Missing in the ongoing chronicle of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s relationship has been what Ben’s ex wife, Jennifer Garner, thinks about their rekindled relationship. I assume that outlets are getting so many updates from the source that they don’t have to bother with secondary stories about them. According to US Magazine, both Jennifers are fine with each other. I would assume they’ve met through rich famous people circles a few times and they reportedly have a high opinion of each other. However E! has some much shadier quotes from a source. They say that Garner just wants Ben to remain focused on their kids and that she doesn’t want to be inserted into this narrative, essentially. I’m excerpting both articles below:
“J. Lo has Jennifer Garner’s seal of approval,” the source says, noting that the two actresses have crossed paths over the years. “J. Lo thinks Jennifer is a kind and wonderful person and an amazing mother.” – From US Magazine
“Jen does not want to get involved. She has completely moved on,” the insider explains of [Garner]. “She continues to focus on her kids and that is her priority. When the kids are with Ben, she hopes that is his priority too. What he does the rest of the time is not her problem. She has done everything she can to foster great relationships between Ben and the kids. But she won’t get involved with who he dates or his private life.” – From E! Online
[From US Magazine and E! Online]
So is Affleck and J.Lo’s side US Magazine’s source and Garner E!’s source? That’s what I would guess. I’m really wondering what kind of agreement Affleck and Garner have about when their kids can meet a significant other. The kids all met and spent time with Ana de Armas over lockdown and that didn’t last a year. Six months sounds like a reasonable timeline and fingers crossed that Affleck and Lopez last that long this go-around. Lopez is upending her whole life for him.
Oh and Star Magazine had a funny/dumb story last week claiming that the Affleck kids know who Jennifer Lopez is because “Violet and Seraphina love to watch rom-coms and really like The Wedding Planner. They think it’s funny their dad was once engaged to Jennifer.” However Garner is shielding them from the headlines about their dad’s relationship with Lopez and “they don’t know all the gritty details.” I bet she’s just taking a wait and see approach. She knows her ex very well.
photos credit: Backgrid and via Instagram
The only thing the two Jennifers have in common is a strong tabloid PR game. My thought is Garner is the type of girl he thought he should marry, but Lopez is the one he has always been obsessed with.
That was also my sense when he got together with JG. It’s an incredibly immature view (and cruel to both women and women in general, imo), so that feels right for Ben Affleck.
Yes Jen Garner. Thanks for reaching out and letting the world know what think. We were all waiting with bated breath.
@Christa, she’s not necessarily the one contacting the press. If I were a celebrity reporter, I would be dialing HER up and asking her/her reps what she thinks. She can’t win. If she refuses to comment, they will print “no comment“, which sounds shady. Her viewpoint is a storyline and the press won’t pass it up.
It’s like the Madonna/ whore complex. Garner the wholesome, perfect, plain Jane, wife and mother, whilst Lopez is the sexy, charismatic, ambitious one, who turns heads where ever she goes. Garner represents long term stability and lopez represents short term passion.
And I think Garner will play her Madonna role to perfection. Women tend to root for ‘madonnas’ especially ones who have been wronged or are competing with a ‘sexy’ woman. She will make sure her PR will put out how she’s a fantastic mother and how wholesome she is.
Meanwhile jlo will just continue being jlo, she pretty much the same with each man and Ben will probably be drunk somewhere. They will milk the publicity for the summer then call it quits.
This sounds like tabloid trash again. I’m sure she was asked by some random reporter, had no comment, so they just made shit up.
Jennifer G may play up the wholesome image – or may actually be wholesome – but in no world is she Plain Jane – she is really beautiful.
February-Pisces, you are perpetuating sexist tropes by actively portraying these complex women as if they are stereotypes. Please stop. It’s gross and harmful to women.
@Tiffany
They are sexist tropes but the actresses themselves (especially the ones who go the wholesome route) use this to their advantage in their PR game. Jennifer Anniston and Jennifer Garner are two PR pros at this. Neither are wholesome but they do a really good job portraying that especially if they have someone like Angelina or JLo to contrast against.
Their demographics are just different so they play to their specific demographic. I expect that if they drop their wholesome image and show who they really are (I think Anniston is starting to tire of that image nowadays) that their demographic might be shocked that they aren’t any different from Angelina or JLo. They are all beautiful, accomplished, smart sexy women.
No, that excuse doesn’t work. It’s not the actresses that are using the Madonna/whore stereotype, it’s comments here. Stop pretending women FORCE you to be sexist.
Umm. You can’t “shield” a teenager from headlines lol. They have phones, and the internet and presumably friends who would tell them stuff. There is no way Violet is unaware of her father’s rekindled relationship with JLo.
How can she really shield the kids from anything? Aren’t the girls both teenagers now? They probably have their own social media and know perfectly well how to use Google.
This can only end badly, but will be excellent PR for the short term. All I see in Ben and JLo are the two of them once again making stupid decisions to stay in the public eye. Both of them seem to have a deep need to expose their private relationships to the public.
“ When the kids are with Ben, she hopes that is his priority too.”
OK I can’t be the only one who found this part beautifully passive aggressive right? I mean…fair….but the wording is just *chef’s kiss*. 😂
Yeah I got that as a ‘bless his heart’. When he was with Shookus he was pretty much an absent dad what with constantly flying back and forth to NYC and taking her out to eat as pap pictures showed us. With Ana he was better but there was a pandemic going on so that kept him home a bit more. They met Ana after only a couple of months and I was surprised JGa went for that but Ben does whatever the hell he wants and I don’t think there’s much she can dictate to him about that. By the way they definitely know each other from the daredevil premiere at the least. And I am wondering why people don’t care what Marc Anthony thinks. He was more in the midst of it. Misogyny I guess.
Marc has a bunch of exes and baby mama’s so people don’t think he cares all that much. However I do wish everyone would stop bringing up J.Ga, she moved on from that marriage too. Then again, J.Ga loves attention…
@robin
Yes it keeps her in the press which jen garner wants
For sure, that was very pointed. And if that’s actually coming from Garner and not tabloid fiction, I don’t blame her one bit. She must be so tired of Bens’ BS.
Yes but this public announcement is not in the best interest of the kids.
Her clothing choices pain me. She’s tall and thin, and there are so many cute, casual things that she would look good in.
Lol, agreed. Her shoe game is still crap, too. It’s clear she’s never had a stylist help her with her casual wear. She’s just all over the board with every. single. ensemble.
After losing about 100 lbs, my boss started doing Stitch Fix like six months ago and she has an all new wardrobe and an amazing new style. I love everything she wears, so much cool detail in every outfit, yet clean and simple at the same time. It’s amazing how quickly she developed a great signature casual style, and I would love to see JG do the same.
I love StitchFix! I’ve gotten some really great pieces from them, but mostly for work and going out.
Garner doesn’t seem to care about fashion in her day to day life, and I’m pretty similar. She always looks good at events and stuff, but running errands or with her kids, she seems to go for comfort, which I am on board with.
I hear you on comfort, I’m the same way. Our office’s dress code is casual so my boss’s style is a more fancy casual than I would wear to the grocery store and I guess it’s not realistic to expect celebs to look put together every time they’re out. Although some people can wear sweats and still look amazingly stylish, like Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. I guess that’s what I was getting at, that JG just doesn’t have an innate, effortlessly stylish look in general.
True, some people are just effortless stylish, no matter what they wear. Zendaya is one who comes to mind.
Stitch Fix is o.k. They will start to send the same patterns after awhile. I say let Jennifer be. That’s her style.
So- this is about a general situation like this- not these people in particular.
but if a man was engaged to a woman, then spent a decade with you- then after a number of years (not directly out of y’all’s relationship) went back to that first woman, do you think you would feel like…. a placeholder? Like- i thought i was the love of his life, the person he chose to have a family with, but, was it just good timing- men do have a mode of – well it is time to get married and have kids and be a grown up.
And is the first woman, the one he went back to- is that his real one and only.
Was part of that decade of my life, my whole world and family- was that a lie?
I certainly don’t think JG and Ben’s relationship was a placeholder, nor do i think their love/life was a lie- but if it were you, wouldn’t you feel that- even if just in passing.
Ugh. gut punch.
I guess I am odd, but it would not hurt me in the least. If I divorced the guy, I would not consider him the love of my life. I would consider him my love of that decade and the father of my dear children, but if I didn’t want to keep him, I wouldn’t expect him to consider ME the love of his life, either.
I think Ben was hard to married to, and I don’t think she misses him. I think she thinks “Yeah, he’s YOUR problem now!” Lol.
I definitely see what you’re saying. But I think to truly be hurt by Ben, JG would have to have a good opinion of him and honestly, who would at this point? He’s a mess and I think instead of still feeling sad about the break-up of her marriage, she’s probably feeling more relieved that he’s not her mess anymore. It’s not as if he’s going to suddenly be a good guy with JLo. He’s still going to have addiction issues, he’s still going to be unfaithful.
Everyone (even JLo herself I bet) is framing this as two people in true love who finally can be together after all these years. I think Ben misses that time in his life when he was riding high, young, and childless, and associates JLo with that time.
They have kids together, so to a certain degree, BA is always going to be JG’s mess. The big question is, if BA tumbles off the wagon, will JLo stick around to help, or will JG have to come to his rescue? (You know she will, “for the kids’ sake.”)
It has to hurt. It’s not like JG’s feelings for Ben just fizzled out. She’s said the divorce wasn’t her choice and described him as the “love of my life” after the divorce.
@AO. She said that pretty much immediately after the divorce – And they did make an effort to get back together after that..in 2016. And Ben said he never thought he’d get divorced as well. Would I be hurt? maaaybee – – it would depend on how soon after our breakup he got back together with his ex. If we had been separated since 2014 and it was now 2021…no. And this is Ben Affleck we’re talking about so he would only get a huge eye roll from me. Like many actors he’s fickle and addicted to the drama and public attention. I think that is their big attraction, frankly. I remember their first go round of press shenanigans.
She said that six years ago. I don’t believe that her life is revolting around Ben Affleck now. Freedom is very sweet after the problems and pain he caused her with his cheating, drinking, drugging, etc. He has his mistress Shookus in his house, he cheated with the nanny and he humiliated her, as he humiliated Jlo. I think her only concern about him is the effect of his behavior to her children.
@Theo
“ revolting around Ben Affleck now.“ I realize you must have said revolving and the mic heard revolting,, but it’s perfect.😂😂😂
Sometimes people do things for an ex because they care about their children. A lady working with me helped her only child pay for his deadbeat dad’s funeral because she wanted to spare her child the humiliation of seeing his dad buried in a paupers grave. Sometimes it just is what it is.
Eh, I doubt she cares. She has moved on and I think she knows it will implode eventually.
Thank you Golly, hahaha…😍🥰😍.
@Kate
Exactly. If I were her, the inner eyeroll over this disaster waiting to happen would be huge. I wouldn’t be hurt. My only concern would be making sure the kids didn’t get dragged into any of his drama when this, inevitably, implodes.
Was she the love of his life?
Or was it “gee, yeah we are having a baby so let’s get married.”
You REALLY think Ben has a “one and only”???? Lolz….
She’s probably just glad it’s not her that has to deal with him anymore – besides the kids of course. He had his best years with JG and she probably knows it. Ben has been spiraling for awhile and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop until he has a major health crisis.
I wouldn’t. My ex married a woman he knew while we were married. I am thrilled he moved on – the happier and healthier he is, the better it is for my kids. I loved my ex when we were together and I never thought we would get divorced, but once I filed, I never looked back and I haven’t regretted it. Once I was done, I was done.
I thought it was just me thinking her outfit wasn’t flattering. Like people say, she’s tall and thin….and has money. It’s not horrible or tacky or anything, it’s fairly classic and I like the soft blue colors, but how does someone with her figure look a little dowdy in vertical stripes?
That outfit looks like Eileen Fisher to me, just a guess. Her clothes are made in lovely natural fabrics and tend to fit loosely. I have one EF dress, but it’s one that fits a little more tailored than most of her stuff. But then I am not JG and I’m not being photographed by Paps.
God, I would hate to be in the public eye.
No doubt this woman loved Ben Afleck, she always spoke very highly of him and defended him in every interview I’ve seen of them. To find out that you were better suited to be a mother and not necessarely the ideal lifetime partner has got to hurt! I always viewed her as a beautiful woman, very natural…someone I can relate to. Both JLO and Ben are incapable of being single for more than a minute! Very few rebound relationships work out, and I don’t see this one being the exception!!!
I don’t believe Ben Affleck was so mature to think that. He was a young spoiled man, an addict, who felt in love with another woman and left his fiance. This is his pattern. He is not a family man, not a faithful fiancee, or husband or boyfriend. He is just a womanizer.
My brother thinks Ben is an idiot: “What kind of guy throws a gal like Jennifer Garner back?” I know, the fishing metaphor is terrible, but at least he’s showing some wokeness.
The fishing metaphor isn’t that terrible considering Jennifer Garner was in the movie Catch and Release…lol
Ben is an idiot and unless he shows some long term normalcy, for lack of a better word, he’ll continue to be an idiot.
“Jen has completely moved on.” So much so that she has to put out statements and get papped. She is such a hypocrite with her simple suburban mom schtick. She’s just as thirsty.
JLo was on Ellen a few years and played a game where she had to name three other famous Jennifers. She only named two and blanked on the third. Ellen suggested Jennifer Garner and JLo has NEVER seemed more awkward. There has to be bad blood there towards Garner. Jen Garner was clearly already head over heels for Ben in that Dinner for Five interview when Ben was still engaged to JLo.
During the promotion of the movie Daredevil when he and jlo were engaged Ben was always cheek to cheek in pictures with Garner. I thought then something must have happened during the filming of Daredevil and sure enough, Ben said they fell in love during the filming of it. Now that was no way for an engaged man to act but jlo always ignores red flags.
Well, Garner has homewrecked a few in her time, including her own of course, though she totally gets a pass. I really couldn’t care, but I find it so interesting who gets passes and who doesn’t. I don’t get it.
Or she was one of his mistresses during his marriage with Garner!
I hope she tells them to keep the kids out of this bull crap too. You KNOW J Lo is ready for the “family” photos in the next couple of weeks.
This reunion is such a PR joke, and so many people all falling for it. It is just SO “coincidental” that paps are around every time J Lo is with an ex!
Enertainment & tabloid sites are obviously contacting Jen G’s publicists to get her response. I don’t think JG can win…if she doesn’t respond or say no comment, people will say she is upset & never got over her divorce with Ben. She almost has to say something. Unlike Jolie, Jen G. has wanted their children to have a wonderful relationship with their father & has encouraged Ben to make them a priority.
Why would she get involved? Did one of them ask her to? They were divorced years ago, I don’t see why she would need to be involved with him or his relationship ship in any way.
This headline made me laugh! Of course she does not want to get involved in these shenanigans! This whole thing is a hoot, in celeb gossip world. (I worry about all the kids involved in real life — but I cannot do anything about that, so . . . .)
Garner needs to stop googling Ben and putting out thirsty statements to the tabloids. Focus on getting your own life. They split up in 2015 and she’s still going on and on about him. It’s sad, really. She’ll never really move on and she’ll never have an identity outside of him. She’ll never be known for her own thing, she is always just “the lady who Ben cheated on with all of LA, including the nanny”
@ Renata
That makes Ben sound like a real catch, huh? Not!
JG will be fine…she just passed an addictive, narcissistic man on to someone else!
And with good reason. JLO is a serial romancer. She can’t take even a moment to self reflect. We are to believe that she is suddenly in LOVE with B. Affleck again. in just months after the great love of her life AROD. She moved her children to Miami to be blended with his, vacations, holidays, family get together, it was a Brady Bunch redux on steroids, and suddenly they are ripped apart after all this time of togetherness. J Garner, is absolutely aghast for this to be played out with her children too. HELL TO THE NO!
Its an old Hollywood story. The flip side to A Star is Born. They are in their 50’s now, a new generation of actors have come forward and the future says they need to make the transition to supporting roles and character parts. So they hook up for one more round of 90’s tabloid glory. I give it six months and the charade will be over.
Jennifer Garner will always be the “pick up the pieces woman” whenever Ben screws up his life again. When he’s on top or thinks he is, he has no use for her. I just hope that when her youngest turns 18, she stops being Ben’s rescuer. I understand why she does it: she wants a functional father for her children. Ben puts that responsibility on her shoulders when it belongs to him. And he has no appreciation or respect for her. Toxic, selfish, wildly egotistical man who thinks he’s way smarter and more talented than he is.