Jennifer Garner has been seen lending a supportive shoulder and understanding ear to ex-husband Ben Affleck amidst ongoing rumors of him splitting from current wife Jennifer Lopez.
Affleck, who is reported to be staying in a rental home after moving out of the $60m property he shared with Lopez ‘weeks ago’, has maintained a low profile, with Garner being one of his few consistent visitors. She frequently visits the Brentwood-based abode, reflecting their close-knit relationship despite calling it quits almost ten years ago.
The duo, parents to three children, started dating back in 2005, following the end of Affleck and Lopez’s initial engagement. With split rumors suggesting an ending to Bennifer’s revisited romance, Garner seems to stand stronger by Affleck as he maneuvers through marital issues while preventing a relapse into his past alcohol addiction.
When announcing their separation in 2015, they put forth a unified message that stated, “We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time.”, reports the Mirror.
Despite their past split, Jennifer Garner showed her support for Ben Affleck by flying with their kids to London during his “Justice League” shoot. On the Today show, Garner shared, “He and I are great friends, and we just all went en masse.”
Garner later lauded Affleck’s role as a father, recounting how they celebrated their son Samuel’s birthday together. Speaking to Extra, she said, “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.”
Affleck has been open about his struggles with alcohol addiction, and in 2017, he checked into rehab following encouragement from Garner and their children. Post-rehab, Affleck expressed his gratitude in a statement, acknowledging Garner’s immense support: “I’m lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I’ve done the work I set out to do.”
He also mentioned, “The support I have received from my family, colleagues, and fans means more to me than I can say.”
In a candid interview with the New York Times in 2020, two years before marrying Jennifer Lopez, Affleck said of his divorce from Garner, “The biggest regret of my life is this divorce.”
However, by December 2022, Affleck and Lopez had rekindled their romance and tied the knot. The newlyweds have since maintained a harmonious relationship with Garner, who reportedly sees Lopez as a positive and ‘stabilizing influence’ on her ex-husband.
An insider spilled the beans to the Daily Mail, revealing that Jennifer Garner is not just supporting her ex Ben Affleck but also lending an ear to JLo: “JLo has been confiding in Jen because she knows that she is one of the only people in the world who would understand what she is going through. She has been through it with the same man herself and although the circumstances were quite different it is still the same man and they both dealt with some of the same issues.”
The source also shared that Garner is rooting for Bennifer’s love story to endure, noting that she’s made it clear to Lopez how much she’s ‘valued. ‘ They elaborated: “[Lopez] is one of the only women who can get through to Ben and keep him from jumping off the deep end with his addiction.”
Rumours have been swirling about potential trouble in paradise for Lopez and Affleck, with the duo last snapped together back in March, and Ben now reportedly living on his own.