It’s been nearly five years since Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner revealed that they were parting ways after a decade of marriage, but despite the split, the former couple remains close.
That’s because of a bond that can’t be broken — parenthood.
“When you have children with somebody, you’re connected to them forever,” Affleck said in a recent interview with People magazine. “And I’m very lucky (Jen) is the mother of my children.”
They have three children together, daughters Violet, 14, and Seraphina, 11, and their youngest, 8-year-old son Samuel.
The actor’s admiration of Garner as both a mother and as a supportive ex will come as no surprise to his fans. Since their breakup, Affleck’s often spoken highly of the woman he wed back in 2005, and when his battle with the bottle sent him to rehab in 2018, it was Garner who drove him there.
“I’m very grateful and respectful of her,” he said. “Our marriage didn’t work, and that’s difficult.”
In fact, just last week, he told The New York Times that their divorce is the event he considers “the biggest regret” of his life. But he still sees the value in the relationship they have now.
“Both of us really believe that it’s important for kids to see their parents respect one another and get along, whether they’re together or not,” he explained.
So, he and Garner, both 47, ensure that’s exactly what their children see.
“It’s important for my kids to know that I respect and care about Jen and she treats me the same way,” he said. “I have a lot of respect and gratitude toward her. And I wish her the very best.”