Jennifer Garner is opening up about her difficult split with her ex-husband, Ben Affleck.
“You have to be smart about what you can and can’t handle, and I couldn’t handle what was out there,” the 53-year-old actress said in an interview with Marie Claire UK published on Wednesday, January 7. “But what was out there wasn’t what was difficult. The fact is what was difficult.”
Affleck, 53, and Garner fell in love after starring in the 2003 reckless. The couple married in 2005 and welcomed three children: Violet, 19, Seraphina, 16, and Samuel, 13. In 2015, Garner and Affleck announced their separation and finalized their divorce three years later.
“The actual breaking up of a family is what was difficult,” Garner continued. “Losing a true partnership and friendship is what was difficult.”
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have been appearing professionals since their separation in 2015. The exes became parents with the birth of their daughter Violet in December 2005, followed by Seraphina in January 2009 and Samuel in February 2012. Affleck and Garner announced that they were separating after 10 years of marriage in June 2015 through a (…)
While the transition was challenging at first, Garner persevered, she said, thanks in part to the support of her loved ones.
“I make a big, concerted effort to see my people as much as I can, because that’s what matters,” she explained to the outlet. “That’s where your resilience is – it’s in your relationships and the people who bring you around.”
Even though their love connection didn’t work out, Garner and Affleck have kept their bond strong while co-parenting their children.
“I’m able to co-parent right now with peace and equanimity and a partnership that I didn’t know I’d ever get back to,” Garner said Wednesday. “I think it’s important for women to know, when they’re thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll never see it, I’ll never have that feeling, I’ll never be friends with that person again,’ (that) time is opportunity. Time is opportunity to heal. Time is opportunity to forgive, move on, and find a new way to be friends.”
Affleck, meanwhile, has also spoken about his co-parenting dynamic with Garner.
“I’m very lucky to have a partner and a very good partner in Jennifer Garner, the mother of the children, who is wonderful and great and we work well together,” the actor said of his ex-wife in a March 2025 interview with GQ.
That same year, Garner shared a sweet tribute to Affleck in honor of father’s day.
“Happy Father’s Day to 3 people’s favorite landing spot,” Garner, 53, wrote via his Instagram story alongside a photo of Affleck lying on a couch with a newborn sleeping on his chest.
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck went from being Hollywood’s “It” couple to navigating a marriage on the rocks while in the public eye. Garner and Affleck began dating in 2004 before saying “I do” the following year. They welcomed three children during their marriage: Violet, Seraphina and Samuel. Despite his sweet family outings for (…)
After Garner split from Affleck, she moved on with boyfriend John Miller. Affleck, meanwhile, rekindled his romance with his former girlfriend Jennifer Lopez. The two married in 2022. In August 2024, Lopez, 56, filed for divorce after two years of marriage. In the midst of his separation from Lopez, Affleck was seen with Garner on several occasions, prompting speculation about a possible reconciliation. An exclusively explained source Us Weekly that despite online rumours, the pair work better as friends.
“Their relationship has grown into a strong friendship,” Affleck and Garner’s source said in March 2025, “Jen is a grounded and trusted force in Ben’s life.”
The source added that Affleck and Garner were spending more time together as a family.
“Ben has actually been spending more time with Jen since his divorce from Jennifer (López) because he’s been prioritizing his kids,” the source explained, noting, “It’s easier to spend time with them with Jen.”