Veteran actress Jennifer Garner is being called a “homewrecker” by disgruntled fans over her alleged role in ex-husband Ben Affleck’s life during his split from Jennifer Lopez.
On Jan. 7, Garner stepped out in West Hollywood shortly after her ex-husband, Ben Affleck, settled his divorce from Jennifer Lopez.
Paparazzi website Backgrid uploaded photos of Garner, 52, meeting with friends at the Soho House. The “Elektra” actress was all smiles when she arrived at the location.
Garner wed Affleck, 52, in June 2005 before officially divorcing in October 2018. They had three children — Violet born in 2005, Seraphina born in 2009, and Samuel born in 2012.
Affleck initially dated Lopez, 55, from 2002 to 2004. Following a canceled engagement in Jan. 2004, the “Gigli” co-stars rekindled their relationship nearly two decades later in April 2021.
The headline-grabbing celebrity couple, collectively known as Bennifer, announced their second engagement in April 2022. Affleck and Lopez married in a Las Vegas ceremony in July of that year.
However, Lopez filed for divorce on Aug. 20, 2024. According to reports, the settlement papers were officially signed in a Los Angeles County courtroom on Jan. 6, 2025.
Those 2024 divorce papers were filed just hours after Affleck and Garner traveled together. The co-parents of three flew from New Haven to Los Angeles after dropping Violet off at Yale University in Connecticut.
Garner continues to face accusations of being the reason Bennifer 2.0 failed. Instagram users slammed the Golden Globe Award winner on the Backgrid page.
“She destroyed Ben and JLo’s marriage,” someone claimed on the social media app. Another person replied, “If a marriage fails, the fault is not of a third person.”
A third commenter attacked Garner as well, writing, “The expert in sabotaging marriages, she is a shameless woman.” Other people in the comments referred to her as a “homewrecker.”
Garner had supporters on Instagram as well. For instance, a fan of the West Virginia native commented, “Of course, they have a relationship and fyi… It’s good for the kids! She seems like a nice lady.”
Affleck also caught heat online in defense of Garner. One critic declared, “What a mess her ex-husband keeps getting himself into he should’ve just stayed with her.”
As Affleck’s marriage to Lopez fell apart, Garner had seemingly been a shoulder for her ex to lean on. The pair had been seen together publicly on many occasions amid Affleck’s divorce, most recently during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
However, as tragedy struck the Southern California area later on Jan. 7, it appears Garner had become a safe haven for her ex once again.
According to TMZ, Affleck was one of over 30,000 residents of Pacific Palisades and the westside area of Los Angeles forced to evacuate their homes due to a raging wildfire on Wednesday evening. Affleck, who purchased his home amid his separation from Lopez, reportedly fled to Garner’s home just a short distance from him. Garner and their children had not yet been forced to evacuate but remain on standby.
Meanwhile, Garner is currently involved with another man. Her on-again-off-again relationship with CaliGroup CEO John Miller started in 2018.
There has been unconfirmed speculation that Garner and Miller plan to tie the knot soon. In Oct. 2024, the “Alias” star was seen with a gold band on her left ring finger, per Page Six.
Recent reporting suggests Miller is not on board with his girlfriend’s apparent close connection to Affleck. Garner supposedly feels a sense of responsibility to her former spouse.
“John’s argument is that Ben’s an adult and should figure it out without impinging on their life,” a source informed RadarOnline in Oct. 2024.
The outlet’s contact also said, “John wants to marry her — and he feels there should only be two people in a marriage, not three.”
