Ben Affleck drama continues with both Jennifer exes


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Since Ben Affleck separated from Jennifer Lopez, speculation has intensified about a potential reconciliation with his first ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, particularly after they were spotted sharing an embrace during a recent paintball activity.

While some sources maintain that everything is harmonious – with Garner content in her relationship with John Miller and Lopez accepting of Affleck and Garner’s close friendship – others suggest the situation is more nuanced.

“She’s actually devastated,” a source who used to work for Jennifer Lopez and has stayed in touch with people around her told The Post. “She’s keeping it together publicly but she’s told everyone around her not to trash Ben. She doesn’t want to get down in the dirt with him.”

However, another insider familiar with all parties strongly contests claims about Lopez’s ongoing distress, noting she’s currently enjoying her time filming a Netflix romantic comedy in New Jersey with Brett Goldstein.

“I’d say they’re both relieved to be done with him,” the source told The Post last week. “Ben’s an emotional roller coaster. He’s even been reaching out to Jennifer [Lopez] again recently. The two Jennifers are actually friends. They bonded over co-parenting their kids. I don’t know why the press feels they have to pit women against each other.”

This insider emphasized that neither woman would consider reuniting with Affleck, suggesting they’ve learned from past experiences. Lopez, who filed for divorce on their anniversary and finalized it in February 2025, has reportedly moved forward.

“Of course it’s sad when someone reveals to you who they really are,” the source said. “She may have been devastated last year but she’s risen above it. She puts her kids, and then his kids, first. She’s not just some woman scorned or betrayed. Like I said, he’s put out feelers to her recently.”

Meanwhile, Garner appears steady in her relationship with John Miller, despite recent photographs of Miller with his ex-wife Caroline Campbell, who is now married to Christopher Estwanik and primarily resides in Bermuda.

The complex dynamics between these three Hollywood figures span 25 years, beginning when Affleck met Garner on “Pearl Harbor’s” set in 2000. Their paths would cross again professionally in 2003’s “Daredevil,” after Affleck’s engagement to Lopez ended.

“He’s your basic tall, dark and handsome. He’s it,” Garner told PEOPLE of her costar at the time. “I can’t imagine anyone in the world I would rather see swoop in and save the day like Ben.”

“He’s the love of my life,” she told Vanity Fair in 2015, one year after their split. “What am I going to do about that? … 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.”

Following his recent split from Lopez, Affleck purchased a $20 million home near Garner’s Brentwood residence, where she raises their children – Violet, 19, Fin, 16, and Samuel, 15.

Industry insiders who prefer anonymity due to Affleck’s influence in Hollywood paint a different picture than the public narrative. “The dirty secret is that he’s the diva. He’s the one who likes attention and calls the paps and manipulates women,” an insider told The Post. “He love-bombs you and once he’s got you, he gets bored and leaves. It’s cruel.”

While some hope Garner maintains boundaries with her ex-husband, others speculate about Lopez’s future decisions. As one former Lopez confidante noted, “I hate to say it, but I can see J. Lo taking him back a third time.”

 

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