The news of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s decision to opt for a divorce took the media by storm in 2015. The shocking revelation came only a few days after their 10th wedding anniversary, which left fans of the two talents at a loss for words. Many who observed the couple’s relationship from an external perspective deemed them a picture-perfect match for each other. However, in reality, as alleged by Affleck in a 2021 interview, the two “grew apart” in a marriage that simply did not work.
The nature surrounding the couple’s break up became a matter of controversy when rumors of the Justice League alum being involved in a scandalous affair with Christine Ouzounian—the then-nanny to Garner and Affleck’s children—started surfacing. A spokesperson for the actor slammed such reports, stating them to be “full of lies”. Then, in 2016, Jennifer Garner engaged in a candid interview with Vanity Fair where she full-on addressed speculations regarding the divorce, the hearsay concerning what many used to call “Nannygate”, and the aftermath that ensued in the wake of one of the hardest decisions of her life.
Jennifer Garner On The Alleged Affair Between Ben Affleck And Nanny Christine Ouzounian
The decade-long relationship between the two Pearl Harbor talents was not artificial, stated Jennifer Garner in her authentic, unfiltered conversation with Vanity Fair in 2016. “It was a real marriage,” affirmed the actress. Both may have drifted apart but their romantic entanglement wasn’t for show. “It wasn’t for the cameras,” added Garner. The marriage was of the utmost significance to the 13 Going on 30 alum. In the interview, she said it was a “huge priority” for her to stay in it. However, it didn’t work out the way she planned it.
Dealing with the aftermath of their shared decision entailed a rough period for Garner. The way the media treated the ordeal was especially difficult for her to go through. After having turned on CNN one day, she decided she had seen enough. “I just won’t do it anymore,” she stated. She chose to make a quiet pledge to abstain from media consumption. Many believed this avoidance to be a sign of indifference or negligence. Even her former husband, Ben Affleck. Following was the Elektra actress’ statement:
“Ben says, ‘Oh, you just don’t care,’ and I say, ‘No, it’s the opposite.’ It hurts me so much, and I care so much … I cannot be driven by the optics of this. I cannot let anger or hurt be my engine. I need to move with the big picture always on my mind, and the kids first and foremost.”
Throughout the entire interview, many instances highlighted the affection Garner harbors towards her children. Keeping her three kids in mind, the talent chose to harmoniously navigate this personal storm alongside co-parent Ben Affleck without letting her emotions overpower her. In response to the allegations that romantically associated the Batman actor with their kids’ nanny, Jennifer Garner said that the rumors had no bearing on the split of the former Hollywood couple.
She went on to say that it could have been a case of “bad judgment” as it proved a taxing endeavor for the kids to deal with the nanny’s unexpected departure from their lives. Having to explain what a ‘scandal’ is to her children also became a strenuous conversation for the actress. Following was Garner’s elaboration:
“Let me just tell you something. We had been separated for months before I ever heard about the nanny. She had nothing to do with our decision to divorce. She was not a part of the equation. Bad judgment? Yes. It’s not great for your kids for [a nanny] to disappear from their lives. I have had to have conversations about the meaning of ‘scandal,’”
Despite the troubling implications of the aforementioned statement, the Yes Day star does not hold anything against her estranged husband. She urged the readers, through the interview, to not “beat the guy up” over the matter or harbor any animosity towards him. Reminiscing on her marriage with Affleck, the actress even stated that she would not hesitate going back to do it all over again. It is clear from such statements that Jennifer Garner possesses a level of admiration and respect for her former partner that nothing can quite influence.
Jennifer Garner Called Ben Affleck The Love Of Her Life
The amount of maturity displayed by Garner towards Affleck in the 2016 interview is commendable. In a generation where taking a dig at former partners has become a common endeavor, the actress’ comments demonstrated that despite having gone through a difficult time in her life, she was prepared to forgive and forget to move on to the next chapter of her life; not just for her own sake, but also her children’s.
Following is what she had to say about her estranged husband:
“I didn’t marry the big fat movie star; I married him. And I would go back and remake that decision. I ran down the beach to him, and I would again. You can’t have these three babies and so much of what we had. He’s the love of my life. What am I going to do about that? He’s the most brilliant person in any room, the most charismatic, the most generous.”
Even though her marriage did not go as planned, the Catch and Release actress claimed that she was eager to help Ben Affleck get through the difficult time that followed after they decided to divorce. “He’s still the only person who really knows the truth about things. And I’m still the only person who knows some of his truths,” concluded the actress on the matter of her future with the co-parent.
A similar, respectable sentiment was echoed by Ben Affleck when he stated the following three years back:
“When you have children with somebody you’re connected to them forever. And I’m very lucky she is the mother of my children. I’m very grateful and respectful of her. Our marriage didn’t work, and that’s difficult. Both of us really believe that it’s important for kids to see their parents respect one another and get along, whether they’re together or not.”
Therefore, to ensure an environment where their three children can feel comfortable respected, and nurtured, the two decided to maintain a cordial friendship. With both choosing to co-parent, there have been a few sporadic glimpses of the former couple interacting with one another; a testament to their harmonious equation. Both Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have, therefore, moved on, with the former having tied the knot with Jennifer Lopez last year, and the latter finding love again in American businessman John C. Miller.
Source: Vanity Fair
