Above are photos of Ben Affleck taking his two younger kids to the movies and to the farmer’s market on Sunday, as is on the Garner-Affleck (and the paps’) weekly schedule. Jennifer Garner often goes with Ben, and she’s been seen out more frequently with him after they announced their split, but she stayed home this week. Somehow People Magazine got an update on the status of the Garner-Affleck divorce. To be fair, I think People asked for a quote and they got a noncommittal response. People then weaved in some previous quotes we’ve already heard about these two. So even if Ben and Jen wanted to reign in the coverage of their split, which seems to be on hold to those of us in the cheap seats, the celebrity outlets they rely on for positive coverage are going to keep pushing for more. Here’s part of People’s story:
Three months after Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck announced they are splitting up, the Gone Girl actor continues to spend a lot of time at their family home, a source tells PEOPLE.
“Nothing has changed,” another source tells PEOPLE. Affleck has been dividing his time between the family home near Los Angeles and a nearby rental – “and has been since the split,” adds the source…
“They are working together and are keeping it amicable,” another source close to the couple previously told PEOPLE. “This is something they have been working on for over a year – and they continue to be strong unit…”
The third source also says Affleck and Garner, both 43, are choosing to remain friendly for reasons that extend beyond parenting.
“It’s not just for the kids – it’s also for them,” a source adds. “They care about each other.”
Are Ben and Jen’s people sort-of responding to the Star story that Ben was spotted out with another woman and that he’s been cruising bars with Jon Hamm? Or is People just continuing to milk this story for all it’s worth? (We’re doing that too, it’s the nature of the business.) Maybe the answer is a little of both.
Several of you have pointed out that the date that Star Magazine claimed Affleck was spotted out with a hot blonde, September 18, doesn’t check out. On the 18th Ben and Jen were photographed picking up Violet from karate class. The former couple was spotted out at dinner on Sunday, September 20th. Some of you were skeptical that Affleck could have had a hotel fling on the night of the 18th, but doing family stuff in between doesn’t preclude that. That’s why he’s separated in the first place.
Jennifer Garner is shown out on 10-10-15. Ben Affleck is shown out on 10-11-15. Credit: FameFlynet
Have said and will continue to say that these two will never actually divorce. It all smells like some serious stunt-queening to me. Those poor kiddos.
Yeah, divorce in the near future is unlikely. I think they have another few years to go. But I dont think its a stunt queen thing. I think these two actually do deeply love each other in their own individual damaged ways.
Divorces can take a long time, so there’s a ways to go yet. They’re back on message and have settled nicely into the new routine of being photographed doing wholesome family stuff on weekends. Things are progressing as they’re supposed to. I’m sure the divorce will happen, but not for awhile since everyone is “adjusting” and it will be quiet.
This rich people’s divorces can take ages. Her lawyers are carving out a hunk of Batman cash as we speak.
And there are a couple of movie$ to be released soon. Need to keep a nice public face going for awhile.
Yep, the Shriver-Schwartzenegger divorce papers have not yet been signed, and Maria filed four years ago.
I think Ben/Jen are not in a rush, trying to get the conscious-uncoupling done right now after the fiasco that was this summer, but with the house not-so “quietly” on the market, they’ll move on when it sells.
And from there, I predict Ben/Jen will officially file next spring. You heard it here first on CB!
laura in LA, the spring? They both have movies coming out in March that will entail a lot of press. Surely they’ll want this resolved before that so that it will be less news then and they won’t have to talk about it or ignore the elephant in the room? They can praise each other as friends and deflect.
Although they’ll continue the process of separating their lives and assets, I think it won’t be until spring when they officially file…
Because, precisely as you said, with their movies coming out then, the actual divorce itself will be almost a non-event, especially in comparison to everything else, though it will keep their drama in the media throughout the year.
I think it will be interesting to see how they handle the upcoming holidays. I’m halfway expecting that the New Year will bring some sort of announcement about them starting fresh again together, yah de yah de. Although a recent story said that they had decided to split previously (before Sam) but planned to just do Christmas as a family first. Then things got better for a short while and they ended up pregnant with Sam, until they fell apart again soon after. So, it seems they’ve already been down that road, but we’ll see.
One paper was reporting last week she was pregnant. I just about fell off my chair. LOL
Yawn.
It’s only been three months since they announced their split and started “working together on remaining friendly”?! Feels like 7 freaking years to me. Imagine what it must feel like for them, ugh!
*1,000
It does seem like it’s been much longer. I think part of it is because they were battling split rumors (remember the moving van?) for weeks if not months before that.
That’s because everyone knows it’s been going on awhile, with all the years in therapy, and was finally coming unraveled at the seams since at least last year.
Nothing has changed with me, either.
Still find you both incredibly boring and feel bad for your hard papped kids.
So they didn’t go to church? Wow, how spontaneous )) Affleck looks like he just ate a cockroach in that frozen yoghurt ))
I think Jen is pissed about the woman publication, so the reconciliation is on hold for now. But judging by her heeled shoes, she hasn’t completely given up on him.
Jen’s parents are in town and they could have without Ben.
She has the worst shoe game in the biz.
LOOOOL, that is seriously all I’ve retained through this endless divorce brouhaha. The shoe game needs WORK.
I was thinking these shoes actually weren’t as bad as usual. But her jeans! I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in a flattering pair. It’s uncanny.
Why Ben needs a nanny with him to go to the farmer’s market, a bodyguard I could understand.
The is the most time he has spent with the kids, after his movie opens, he’ll use the Bat-mobile to hit the road, Ben is a straight up loser, it is always someone’s else fault.
I think he takes the kids around and does the stuff they love there, the popcorn, checking out things, and the nanny is off getting the vegetables and fruits.
Yeah, and neither Ben nor the nanny seem too happy to be papped, that he needs to be chaperoned or can’t be counted on to get the fruits and vegetables.
Something tells me this is part of the deal with Jen…
I agree. Ben should not be trusted with picking out melons and such.
Sorry, but I can think of a couple of jokes here. Such as, one of the kids goes home and tells Mom how Daddy spent a lot of time with a lady telling her how nice her melons looked.
Yep, “checking out things…” Like what? Oh, you know…just things.
They did have some nice melons there today, though!
I read a book about Farmer’s Market, actors and papz. Those are schedule photo ops for some Arranged by their publicists.
I just saw Chris Evans in a movie this weekend. It’s amazing how much he looks like Affleck’s brother. And it’s amazing how Minka Kelly has the same ingenue smile and casual style like Garner.
The only thing missing from the script is the Oscar.
I don’t know. I do find it slightly interesting that Gossip Cop hasn’t refuted the “young, other woman” story or the story about Matt Damon saying their marriage was over well before the nanny. I realize that they don’t need to refute every single piece of gossip trash that comes out about them, BUT Jen’s rep has rushed to Gossip Cop to deny the pregnancy stories three times! They also rapidly denied the stories about Ben getting back with JLo and him being into Sienna Miller – these were practically same-day denials with Gissip Cop. I get why Ben’s people would want to refute the JLo thing, but why did they feel the need to refute silly stories about him thinking Sienna Miller is amazing? So, it is kind of interesting that there’s no rebuttal about the Hotel Bel-Air woman rumor and Matt saying those things. I would think those two would want the world to think Matty is on their side as a couple. It does kind of make me think Matt said it or at least thinks it, even if he didn’t intend for it to get out publicly. And then there’s the house sale. And these two haven’t been seen together in over a week. All separate outings since last Sunday – but I did see that Jen’s mom was in town on Friday. She can’t be too happy about a potential reconciliation, if that’s the case, so maybe they also kept their distance while she was there.
When did Matt say their marriage is over, let alone “well over before the nanny”? Did I miss a major gossip day or something?
Naya – I paraphrased, but yes, Matt (supposedly) essentially said that their marriage was in shambles way before the nanny. Nothing surprising there really – everyone following them over the years would believe it, but just obviously weird for it to slip out to the public via Matt [a “source” supposedly claimed Matt said these things.]
Oh, I dont doubt the marriage has been in trouble for awhile. I just cant see even Matt “Bostons biggest busy body” Damon offering that kind of commentary. This isnt like the Jlo thing, brief, no kids and water under the bridge. This is an ongoing situation over a ten year marriage with three kids in which the parties are trying to keep it amicable. Not even Matt is that thirsty. The “source” is probably just the writer of that piece.
Yeah, I don’t don’t doubt he said or thinks those things either. He’s made a few veiled jabs at Jen in the past, including how he / his wife are able to do what they want and go where they want without getting papped constantly, implying Ben/Jen, and particularly Jen, gets papped because she wants to. My guess is that Matt never intended for his thoughts/comments on their marriage to get to media though – someone just leaked it. I don’t doubt that he feels that way because the statements seem pretty dead on, and just look at all the other things he’s constantly saying. He seems pretty opinionated.
The date with the blonde is true! It was on Twitter. Tweeted by a regular person. And marriage problems before nanny were so true. The WWW knew about it!
My guess is Matt D did say and does thing those things. Betting it’s public because someone dug up some good dirt on him, he made a trade-off. Not a fan of Affleck, Garner or Damon. All boring and all masters of the pr game, whine about the laps unless it suits you. And I think all three hypocrites. Example-Damon with the public school remarks but his kids go to private school. All environmentalists but do they fly privet or commercial???? Sick of celebs telling the regular people do as I say, not as I do.
Ana, I am a Twitter newbie. Where does this kind of stuff show up? It’s overwhelming to figure out this media!
Diane, what you do is you search for say Ben Affleck and all tweets about him will show up. There were Italian tweets there that he was with a blonde Italian actress/model that weekend. The woman though is a little older than Assfleck but sexy enough.
Oooh, older than Ben, you say? I like that! It’s almost refreshing since I sort of expected her to be some random 22 y.o. by the way she was described.
Nice shoes, Jenn!
Will she ever up her shoe game, she must have a whole closet of ancient and unfashionable footwear. In twenty years time that dear little boy will curse them for allowing him to be photographed in the adorable little hat. His future girlfriends will be treated to these pictures.
The shoes aren’t as bad as the ones she usually wears. But it looks like she has been reading comments about her shoes and is now trying too hard. She needs a fashion intervention!
She needs to fire Rachel Zoe if she is still styling JG. She makes JG look so matronly.
She should stop wearing those unflattering skinny jeans.
The real question is when will Ben buy a shirt that fits. Wearing a tight shirt works if you are Chris Evans and in training. It does not work on Ben.
He strikes me as the kind of guy who never wants to get new clothes. The old ones are perfectly good! He seems like the kind of guy who would still wear shirts from college or high school even, only getting new ones when someone else gave them to him, even for all his wealth.
“Rein” in….😏
Dad bod.
Jen’s shoes are always so hideous.
ben is probably screwing half of hollywood now and Garner isnt pushing for the divorce because she still wants him back, IMO
Guys likeben always get what they want. narcissists. He gets to play Daddy with Jen when he feels like it amd she still wants him so she’ll do whatever he wants. He gets to screw everything in his spare time, win win for him. jen-leave him.
I think she is getting the divorce.
Man, I know Violet’s a doll and all, but Seraphina has my heart. I think it’s so cute when little girls look like their dads and turn out so pretty. I don’t really have anything for this story because they bore the fresh hell outta me…
Poor little Seraphina looks so tired, hot, and glum, and over all this hoopla. Breaks my heart, she just wants to go out with Dad with out all the attendant fuss.
OMG those black slingbacks with skinny jeans are awful! It’s like she’s trying but she’s too awkward/unstylish to accomplish footwear/outfit/occasion symmetry even when trying. She needs to befriend Tim Gunn like NOW.
He is hot.
Oh hi, Emily R
That little boy is adorable. He loves his costumes and I think that is just too cute! I am glad they let the kids be who they want to be – it’s been clear in the past the kids pick their own clothes.
Yeah, I agree. 🙂
Does Jen TRY to look bad? Seriously I don’t understand. She doesn’t even try a little. Fashion challenged types still know how to default to something safe and have a “uniform.” (Hi Angelina). All the years she worked with Rachel Zoe and learned nothing. I’m so confused.
Sadly, I’m pretty sure she IS trying here. She looks like I did when I was nineteen, broke, clueless and attempting to straighten up a little for dinner out. She must be one of those people who are cheap in unexpected ways – try a stylist and some new clothes, girl!
She needs a new stylist! Someone who is edgier in style. Classy and sexy.
Pop Sugar or Home Sugar, whichever the heck of those “Sugar” websites reported yesterday that they quietly put their house on the market. So I read that People story on Saturday with People shedding doubt on their divorce, then the Pop Sugar story the next day that was like, they’re totally done because their huge family estate is up for sale.
Read the E! story that just came out a few hours ago. Once again, a very long story that really doesn’t say anything new about these two. It’s like they’re sending two messages at once – they’re doing everything solely for the kids and co-parenting, but they’re also adding in little hints of how Jen will always love Ben, etc. My guess is that these two don’t know yet how things are going to work out – it could go either way – so they’re keeping it purposely vague.
It crosses my mind they both have movies out in the spring of 2016. If they don’t resolve this soon, the press tour is going to be so very awkward for both of them. Not that it won’t be awkward to some degree even if it is resolved, but to still be open-ended, that would be tough. I kinda think they are going through the divorce, but are hoping it will eventually come off as amicable and friendly so that is what they will be able to say at that time. Crisis averted for both.
The only thing that stands out in this story to me is the closing: So where’s the nanny now?
“She’s still living at her parents’ house in Santa Monica and trying to get her life back on track and figure out what’s next. She is looking for opportunities but nothing has come of it yet.”
Wa waa waaah….
Did ben steal kanyes man boobs?
“Are Ben and Jen’s people sort-of responding to the Star story that Ben was spotted out with another woman and that he’s been cruising bars with Jon Hamm?” It wouldn’t surprise me.
“Or is People just continuing to milk this story for all it’s worth?” More than likely. See: The Duggars coverage.
“(We’re doing that too, it’s the nature of the business.)” It’s a gossip site, so yeah. So long as you’re not writing about private citizens, there’s no problem.
Do I think the date with the blond is true? Yes, but what I don’t understand is why he’d go to the BA Hotel (even though he has a love nest there) and not to his “rental” house he supposedly has alone. He must realize the paps are in full force there and he will be seen…..oh wait, I think I just answered my question.
For privacy reasons maybe. It was probably a one night stand with some random chick and never saw her again
Never bring the hookups “home”, wherever that is these days, not when you can afford to go to a nice (and what used to be a discreet) hotel.
Laura, do you have any thoughts on how Nanny-O was photographed at the hotel supposedly known for guests’ privacy?
My assumption is that her ‘friend(s)’ took photos. Furthermore, I would like to think the hotel management was not amused and shut it down after those first few days.
It was probably the nanny’s “friends”, or anyone willing to come there for drinks at the bar and sit by the pool, taking cellphone photos of her.
But who do you suppose she got to take the one of her buying the champagne, then to wait in the dark and get the ones of her giving it to Ben?
Once again, it was probably the same person who took those at LAX that she tried to sell, but none of the tabs bought – maybe this mysterious twin sister!
None of those photos were of exceptional quality. Even for the outside (nighttime) photos, she probably did enlist someone other than a regular pap to take them. More control; less investment.
So have they been separated for a year because based on this comment alone from People something seems to be getting covered up. Thought they separated in July so what’s up with the year mention…weird!
“They are working together and are keeping it amicable,” another source close to the couple previously told PEOPLE. “This is something they have been working on for over a year – and they continue to be strong unit…”
Jennifer is too afraid to let him go she won’t complete the divorce. She would rather be miserable with him than see him with someone else that’s obvious. Ben on the other hand wanted this divorce so go for it buddy ask for 50/50 custody. I don’t see him at all remotely attracted to Jen. He cares about her on a friendship level and will never be happy with her. They are too different
Sadly, I agree with this 100%.
^ ^ ^
This! …. + 10000
Then, Ben should file for it don’t you think. No one is holding him hostage. His rep is already beat up from PBS to nanny gate and we all know he was not the greatest husband nor father he should just file the divorce. Stop these PR campaigns of how he is trying. Trying for what?
It’s so weird how pained and tortured Ben looks when he is with his kids. Like it’s a punishment. Those “gotcha” photos with the nanny were the most smiley photos I’ve ever seen of him!
It makes me wonder why he ever got married and had kids at all.
Why always the Farmers market?
Both a wretched people for using their kids as props to further their brand or damage control – awful people
Ben could definitely have a fling between family events! My friend dated this sex addict once. At one point, they had a fight and broke up for 3 hours. Later he confessed that in that 3 hours, he had met someone new, had sex with her, then got back together with my friend that evening. So if that (not handsome, not famous) dude could manage it, Ben can.