Spoons” cast member. That seems like her speed. Alfonso is taken, right?
Now that you mention it…Jennifer Garner kinda gives me a Kate Summers (Erin Gray) vibe.
Jason Bateman has been married for 16 years. Surely Jen can find someone that’s not a committed father and husband.
Interesting that they totally ignored the US story and only addressed the (clearly fake) Star cover story. Hmmm….
I think all these weak denials are coming him, not her.
The two stories were pretty much the same though, right? That Jennifer had finally had enough and was divorcing him soon.
US reported that she was getting ready to file, and that Ben has moved out. There weren’t any further details. Star mag basically made up everything else. The fact that GC still hasn’t been able to deny the initial report 6 days later is kind of suspect. It was a big story too.
GC denied that Jennifer was preparing to file, which was the premise of US’s story.
@Joni You’re right. The US weekly story was really two things: that she’s gearing up to file and that he’s moved out. GC did not bother to say anything about where he is living now and they have made a point to address that in the past.
Oh, these two.
It’s not unusual that they weren’t at church – it’s half-term so they’re most likely on vacation.
Jennifer is giving a speech in her role as a Save the Children ambassador in Washington on Saturday.
I think there are some intense negotiations going on right now. Maybe custody, maybe money, or even rehab. I have no doubt it will break soon, the stories aren’t matching up.
I have to agree. Something isn’t right here. Even the Gossip Cop story sort of hedges -very noncommittal. That said, I do think the marriage benefits them both, so I wouldn’t doubt if they continue to draw out the misery. He’s her poison, and she’s his stable image.
I think he is driving the we are great theme for his family man image. I think it’s something of an obsession. Maybe he’s using the kids as leverage to keep her from filing. She seems awkward in photos with him and avoids any appearance of being with him and her interviews have been clear its co parenting and that’s all.
It’s always been his people that have come out to say they’re still separated after hers have told Us Weekly different.
No church or other sightings because it’s presidents week and the kids are on break. Last year this time “page six” was reporting that they all were in Montana skiing and eating nachos with Brady and Giselle. There has not been a “friendly” People update since Thanksgiving – about what great family time they had yada yada. Something is definitely going on. Based on the Ben sightings in SC and LA, he does not appear to be with the family wherever they are. Which for their “coparenting …… ” is unusual.
Maybe US got wind of something and decided to go with this angle hoping it would actually turn this way. As far as GC only denying the STAR story and not US, I have seen them do things like this before, where they deny the 2nd tier tabloid, but not the original source.
With Jen speaking in DC on Saturday, it seems unlikely that she will be presenting at the oscars this year. Maybe she is not planning on attending at all. As for Ben, you would think with his brother and best friend up for oscars you would think that he would be.
Also Jimmey Kimmel posted “the handsome men’s club” skit on Facebook a day or so ago – leading a lot of people to think they will be doing something related to this at the oscars – that hilarious skit included many people including Damon, Affleck and Garner.
The last People update was actually at Christmas time. But yeah, something’s up. I’m not sure if the SC sighting is legit though?
They’ve already announced the presenters for the Oscars. There might be one or two last-minute additions but it seems unlikely. They try to get relevant people to present — who can say that she is?
As for the SC sighting I mean, why wouldn’t it be legit? The spotter is an older woman and she seemed very excited to see him. Plus he was just there in December for some reason.
Oscars presenters are recent winners or people to have an upcoming project to promote. Jennifer was promoting Miracles from Heaven last year. It would make no sense for her to do it this time around.
I’m always sceptical about lone social media sightings, unless there’s a picture. People misidentify celebrities all the time. The sighting in December came from a guy with “hiel” in his username and an ‘interesting’ twitter feed.
I saw the Dec sighting in S. Carolina back when it was tweeted & thought that it might be a mistake or whatever. But now that we have a second one a couple of months later? I don’t think it’s a coincidence.
ETA: Jen definitely got special treatment last year to present at the Oscars. Wasn’t just to promote her Christian movie that no one cares about. She was the scorned woman and her popularity on her own was at its highest in years. She’s pretty unimportant these days.
If he’s out in public in SC at a city restaurant he’s likely there for work reasons, maybe scouting locations for his next project or trying to get film rights to something.
If he were there on the dl to mess around he wouldn’t be out in public. Charlestonians are awesome but love to dish. Its also an hour from Savannah where I think he has a 2nd home – ?
Yes..but the children are on school break this week. Why would he not be with them?
The woman who reported the fb sighting wasn’t even from Charleston, she was a tourist. We don’t really know what he would or wouldn’t do. I remember People or US weekly reporting that he took some blonde out to dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel the Oct after they were separated. My point is he’s taken women out to dinner in LA, so why not SC? Plus his kids are off from school this week.
Just a couple days ago this site said Jennifer Garner filing for divorce. WTH……at this point, other than the parties involved, does anyone care. I wish all celebs would get married and then at some point, sadly, get divorced…………………all away from our eyes. Headache inducing!
InTouch has a story out this week that Matt is trying to set Ben up with dates. It claims that he set Ben up with one of Lucy’s friends in FL but that it didn’t work out. I’m curious to see if GC disputes it. Makes me wonder about the Miami uber sighting that GC never addressed and that disappeared from the web without a retraction.
I think GC did actually deny that story, but saying he was not with the Nanny as one mag had said. In any case, they are officially separated, having announced their intent to divorce, why would this current story have to be denied.
Are there other ex-celebrity couples that have this much back and forth going on?
I don’t think GC will deny the Matt story just like they didn’t deny the recent story about Jen talking to Vartan again. That said, why did the multiple stories about Jen being jealous of various women – JLo, Anna, Sienna – need to be denied? That just made Jen look ridiculous. I have a feeling they’re in the midst of trying to figure out the their next step because even Gossip Cop
Is hedging a bit this time.
Did they deny it? OH yeah but only the part that he might have been with the nanny, not that he was there in the first place. Who really thought it was the nanny anyway? And GC has denied stories about *the reason Jen was smiling* before…
Ben has backed out of directing the Batman, and according to Kevin Smith’s podcast last week, they are now scrapping the entire script that Ben wrote and starting from scratch without his input! And the new guy they tapped as director is backing away too! And Ben was floating the idea of not even being Batman anymore!?!?
Something is def going on on that set and I bet that’s where all this is stemming from.
Take a breath. I would take stuff from Kevin Smith with a huge grain of salt. All we know for sure is that Ben will no longer be directing the movie. The rest is idle blog gossip.
I’m sorry, “take a breath?” That was my first comment on this story. You have several. See above where you yourself are speculating on “idle blog gossip” and people’s reports on Facebook, of all places.
As far as Kevin Smith, he stated that on his podcast and then it was reported by several other sources. It’s no more “idle” than what you were speculating on above.
Have a nice day.
Matt Reeves has officially signed on to direct the Batman film now and WB has confirmed that Ben’s still set to star in it.
I love the timing of this post.
I guess WB would not let him out of it.
FB sighting of Jen at LAX earlier today. On the way to DC?
When they first announced that they were divorcing I wondered how long they were going to drag it out, what with upcoming movies, promos and stuff. Conclusion 1.5 years later: these people are beyond image-obsessed. To have been running to the tabloids and gossip cop all this time, too — pathetic. I think less of both of them for all of this. You want privacy? Stop calling the paps and running to the press every other week. The whole thing has made both look like idiots. This will be the last post I make in any Garner-Affleck thread. So tired of this saga.
This ongoing BS is destroying his career. I wonder if Jen secretly wants to do just that, make him a fixture in the press for all the wrong reasons and then destroy his career so he is just as much as has-been as she is.