Jennifer Garner Speaks Out Amidst JLo and Ben Affleck’s Divorce Drama: Is JLo Really That Bad?

In the tangled web of Hollywood relationships, few stories have captured the public’s attention quite like the saga of Jennifer Lopez (JLo), Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Garner.

As rumors swirl about the impending divorce of JLo and Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Ben’s ex-wife, has reportedly had enough, and her recent actions suggest that she’s ready to protect her children at all costs.

The story begins long before JLo and Ben Affleck rekindled their romance in 2021. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner first crossed paths in 2000 while filming “Pearl Harbor.” However, it wasn’t until 2002, during the production of “Daredevil,” that their connection deepened.

But there was a significant complication—both were involved with other people at the time. Jennifer Garner was married to actor Scott Foley, and Ben Affleck was engaged to none other than JLo herself.

In January 2004, Ben and JLo’s high-profile engagement came to an abrupt end, supposedly due to the relentless media intrusion that strained their relationship. Just months later, in October 2004, Ben and Jennifer Garner reconnected, and their relationship quickly blossomed.

By June 2005, they were married and welcomed their first child, daughter Violet, that same year. Their family continued to grow with the addition of another daughter, Seraphina, in 2009, and a son, Samuel, in 2012.

But as idyllic as their family appeared on the outside, cracks began to show. Ben Affleck struggled with alcohol addiction, a battle he would later openly discuss. He admitted that he would drink every day until he passed out on the couch, a habit that took a toll on his marriage.

“I started to drink more and more,” Ben once said, reflecting on that dark period of his life. “It was really hard for me to accept that that meant I was an alcoholic.”

The final blow to Ben and Jennifer Garner’s marriage came in 2015 when reports surfaced that Ben had cheated on Jennifer with their children’s nanny, Christine Ouzounian. The scandal erupted in June 2015 when Christine was photographed on a trip to Las Vegas with Ben and Tom Brady.

Just days later, Jennifer Garner announced that she had filed for divorce. Despite the betrayal and Ben’s ongoing issues with alcohol, Jennifer Garner remained a steadfast supporter of her ex-husband. She continued to stand by him, helping him through his journey to sobriety.

In August 2018, Ben suffered a highly publicized relapse, and once again, it was Jennifer Garner who stepped in to help. She drove him to a rehab center, demonstrating her commitment to his well-being, even after their marriage had ended.

Jennifer Garner’s dedication extended to allowing Ben to live in a guest house on her property for two more years after their separation. During this time, she shielded him from the prying eyes of the paparazzi, who were eager to capture Ben at his lowest moments.

Jennifer Garner never publicly criticized Ben for his struggles or his behavior. Instead, she maintained a dignified silence, focusing on protecting their children from the intense media scrutiny that surrounded their family.

“Well, there was a solid decade where there were five or six cars minimum, easily up to 15 or 20 on the weekends, outside of my house at all times,” Jennifer Garner once recalled, reflecting on the relentless pressure from the paparazzi. “Looking back on that, I really feel the stress of it. I could cry talking about it.”

In early 2021, the world was shocked when JLo and Ben Affleck announced that they had rekindled their romance, nearly two decades after calling off their engagement. The news sent the paparazzi into a frenzy, and Jennifer Garner once again found herself thrust into the spotlight, this time as the ex-wife of a man who was now involved with one of the most famous women in the world.

Rumors quickly spread that Jennifer Garner was jealous of JLo and the renewed attention on her ex-husband. However, those close to her denied these reports, claiming that Jennifer Garner was actually relieved that Ben had found someone else to care for him. One source told Page Six that Jennifer was focused on her own life and her children and hoped that Ben’s new relationship would provide him with the stability he needed.

An insider even went so far as to throw some shade at Ben, suggesting that Jennifer Garner was thrilled to be rid of her “fourth child.” “Jen is a great mother,” the source said. “She has really mothered those kids, and it’s great that she doesn’t have to have a fourth child anymore.”

Despite her reservations, Jennifer Garner made a real effort to accept JLo, knowing that her children would be spending a significant amount of time with her. In June 2021, a source told Us Weekly that JLo had Jennifer Garner’s seal of approval, and Jennifer thought JLo was “very sweet” with her kids.

But behind the scenes, tensions were reportedly simmering. JLo, it seemed, was not entirely comfortable with Jennifer Garner’s continued presence in Ben’s life. Allegedly, JLo began undermining Jennifer Garner’s parenting, allowing her children to do things that went against the rules Jennifer had set. This behavior reportedly made it difficult for Jennifer Garner and JLo to maintain a friendly relationship.

Jennifer Garner has always been vocal about her desire to keep her children out of the spotlight and protect their privacy. Raised by strict parents herself, she believes in setting clear rules and boundaries for her children, a parenting style she has adhered to even as she navigated the challenges of raising them in the public eye.

In contrast, JLo has openly admitted that she struggles with setting boundaries for the two children she shares with her ex-husband, Marc Anthony. She has spoken about the challenges of being a mother to teenagers and the constant push and pull of trying to guide them while allowing them to express themselves.

“My kids were at that age where they were like challenging the status quo and really, you know, kind of looking at you and now it’s not all like hearts and flowers anymore,” JLo once said. “Now it’s kind of like, you know, why are you telling me to do that? I don’t want to do that.”

JLo has also acknowledged that her children find it difficult to deal with the pressures of being in the spotlight, yet she has continued to share their lives on social media, much to the chagrin of Jennifer Garner. JLo even sold the first photos of her twins, Max and Emme, to People magazine for a staggering $6 million, making them the most expensive celebrity pictures ever taken at the time.

Jennifer Garner, on the other hand, has taken a much more private approach to her children’s lives, particularly regarding their exposure to social media. She has strict rules about her kids’ use of social media and has been adamant that she will only allow it if they can prove that it is beneficial.

“I just said to my kids, ‘Tell me, show me the articles that prove that social media is good for teenagers, and then we’ll have the conversation,’” Jennifer Garner explained. “But find scientific evidence that matches what I have that says that it’s not good for teenagers, then we’ll chat.”

Jennifer’s strict approach to parenting is rooted in her own upbringing. She was raised in a strict household where makeup and nail polish were off-limits, and even piercing her ears was a decision that required her father’s permission—something she finally did at the age of 48.

Despite the strict rules, Jennifer’s parents were always supportive of her education and dreams, encouraging her to follow her passion, even when she decided to switch her college major from chemistry to theater.

As the relationship between Ben and JLo progressed, Jennifer Garner reportedly grew increasingly concerned that JLo’s influence on her children was undermining the values and boundaries she had worked hard to instill.

Rumors began to circulate that JLo was trying to turn Jennifer Garner’s children against her, allowing them to do whatever they wanted and disregarding the rules Jennifer had set. These actions reportedly made it difficult for Jennifer Garner to maintain a friendly relationship with JLo, despite her efforts to do so.

In 2022, when rumors of Ben and JLo’s separation first began to emerge, a source close to Jennifer Garner told OK! Magazine that Jennifer couldn’t help but feel slighted that her children were spending so much time with JLo. According to the insider, the kids were beginning to prefer spending time with JLo over their own mother, who they saw as strict and serious compared to the glamorous and fun-loving JLo.

The source also claimed that Ben was reluctant to intervene, happy that his children were embracing JLo, but this only added to Jennifer Garner’s frustration. Many fans quickly sided with Jennifer Garner, criticizing JLo for treating both her own and Jennifer Garner’s children as pawns in her relationship with Ben.

One fan commented, “She wants Jennifer Garner’s kids because they are good kids. It’s obvious that JLo’s kids don’t care about her. Look at their pics—the kids are all the time away from her, on the phone, never a hug or kiss in public because it’s the diva moment and has to look cute.”

Another person added, “JLo played loving stepmom to A-Rod’s daughters for five years, then dropped them like a hot potato. JLo will be there for the photo op with all the kids and good times only. Deep down, she cares for no one other than herself.”