Jennifer Garner Opens Up About the “Hard” Reality of Her Split From Ben Affleck

Jennifer Garner is sharing rare and emotional insight into her separation from ex-husband Ben Affleck, nearly a decade after their split.

Speaking with Marie Claire UK, the actress reflected on how difficult it was to end their marriage in 2015 after 10 years together. Garner explained that public attention wasn’t the hardest part — the real pain came from breaking up a family.

“You have to be smart about what you can and can’t handle,” she said. “The actual breaking up of a family is what was hard. Losing a true partnership and friendship is what was hard.”

Garner and Affleck share three children: Violet Anne, Seraphina Rose and Samuel. After the separation, Garner leaned heavily on her personal relationships to stay grounded.

“I make a big, concerted effort to see my people as much as I can,” she said. “That’s where your resilience is — in the people who carry you through.”

The former couple announced their split in 2015 and finalized their divorce three years later. Despite the challenges, they have worked to maintain a stable co-parenting routine for their children.

Garner admitted that raising kids while living such public lives has been especially challenging. “Co-parenting has been the hardest thing,” she said, calling it “tricky” for both herself and her family.

She also shared how parenting has changed as her children have grown older. “Parenting now has shifted,” Garner said. “It’s more about parenting with a button on my mouth. You have to let them grow up and make their choices.”

A source close to the family recently revealed that Affleck spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas with Garner and their kids, saying the former couple has found a routine that “works for everyone.”

Alongside family life, Garner remains busy with her career. She is set to return for Season 2 of The Last Thing He Told Me, which premieres on Apple TV+ on Feb. 20. She is also involved in advocacy work with Save the Children US and Once Upon a Farm, and has additional projects lined up, including Peacock’s The Five-Star Weekend.

As she balances work, motherhood and co-parenting, Garner says her focus remains firmly on what matters most: her children and the relationships that help her move forward.