Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have been on good terms as friends and co-parents for years, but lately, sources have been discussing whether there could be renewed romantic interest between the two. Most insiders have forcefully shut down rumors. It is worth noting that Garner is not even single currently; the actress has been dating John Miller since 2018.
Still, on March 4, a video of Affleck briefly hugging Garner while they were playing paintball for their son’s birthday made headlines. From there, sources have had plenty to say to outlets including People, TMZ, Us Weekly, and Page Six about the co-parents’ relationship.
Page Six had the most striking report, with a source saying Affleck “would love another chance” with Garner “if the timing is ever right. At the same time, Ben knows it’s just not realistic at this time in their lives.”
In that same report, a separate source said Garner is not interested: “The feeling is not mutual on Jen’s side. She’s happy with John and that’s just not where her head is at. She has a great co-parenting relationship with Ben, and that’s where things stand on her end at the moment.”
Most sources have shut down dating rumors for now but acknowledge something has changed between Garner and Affleck now that his divorce from Jennifer Lopez is behind him. Garner and Affleck were married for 10 years before they separated in 2015; their divorce was finalized in 2018. They have three teenage children: Violet, 19; Seraphina, 16; and Samuel, 13.
Here, a roundup of what has come out.
Affleck is happier around Garner and “much more affectionate,” a source told People.
There’s been a change in Affleck’s behavior around his ex-wife lately, an insider told People on March 5. The former couple has been on good terms “for a while now,” the source said, and the actor “usually acts happy around [but has been] extra giddy lately, though, and much more affectionate. She doesn’t seem to mind. She seems to enjoy spending time with Ben.”
Affleck is doing well currently, but Garner knows his “dark side” and the damage it has caused too, a second source told People.
Garner is happy that her ex is in a good place and knows he can be “charming” during those periods. “When he’s doing well, he has great energy,” the source explained. “Right now, Jen has only good things to say about him. She enjoys spending time with him. He’s a great dad too. But he also has this dark, struggling side that resurfaces. Over the years, it affected their marriage negatively and caused their divorce.“
Garner made a similar remark in her first post-divorce interview that she gave to Vanity Fair. She told the outlet in February 2016, “He’s the most brilliant person in any room, the most charismatic, the most generous. He’s just a complicated guy. I always say, ‘When his sun shines on you, you feel it.’ But when the sun is shining elsewhere, it’s cold. He can cast quite a shadow.”
Garner’s relationship with her boyfriend, John Miller, is going well—and not about to end.
Multiple outlets reported on how happy Garner is with her partner. Garner and Miller have been together since 2018.
One source told People that the actress has “come a long way” since her and Affleck’s divorce. “She loves her new home that she built for her and the kids,” the insider said, adding that “John is a fantastic boyfriend. Their relationship is very normal.”
On February 12, a source told Us Weekly that Miller really wasn’t worried about Garner spending more time with Affleck. “Everything is fine with John and Jen,” the source said. “Those close to them haven’t heard of any issues.”
Insiders close to Affleck have stressed he is not trying to get back together with Garner and respects her relationship with Miller.
Rest assured, Affleck knows his ex-wife is taken and is not trying to get in the way of that. A source told Page Six, “Ben respects Jen’s relationship with John [Miller] and would never come between them.”
An Affleck source told People that rumors of him and Garner rekindling are “ridiculous.” A source told Us Weekly the same thing: It’s “ridiculous” talk, and they are just “good friends.”
TMZ spoke to a source close to Affleck who said that “there is no interest from Ben [in dating Garner again], and he’s happy they can be good friends in a great co-parenting situation.” Multiple sources told the outlet that Affleck is not interested in dating anyone currently.