Last year, when Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck, “sources close to Jennifer Garner” had J.Lo’s back. There was always a conversation about whether the two Jennifers got along or felt some kind of way about each other, but Garner’s people made a point of suggesting that Garner feels J.Lo’s pain. The basic gist was: yeah, Ben is a moody a–hole who can’t handle stress, Garner has been there and done that, and she hopes J.Lo doesn’t blame herself for what happened. Both Jennifers were too good for that man-child. Well, Garner still has to deal with Ben all the time, especially since his divorce from J.Lo. He’s spent a lot of time over at Garner’s house in the past year, and of course he’ll spend Christmas there as well.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner may be reuniting for the holidays. An exclusive source tells PEOPLE that the Air star, 53, is invited to celebrate the Christmas holiday with the Deadpool & Wolverine actress, also 53, and their three children: Samuel, 13, Seraphina Rose, 16, and Violet Anne, 20.
“Just like they celebrated Thanksgiving together, Ben is invited to celebrate Christmas with Jen and the kids too,” the insider says. “They just have this nice routine now that works for everyone.”
“He spends a lot of time at Jen’s house and is constantly around for his kids,” the insider continues. “It makes everyone happy. Jen’s still dating John.”
The Yes Day actress and the Gone Girl star previously celebrated Thanksgiving together. A source close to Garner told PEOPLE she and her ex-husband spent the holiday gathered in Los Angeles with their family as usual.
“Just like last year, Jen hosted Thanksgiving at her house. Ben and his mom joined,” the source said at the time. “Jen makes it very special. She’s such a great chef. She loves having her whole family together too. Ben’s always welcome at her house.”
The former couple split in 2015 after 10 years of marriage, officially divorcing three years later. After getting divorced, Garner and Affleck moved on to other relationships. The 13 Going on 30 star has been dating CEO John Miller on and off since 2018, while Affleck was married to Jennifer Lopez for two years before she filed for divorce in August 2024.
An insider recently said the exes “get along and really support each other,” adding that “Ben’s doing well and staying focused on work, his health and his kids,” more than 10 years after they announced their divorce. “Jen’s his biggest cheerleader. It took them years to get to this point, but Jen never gave up on him,” the source added. “And it’s all friendly and centered around the kids now.”
Garner always comes across as a sainted figure in any story involving Ben. She really puts her kids first, and as a child of divorced parents, it’s a million times less stressful when your divorced parents get along and spend major holidays together in one place. Do I buy that Garner is happy to put up with Ben hanging around constantly? Eh. But she does it for their kids and so be it. I hope Ben buys Garner something nice for Christmas.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- Los Angeles, CA – Co-parenting superstars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner attend their middle child Fin’s school play in Los Angeles. Jennifer was all smiles as she arrives with two coffees in hand! Pictured: Jennifer Garner BACKGRID USA 3 MAY 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Los Angeles, CA – Actor Ben Affleck makes a stylish appearance while visiting Jennifer Garner’s home in Los Angeles to celebrate Mother’s Day, adding a touch of warmth to the family occasion. Pictured: Ben Affleck BACKGRID USA 11 MAY 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Los Angeles, CA – Actor Ben Affleck makes a stylish appearance while visiting Jennifer Garner’s home in Los Angeles to celebrate Mother’s Day, adding a touch of warmth to the family occasion. Pictured: Ben Affleck BACKGRID USA 11 MAY 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Jen G. definitely works to get along with that man for her children and even for some peace of mind. He’s a user and he treated her shabbily towards the end of their marriage.
He still uses her to seem like the nice, affable guy who loves his family no matter what. I think it’s a way to may Jenny Lo seem like the asshole in all of this.
I hope Jenn G. enjoys her man during the holidays with what’s his face hovering.
Maybe rather than using her, he likes to spend time with his kids at Xmas. Good they keep it cordial.
Of course she comes across as a saint, she’s probably the one who leaked this story in the first place.
Yep, two things can be true at once: She’s a genuinely sweet, kind, patient, generous, forgiving person who’s worked really hard to maintain a relationship with the father of her children even though he’s a moody, self-destructive, addict….. AND she’s a celeb with a publicist who’s marketability is based almost entirely on her niceness and relatability.
I agree that this is a source from Jen’s side – they make sure to mention that Ben’s mom joined them and that she is still in a relationship. But, I also think it’s understandable – whenever he’s single again, Ben likes to be seen with his ex-wife doing “family man” things together and maybe possibly hinting that they could get back together. We saw it in the aftermath of his divorce last year, and no doubt we’ll see it again.
I think placing this story in People (basically a PR direct pipeline) is a preemptive move on her part, like, yes, there might be photos of her laughing or smiling with her ex, but they are never ever ever getting back together.
Is Jen G’s fiancé cool with this too? My parents were divorced and my dad would “stop by” during the holidays but it was always on his way to somewhere else. But my mom didn’t have a fiancé either. Well I guess whatever works for them.
That photo from a couple of years ago where Ben showed up at the same time John and Jen Garner were outside going in, Ben looked like he was running into his best friend. He was very happy to see John and they were smiling at each other. I doubt John has an issue with Ben and his mom spending an hour or so for dinner at Thanksgiving and leaving.
I once had a co-worker who was an amazing person, who was close to her ex-husband as friends after the divorce, the father of her one child, and her second husband really liked him also. He was invited to all big family gatherings if he was single and with a girlfriend if he had a serious one. That lasted for decades. Even a couple of family vacations he attended part of. Their daughter grew up loved and well-adjusted because she never felt pulled or had to deal with parents who tolerated each other or despised each other.
My grandparents were divorced and my grandfather always attended family events hosted by my grandmother even when he got involved in a serious relationship. I have a cousin who does this with her ex and a friends who do this as well even with the ex-husband attending the ex-wife’s wedding and going on family vacations. On the outside it might look wierd but in the case of the people I know, it was a decision made so tha the children and later grandchildren didn’t have to be split for the holidays and got to enjoy them with their whole family. It may not work for every family dynamic but it can work.
He doesn’t have much choice. It’s pretty clear that Jen and her kids are a package deal. If she wants the kids’ dad around for their sake, then that’s what’s gonna happen. (Plus he probably also known that the alternative is Ben being an uncontrolled PIA, the structure the arrangement brings is better for everyone involved)/
My husband goes every year to have Xmas dinner with his daughter, exwife and her husband & their family. They all still really like him. I’m actually going this year too since my grand kids won’t be in town for Xmas day, which sucks. So rather than moping alone, I’ll join them. I went once years ago and found it uncomfortable, but enough time has passed I think. His exwife’s hubby is a great cook too. Last time he brought me home leftovers!
My hobby used to spend chrismas, easter, birthdays and even summer holydays with his Ex and the kids until after two years I said I wanted to come as well. Since she refused to meet me for 4 years now, since I’m nor family, I don’t want him to spend time with a woman who does not acknowledge my existance. The kids are switching between the parents every week now.
I may be wrong, but I recall that, when Ben resumed his old relationship with Jennifer Lopez, he let a statement leak in the press that he had “never loved Jen Garner” and that Lopez was always “the love of his life.” I thought that was very disrespectful and callous at the time.
Yeah he did. What a mess.
Jerks like him always paint the ex as “lesser than” to keep the new woman on her toes.
Its a great Narrative for saint Jen, but what impact will this have on impressionable kids grwing up . sometimes we need to teach them harsh realties, rather than make believe those kids could end up hating either themselves or both parents , because the guilt of we are doing this for you will start to eat at them, rather than sometimes the healthy thing is to walk away from unhealthy situations. what example is ben showing his boys? meh its yucky
She’s better than me. His cheating played out publicly, his falling off the wagon did too, his second marriage/divorce. I would just tell him to figure out something else.
I’m 50 and still trying to juggle seeing my divorced parents on Christmas, with my own family in tow. Bless Jen. I bet she’s looking forward to the day the kids are grown and she doesn’t have to see Ben on Christmas.
I think this was preemptive since every time (like last Thanksgiving) people say stuff like maybe they’ll get back together when he’s seen with her. But really they’ve been divorced ten years and have known each other for twenty five years now. They have three kids together and they both are very involved parents. It makes sense they would get along. And both Jen and Ben seem like the type not to hold grudges. Ben was at Kiss of the Spider Woman premiere with Jlo and posed with her, all smiles. But that doesn’t mean he wanted to get back with her either. And Ben never said he didn’t ever love Jen he said he was unhappy at the end of their marriage so he drank. Which was thoughtless and cruel to say and he said thoughtless and cruel things about Jlo too. I guess that’s what’s called an alcoholic’s personality.
Up until I moved back to Canada, my ex came over every Christmas. We divorced when our kid was a toddler, and it was just a way of not haggling over the holidays or having our kid feel like they are being pulled in different directions. It’s all about minimizing the stress on kids. His gf came the last few years. I know it may seem strange to outsiders. My attitude has always been that he’s her problem now. I am not joking or exaggerating when I say I am so completely over him – there’s no chance, zero, none, of me ever getting back together with him (he tried for a few years over the years in between girlfriends it’s a hard pass and a hell no). In my next life, I don’t marry him. He has zero chances.
Now our kid is almost and adult, spends Christmas with me and flies out to spend New Years’ with his dad. He spends Thanksgiving with his dad, since it’s not Thanksgiving here in Canada, and anyway, I am not a Thanksgiving person because of the vicious history of that holiday.
I love my peace so much so I am happily single, but if I did get a boyfriend, I would imagine everyone would get along. We’ve all moved on. There are a few life events where we have to see each other – sporting events for our kid, graduations, funerals (though I will be attending a lot less as I don’t like going to the States because of the fascism (and racism) – so it will have to be people very close to me). If our kid gets married there will be a wedding to attend, though I am all for them eloping if that’s what they choose. If a grandchild is born I will imagine I’ll see my ex at the hospital. It’s honestly the best thing about the kid getting older, the interactions are less and less – mind you we all get along, but it still doesn’t mean I want to see him every day.
I think Ben is a lot. And Jen is obviously over him which is why they are able to be around each other with little drama.