Jennifer Garner has been doing the talk show circuit to promote her role in Danny Collins, with Al Pacino, Annette Bening and Bobby Cannavale. It’s about an aging rockstar (Pacino) taking stock of his life and just came out this week. Garner plays his daughter-in-law. The above photo is of Garner at the premiere a couple of days ago. Her styling is ok and I like the cut of that gown, but it’s very plain. She has a tendency to go for solid colors and black on the red carpet and I wish she would mix it up a little.
In Garner’s appearance on The Today Show earlier this week, she wore a little red dress that would have been a better choice for the premiere. She also started crying when she talked about her Southern Living photoshoot with her mom and sisters. It was hard to watch her try to keep it together, and then she explained that she was upset over two earlier sad segments which had just aired. Here’s what she said and you can watch the video below.
During a chat with TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, Garner opened up about her feelings for family, and she didn’t hold anything back — not even tears.
“There’s just nothing like sharing the spotlight or anything else with your sisters and your mom,” she said when discussing the recent Southern Living photo shoot she did with her family. “It’s always fun for me to get my sisters dolled up and my mom.”
With that sweetly sentimental mention, Garner couldn’t help but cry a bit. But as it turned out, there was more to the waterworks than just that.
The star shared that not only is her mother, Patricia, feeling under the weather today (get well soon, Mom!), but Garner had just watched two particularly moving moments on TODAY.
“You showed those babies and Leah Still,” she said of TODAY’s stories on a recently widowed father who’s raising his newborn quadruplets on his own and Devon Still’s daughter’s battle against cancer. “I just watched it, and I can’t even take it.”
Garner smiled through her tears, and while she offered up an apology for crying, we can’t imagine a reason to be sorry. If anything, we just find her even more lovable and relatable than ever before.
“We just took a vote,” Matt Lauer said as the interview came to a close. “We just put Jennifer in the list of best guests ever.”
I’m a cryer like that. I cry at commercials, at stories on the radio (this made me cry this morning but I told myself it was the Zyrtec) and especially if I’m talking about anyone who died. This reminds me of how Angelina Jolie usually cries when she talks about her departed mom. I hope Garner’s mom is ok and that she was really getting choked up over the show.
Meanwhile Garner was also on Jimmy Fallon, where she told a funny story about how one of her daughters (she didn’t specify which one) insisted on being carried after another baby came along. She also said that her kids regularly pinch each other. One complaint about Garner’s appearance on Fallon – it was St. Patrick’s Day and she wasn’t wearing green! Maybe they taped it ahead of time and she didn’t realize it would air on St. Patrick’s Day. Otherwise there is no excuse for not wearing green.
Here’s the video clip:
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Here’s the coat Garner wore to the premiere. Um, it’s fashionable I guess.
photo credit: FameFlynet and NBC
I find her unbearable with her stepford wife act. I remember I used to have a big crush on her during her alias days, I was a tween and I thought she was so cool because of that role. I can’t stand her or her arrogant, gambling tacky husband either now.
And stop crying ffs. I remember kate winslet did a similar thing back in the day about her family with sam mendes, and they were far from being in a happy marriage.
Im with you .. I was Watching yesterday or the day before I was like OH CHRIST ARE YOU SERIOUS GIRL ??!!??!
In fairness, she did say in that Today segment as way of some kind of explanation when Lauer was chiming in at the end with his stupid remark (really? She’s the best guest ever because she cried? What a tool), that her mom had been feeling “under the weather.” So there could be some worry or anxiety going on about her Mom’s health. I hope nothings wrong though.
But…but…she was their Best Guest Ever.
They Have an In House Puppy Already so I find that to be Dubious on a good day
She’s crying about her MOM and her SISTERS… She’s not crying about Nicholas Dunne!!
This woman has NEVER cried over Nicholas Dunne… EVER
and yet there would be lots to cry about nick dunne. he’s the worst.
Jennifer seems fake. I don’t buy the lovey dovey act she and Ben put on either.
Aw, I liked her since her Alias-spy days too, although if I re-watch some of the episodes now I find them irritating. Instead, I do give her a free pass about her “perfect mom and wife” thing because I tend to believe she probably IS like that for the most part. Which I think takes a whole another level of strength, you know? To deal with your husband’s attitude and the crappiness of a less than stellar marriage and keep on going for your kid’s sake. I think she probably will divorce him after the kids are grown.
Anywho, yeah, I like her. It’s a shame she does not work way more.
Thing is, I don’t agree it takes strength to do any of this. It’s all an image thing, and it puts me off her. It’s not 1950, women have a choice nowadays and don’t have to put up with husbands cheating, drinking and gambling anymore, I admire a woman who moves on way more than one who stays. Also b/c I really don’t believe staying for the children is a good idea at all.
I think it’s more complicated than just saying staying for the children isn’t a good idea. There could be many factors that make her stay, kids being one of them. We can’t possibly know what the real situation is, pretty much about anyone’s marriage.
Two heads, one pillow as my great gran used to say. The complexities of a marriage is something only the two people involved really understand. There are far worse marriages in HW. Far worse. Gambling? Sure but she’s never seemed to mind that much. Quite the opposite at times. Drinking? He drinks some but do we have any reason to believe he’s an unrepentant alcoholic? Not that I’ve seen. I understand why many assume he cheats but, in all these years, nothing has leaked. The Vancouver stripper incident was the last and that predated Jen.
yes of course only the people involved in a marriage know what’s going on, I was just saying that imo staying in a marriage when you’re cheated on etc isn’t a sign of strength, I was necessarily referring to JG, just in general, I don’t find it has anything to do with being “strong”.
re the cheating: it’s pretty common knowledge he was cheating with blake lively a few years ago, but there have been others. Idk what to say to the argument that there are worse marriages in HW; I guess it’s probably true, but those wives don’t go around pretending their life is perfect, and that’s the reason JG does my head in. And I don’t understand how can you assume she’s ok with the gambling, only because she doesn’t throw a strop publicly?
@megsie I agree that we will probably never truly know what goes on with that marriage and that there are far more complex reasons that she would stay beyond “for the kids”. For one thing, she very clearly adores him. There’s no way someone could be with Ben Affleck as long as she’s been with him and NOT know that man is just one giant work in progress, and she seems to accept that. Though I do have to point out, Ben Affleck has acknowledged that he is an alcoholic (though hasn’t done so for a very long time…) and went to rehab in the early 2000s, and that’s why people give him such a side eye for his public drinking.
It was commonly assumed Ben was having an affair with Blake. We’re all free to assume this based on circumstantial evidence but certainly there’s been no hard proof that I’m aware. Regarding the gambling, Jen had a room in their home outfitted to precisely mimic his favorite Vegas gambling room. A birthday present, I believe. You could reasonably read a few things into that. Regarding the alcoholism, Ben’s father had serious problem. Very serious. Ben was headed in the same direction when, at the insistence of him mom (among others) he checked into rehab to control the prob before it escalated to impossible proportions. Even the best clean up crews can hide full blown alcoholism only for so long – and Ben has a world class clean up crew, don’t get me wrong! He drinks, yeah. He might drink too much for your taste, but to say he’s a sloppy falling down drunk would be way off base. To the point, he isn’t a stellar husband but I don’t think he’s the monster the gossip pages would have us believe. As bankable stars go, I think he’s uncommonly forthright in admitting his weaknesses. And the now accepted narrative of Jen as the meek doormat is 100% crazy. Remember she left her first husband in part because he gave her a hard time over her then skyrocketing career.
Um, wow. I’m sorry that people love their families today and express it. That should be outlawed, I guess. She ought to get her butt on the pole to show how empowered women are today.
lmao what does getting your butt on the pole even means? I don’t think you understand the meaning of being empowered, tbh.
@CB yeah you’re right — oftentimes it seems that the only acceptable feminism is one where women express themselves sexually. I’m so tired of that very narrow mindset.
stripping i would guess. female nudity = evil, you know? how insecure people get when women express themselves…
it was fake. she is selling this stepford image because it still sells and that is problematic.
@anne: are you serious? i’m saying the exact opposite. I’m saying that what I find empowering is a woman who doesn’t need to put up with a poor excuse of an husband, and sell an image as a stepford perfect wife. NO ONE mentioned sexuality. Poor excuse.
@RhiRi: thank you, everything you say. I think there are much better examples amongst female actors of hard working mothers who don’t need to sell the stepford wife’s image to be relevant, like cate blanchett for instance.
Blanchett is still a straight white western woman with a husband and children. she would not be where she is without it (and she worked with Woody Allen). she can act but as a black woman she wouldnt be there, if she was poly she wouldnt be there. we have way too many of those family women in the media. appeasing the minivan majority instead of being fierce and proud of their professional success they still talk all the time about their children and husbands.
instead of building a production company that battles the sexism in Hollywood she adopts another kid…its like some women are actively fighting against equality.
CB yes! thank you! She seems genuine to me too.
Of course because choosing to be a mother means you’re fighting against equality. I had forgotten all about that. Kids really should be raised by puppets or robots or something so that women don’t have to stay home with them because no woman ever does it by choice, right? Ben Affleck is forcing her to stay home with them. Its not like she wants to or anything. Wanting to be with your kids makes you an un-feminist.
…
I keep forgetting that I have to want to spend 40 hours of every week away from my family or else I’m not a feminist and deserving of scorn from other women. I have to want to be in the military or run a business or ANYTHING besides hand out with kids.
This is why people of my generation–that’s right, millennials say things like I don’t feel “feminist” fits for me anymore because it is just as oppressive to be told by other women how I should act, what I should want, etc. as any man.
No one but me decides who I want to spend time with, what I want to do with my life, or what I believe. If I want to pop out 6 kids, wear an apron and cry over commercials I can.
@CB you’re ranting now, and everything you say has nothing to do with my initial point.
A woman can choose to stay at home to raise her 6 kids and that doesn’t make her not a feminist. Choosing to be a mother doesn’t make you not a feminist. fgs, I’ve been brought up by one of the fiercest feminists I know, I’d never think of my mum as not a feminist because she had 3 children, this talk is ridiculous.
Trying to sell your image as a perfect stepford wife with nothing going on in your life other than that, however, is not something I admire in a woman. Am I allowed to admire what I want or do I need to check with you first? I’m sure affleck doesn’t force JG to stay at home, that doesn’t make him any less obnoxious though. And btw, you don’t seem to understand the difference between personal choices and feminist choices. Personal choices are 100% to be respected, but not all choices women make are FEMINIST choices and that’s ok, but it needs to be pointed out.
@RhiRhi I agree that a lot more could be done to fight inequality, but tbh cate blanchett adopting a baby is just a personal choice that has nothing to do with it. She’s still one of the celebs who refuses to sell her image as a perfect mum and nothing more, she always complains when she’s asked about her family as opposed to her job, bc they wouldn’t ask those questions to male actors.
I feel like she keeps it pretty real….she could tell stories about her perfect children, as most stars do – “they are so amaaaazing” but instead she shares things like…lice infestations, grossing out George Clooney, pinching kids, sibling rivalry, Ben being focused on the superbowl while she put the kids to bed, etc. It’s much more relatable than what other people choose to share.
I agree. I still can’t stand her for some reason, but she does keep it real compared to other celebs.
I feel the same way. I loved her so much on Alias and I can’t stand this supersweet, superfect supermom and wife. I feel like she’d be the mom in the PTO that I can’t stand! She also reminds me of Reese before Reese got busted for asserting her rights as an American. And I really hate to see how hypocritical she is about the paparazzi. You never see the Damon kids (or Julia Roberts’ kids) but you always see her and Ben and the kids (especially when he’s up for an Oscar). Just more proof of how hypocritical she is.
I guess I’m not seeing “supersweet, superperfect, etc.” She seems pretty down to earth and normal to me. Some of the actual PTO moms I’ve known are a lot more fake and pretentious, at least of you compare appearances.
I like her. I can take or leave Ben Affleck, but her I like.
Said 95% of America. Seriously, snarky (and brilliant) comedy gossip site comments aside, the consensus is that she’s genuinely likeable and he’s… not.
She is the minivan majority’s favorite lady! And even though I don’t belong in that demographic, I kind of like her too. She seems very vanilla.
Minivan???
UGH sorry but I hate that phrase. “minivan minority or majority”.. I find it offensive in a way. I’m not a Mom so it doesn’t apply to me; but I think it is a phrase that needs to die.
I saw that segment and I think she was having an honest moment. I think maybe she feels that she has so much. That her life is maybe financially more than her parents were able to do for her; and she was glad that she got to give her mom and sisters a taste of being styled and pampered and that they got to do it together.
I understand that. I’ve been very fortunate financially and I try to share that with my mother. She doesn’t ask me; but I just remember growing up and her working so hard and not doing things for herself so her children could have them. I think that is where her emotions came from. I understand it.
I agree with you that the term “minivan majority” needs to die already! I wouldn’t be included in it either but there are a lot of wonderful women out there that, I suppose, could be labelled as such so I find it offensive on their behalf.
Also, agree that Garner was sincere in her emotions. It is no secret that she is extremely family oriented and, by her own account, had a wonderful childhood and family. She is obviously grateful for that, probably even more aware of it because of some of the Hollywood families and values that she has witnessed over the years.
I’m a wife and mom, but I don’t have a minivan. Never have.
I think “minivan majority” is pretty much a dead term already, thank goodness.
I am a minivan mom (love my minivan – love it!) and I’m middle aged ANDlive in the midwest. So technically I should be part of the Minivan Majority (I don’t even mind the term) but I rarely agree with what I hear the Minivan Majority loves. Jennifer Garner (now) being one of those things that I don’t get. And, to be fair, I’ve never heard any other mom say they like her either.
The phrase is solid -anyone who hears it instantly knows what it refers to. It’s not going anywhere.
I don’t wear green on St Patrick’s Day, or ever. I look terrible in green, like I’m going to be sick. But I have an Irish wolfhound, I figure that makes me Irish enough for the day 😉
I like black but I’m not crazy about JG in that black dress, for some reason….remember years ago she wore that orange gown to an awards show…the Emmys maybe? She looked great.
I never do either….
A) I don’t costume out for things cause i’m not a ” this holiday and That Holiday Person, In fact I Probably try to get away with letting my family forget my birthdays)
B) Im Not Irish
C) Is Corny
That black dress is like from the early 2000s No?? is something dated about it… Or like she forgot the Nuvaring Instructions of Usage
Lmao at Nuvaring…
Also, green is so naff.
I guess I can take this year’s x-mas present, for you, off of lay away, now. https://bigsheepcommunications.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/ugly-christmas-sweater.jpg?w=645
hmmmphh.
You can stuff That somewhere far far away,, I can’t even
Does that mean you don’t like it?
It means she’s One Directions biggest fan.
Yeah, I heard her doing the fan squeal with REAL tears!
mimif, you have to go back to the limp salchicha, I left a present for you.
SNL already made using nuvaring as accessories into a spoof commercial. It was called nuvabling. Nice try, though.
Newsflash: QQ used to write for SNL.
Im never gonna live that 1D thing down , Am I??
I can’t hate on her, I’ve always kinda liked her, loved her in Alias, even though I seriously side eyed the circumstances of the breakup of her first marriage. I can see getting teared up over the quadruplets.
I cry pretty easily too – and even more so when I am generally depressed about other things. Can’t help but wonder if there are other underlying stresses in the Garner-Affleck household. In any case, I do hope her mom is okay and not more than just under the weather.
of course there are, he’s a renowned mess. it’s not like it’s a new thing people didn’t know. and that’s why the perfect family act bothers me even more (and in general I’m not fond of women who turn their image into stepword wives simply because they’ve given birth to a human being).
Ell, don’t get mad at me! =)
I was saying that a bit tongue in cheek … Of course there are issues at home. The crying really makes me wonder if those issues have just gotten so bad that she can’t even sustain the perfect happy face in public anymore. Notice how she tries anyway, though? She looks a little crazy trying to maintain that smile through the tears …
oh no I’m not mad at you 🙂
just ben affleck irritates me to no end lol. but yeah I agree, it must be hard putting on this act when it’s far from perfect.
I don’t see Affleck Garner as trying to come across as “the perfect family”, at all. They regularly talk about the work it takes, and people give them flack for throwing each other under the bus.
frivolity, not sure why I feel compelled to defend her but maybe you haven’t ever cried unexpectedly in inappropriate circumstances. It does make you feel and like look crazy trying to hold it together. I’m not sure it’s a sign that her entire life is falling apart just because she unexpectedly got emotional.
Not to jump to conclusions…I hope her mother isn’t in the midst of a cancer scare.
I think maybe her mom is more than just “under the weather”
And also perhaps her relationship with her sisters is strained bc she’s famous and so successful.
I was thinking the same thing about her mom possibly being more than a little sick.
I’d like to be Jennifer’s stylist..I’d throw that white coat out..the round earrings would be exchanged for vertical, and degrease the bangs.
I will admit I didn’t watch so it could be particularly cringe worthy, but I am totally a crier like that. I had kind of a mini break down at work not too long ago which on the one hand I hated doing because it is work and you should never let them see you cry at work, but on the other hand, I am close to all of my coworkers and we have all been there for each other when there is something particularly difficult going on in our personal lives. I am pretty good about keeping my personal life at home but sometimes it is hard to hold it all together. Plus, it may be that time of the month of her. I get especially emotional during that time. Everything makes me cry at that time: car commercials, especially for Subaru, March Madness stories, damn Humans of New York photos, my little nephew singing is A,B,C,s… God, I need a tissue.
I’m a cryer…and we don’t know what is going on in JG’s life….one time at work, we were all called into the conference room and had a speaker there on raising money for cancer charity…no one knew, that the day before, I was told my sister had been diagnosed with ovarian and colon cancer. I started crying during the poor woman’s speech and had to get up and leave the room. So, I won’t judge anyone for crying….you never know…
I was thinking along those lines myself…
I agree there could be more going on than any of us realize. My father passed away a few weeks ago, and there are plenty of things that can cause my voice to break and tears to fill my eyes. Plus, I learned from his illness that there is a legitimate disorder that can cause people to be more prone to becoming emotional at times.
Awwww….so sorry about your dad. I lost my mum in November and I still get weepy at the oddest moments. Any type of strong emotion, even happiness, sets me off.
My sincere sympathy for the loss of your Mum. I had always heard that the wave of emotion could happen at any time. I find the grocery store makes me sad, because I did his shopping and enjoyed picking out things he might like to try.
Yes. It seemed real and I hope nothing is wrong with her mom.
I’ve been going through the change and I cry constantly. Well, not constantly. Sometimes I also rage and want to destroy sh*t and slap people around. And then I go back to sobbing. Hormones can make you crazy. Maybe she was just menstrual.
Actually, that could very well be … Perimenopause and/or time of the month are good explanations. Gah! Hormones!
I have always been a crier, but since becoming a mother I simply cannot handle any news segment/internet post/commercial with sick kids or kids in danger. I automatically start weeping. I have no control over it.
Me, too. Or animals of any kind. I either rage or sob, really sob, when I hear of abuse or pain or suffering. Being a mother has made me a thousand times more sensitive, or just made me open to my natural sensitivity.
Complaining she’s not wearing green! Darling you need to get your priorities straight. lol
Jennifer Garner is just the best broad, ever. Stunning, normal, got her body back after multiple kids, keeps it together on the home front, loves her birth family, loves her nuclear family, kind, and so likable. Kicks ass on the screen in whatever role she’s playing.
Ben? You will never, ever, ever, ever do better. And it’s a miracle you’ve held onto this one.
Don’t blow it.
wow
I didn’t know people hated her so much. She seems so innocuous to me. She never really says anything offensive or catty or stupid (looking right at you Shailene). As for her and Ben, I don’t see what she sees in him, but I also kind of see why it works. I have a list and when I meet someone that has the things on my list, I will marry them. Whatever other baggage they have, I’lld deal with it. I’ve got plenty of baggage myself. So maybe Ben has her list.
Yeah, I mean I’m not her biggest fan but I don’t think she’s ever done anything to deserve this level of scorn for getting emotional. She was clearly struggling to hold it together, it was obviously not staged. I would probably cry too if I heard my Mom was sick and had to go on live t.v. with all that pressure, plus they showed the picture of her family and you just never know what’s going on with people. People really have a passionate loathing for someone who is basically a stay at home mom and keeps her family together – so what if her marriage isn’t perfect, she’s not shoving a lifestyle website or cookbook down our throats (yet -the Ina Garten reference might not bode well!), so honestly I don’t see where the depth of hatred comes from.
Though I will say the fawning over her crying was weird, it wasn’t her fault, that was typical cringey creepy Matt Lauer, now him I can get on board with loathing!
This is classic Garner. She constantly talks about her children and then complains that media keeps asking her questions about motherhood. Oh, and how can she stop the press from asking her questions about her children? Well, go on Fallon and talk about her children again!
She has the financial means to live anywhere in the world and she CHOOSES to live in the highest papped area of the United States of America and then cries because she doesn’t want to her children to be papped. She cried in front of Congress to stop it. She won.
Now she does an adorable photo shoot with her mother and sisters in a nationally published magazine and then when she’s asked about it, she bursts into tears! Perhaps she’ll go before Congress to demand that celebrities shouldn’t be asked questions regarding publicly photographed magazine cover stories. Geez, I really hope it’s not anything more serious. I mean a recent picture of your mother causes a woman to burst into tears? Seriously? I cry a lot too but really? A photograph of recently deceased parent – yes. I picture of your children when you miss them – possibly. I mean she seemed stunned when they pulled out of the picture. The cover story came out recently. Savannah seemed equally stunned by her reaction. Savannah even asked “how is everything at home?” (I mea
I admire her for speaking to congress (or anyone with the power to help) about protecting her children from paps. You may not like that she discusses her children or has issues about when she wants to but I do think that she is sincere in her desire to protect them. I just can’t dislike her for that.
BTW, I’ve never been a particular fan of hers and I used to downright dislike her. Now I find her tolerable and, sometimes, like where her children are concerned, very normal and likeable.
except that then she calls the paps every time she has a movie coming out and her husband is up for some award. Lainey put it brilliantly this way: Matt Damon lives a block away from them and nobody knows how his children look like.
She’s very pretty.
I’m always surprised by how many people on here don’t like her, I think she’s genuine! Ben is the lucky one there, she’s gorgeous, smart, funny, and a hands on mom for Hollywod standards, and I don’t even believe he cheats on her. I can see why people think that because he has a bad boy look and a history with drinking and gambling, but I bet he’s good to her for the most part. No marriage is perfect and I’ve never seen them try to sell that really, at least it doesn’t come off that way to me.
Wanting to “share the spotlight”? It was forget the picture, close up of me while I cry – please! I wanted to see the lovely pictures of her mother and sisters but instead it was a close up of Jen’s collapsing eye makeup.
Notice how everyone commented on Jen and not the pictures of her mother and sisters. Her crying took attention AWAY from the pictures. That’s sharing the spotlight? I mean she couldn’t even give her mother or sisters 30 seconds of attention. The self-absorption of these celebrities is insane.
“More relatable”? I love my mother and two sisters too and when I see a picture of them, I just smile and maybe laugh.
Hey, I’m not hating. Her dress was really pretty and her movie looks really interesting.
I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but she strangely resembles Melissa Gilbert in the photos at the bottom of the page.
She needs a bangs intervention. That is some serious hair trauma.
She seems putting on an act as a Stepford happy family that doesn’t quite to fit with the reality of her marriage. The crying may indicate that she’s in that vulnerable place of denying the fact that everything is crumbling. I doubt that they will divorce because both seem to stick to play the happy family for PR reasons, but they look miserable and fake.
Her style is seriously lacking now that Rachel Zoe isn’t overseeing it.