Jennifer Garner Shares How She Became Friends With Ben Affleck After Their Divorce

When Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck announced their separation in 2015 after 10 years of marriage, the news shocked the nation because the A-listers were the epitome of a complete and happy family. Behind closed doors, however, the pair were reportedly struggling as Affleck dealt with his alcohol addiction, leading them to ultimately go their separate ways for the sake of their three children.

Now, in a rare and candid interview, Garner has revealed that she never thought she would be friends with her ex-husband again. She shared the one crucial element that helped them both heal and build the peaceful co-parenting partnership they have today, offering a message of hope for anyone navigating the difficult aftermath of a breakup.

On Divorce and Co-Parenting

In her interview with Marie Claire, Garner explained that time was the one thing that allowed her and Affleck to become friends. After their split, the parents of Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel immediately agreed to co-parent but the healing took much longer.

'That I'm able to co-parent at this point in time with peace and equanimity and a partnership that I didn't know I would ever get back to,' she said. 'I think it's important for women to know, when they think, "Oh, I'll never see that... I'll never be friends with this person again" [that] time is the opportunity. Time is the opportunity to heal. Time is the opportunity to forgive, to move on, and to find a new way to be friends.'

Garner and Affleck rarely talk about their divorce in public. Every time they do, they always praise each other and have nothing but wonderful things to say about one another.

Losing a 'True Partnership'

The Alias star's recent interview is no exception. Garner was asked about the difficulties of ending her marriage to Affleck, and her response proved she cared so much about her ex-husband.

'You have to be smart about what you can and can't handle, and I could not handle what was out there,' she said, referring to the media scrutiny. 'But what was out there was not what was hard. The fact of it is what was hard. The actual breaking up of a family is what was hard. Losing a true partnership and friendship is what was hard.'

Her Children Are Her 'Proudest Work'

Garner also talked about her and Affleck's three children. She said that Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel are her proudest work in life. Just like any mom, Garner had to temporarily quit acting so that she could focus on raising them. But the award-winning actress admitted that it never felt like a sacrifice.

'It was really hard to go to work, and it definitely shaped the jobs I chose, in a big way,' she said.

Garner and Affleck's eldest child is now 20 years old. On Instagram, several fans of the actress noted how much the two look alike, especially when Garner was still a baby. Every now and then, Violet gets photographed on outings with her parents and siblings. Other fans have claimed that she looks more like her dad now that she is an adult.

As of writing, Garner and Affleck's children are not in show business. It is unclear if they will eventually follow in their parents' footsteps. However, Violet already had experience speaking in front of a crowd when she gave a speech on mask bans at the LA County Board of Supervisors meeting two years ago.