Jennifer Garner opens up about Ben Affleck divorce

Jennifer Garner is famously discreet about her love life — especially when it comes to the father of her children, Ben Affleck.

But in one new interview, the 13 Going on 30 actress shared some rare vulnerable insight into just how difficult her divorce from Affleck truly was, including how she shielded herself from any tabloid fodder at the time.

"You have to be smart about what you can and can't handle, and I could not handle what was out there," Garner told Marie Claire UK. "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."

Garner and Affleck started dating sometime around 2004, not long after the Gone Girl actor's relationship with Jennifer Lopez first ended, as reported by People.

They got engaged in April 2005 and married in June of that year. They welcomed their children, Violet Anne, Seraphina and Samuel, in 2005, 2009 and 2012, respectively.

The two shocked their fans when they announced they would be getting divorced in 2015, despite having been "marriage goals."

Their statement read at the time, "After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce. We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time. This will be our only comment on this private, family matter. Thank you for understanding."

Despite breaking up in 2015, the A-listers didn't file for divorce until 2017, after Affleck had finished rehab for alcohol addiction. The divorce was finalized in 2018.

Since their separation, the exes have been committed to respecting each other, and they continue to enjoy a friendly co-parenting relationship.

Garner appeared to be very supportive while Affleck rekindled his erstwhile relationship with Lopez, which ultimately led to marriage in 2022. They later divorced in 2024.

Meanwhile, the Alias star has been dating boyfriend John Miller since 2018, per People.

Although the two ignited breakup rumors in recent weeks, they were spotted exchanging holiday gifts in Los Angeles, which seemingly put an end to the speculation, as reported by SheKnows.