Here’s why I love Jennifer Garner: she’s beautiful, she’s talented, but she is also one of the most down to earth, real personalities in Hollywood. She seems like a great, hands-on mom, a devoted wife, and doesn’t let the Hollywood machine get to her. She goes out without makeup and wearing ratty underwear one day, then all made up and looking radiant on the red carpet the next. Jennifer says the reason why her marriage to Ben Affleck works is because she accepted him – faults and all – from day one, and never tried to “fix” him.
Second-time new mom Jennifer Garner returns to the big screen in the new romantic comedy Ghosts of Girlfriends Past with Matthew McConaughey. But in real life, her leading man is Ben Affleck, her husband of almost four years and dad to daughters Violet, 3, and Seraphina, 3 months.
“Ben is pretty ideal as far as I’m concerned,” says Jennifer. “I don’t think you could do any better. I don’t think there’s a lovelier person.”
And it’s a good thing Ben is so perfect to Jennifer, considering what she learned from her mother.
My mom’s solid piece of advice to my sisters was, ‘Never marry a guy thinking you can change him,'” says Jennifer, 37. “Don’t get in there and think you can start to tinker. So, I’m not a fixer.”
Q: How is it having two little girls in your household?
I’m certainly not sleeping. Violet was a good sleeper, typically. But now that there is a new baby, she wakes up when the baby wakes up. She wants me, too, so there are times when they are both up all the time.
Q: What do you do about it?
I go from one to the other all the time.
Q: What is the most appealing thing about the opposite sex?
As far as I’m concerned, the sexiest thing about a man is when he changes diapers. Maybe except for defusing a tantrum!
[From In Touch print version, April 20, 2009]
Can you imagine how different Ben Affleck’s life would be if he’d ended up marrying and having kids with Jennifer Lopez? Talk about a “fixer.” J.Lo tried to change Ben into a completely different person. I still remember that phase when he had the fake tan and the frosted tips and the Versace clothing. What a mess that was! Jennifer Garner is the anti J.Lo. And I have a lot of respect for that. And Violet just might be the cutest kid I’ve ever seen. Somehow, knowing that Jennifer is dealing with the same issues that all regular new moms face makes me like her even more.
Here’s Jennifer Garner giving Violet a piggy-back ride to the car after picking her up from school. I love her casual outfit, especially those comfy looking sneakers. Photo credits: Fame.
Ben looks Bored to death when he is with her
just saying…
according to real estaler they just bought a $17 million $$ home Brian Graziers old house
that may explain why she walks around wearing ratty uderwear
I just love how normal and happy little Violet is, that comes from good parenting.
kiki ditto, i think don’t think bennifer 2.0 is going to last
I think she is a great mom but she gets too many props for “not being Hollywood.” I really do think her lack of film career has a huge impact that – when was the last time she was able to carry a movie? It’s not like she’s in such huge demand where she has to fend off offers.
Ben’s the easily plyable sort, he’s just lucky he can blame someone else for looking like such a fool.
No wonder she’s not more famous though, she’s lovely and everything, but who wants to read about a happy, stable woman? wheres the story?
Her marriage probably works because she’s so busy being a mum rather than working – which means that she doesn’t have time to fall in love and run off with her co-star while giving Ben the boot.
Or something like that.
Hope he doesn’t take advantage of that total acceptance.
I think JG is one of the most dedicated moms in Hollywood right now.
I don’t think Ben is bored when he is with her. The paps dictate his mood and people seem to get the wrong idea. But he’s just not showing much emotion when the paproids are all over them….not so obvious to some people who take his expression at face value.
she is pretty,but where do you get the talented part? she’s not a great actress,at all. but she’s lovely,and does alright in her few roles…she’s got a likeable persona on screen,as well. but talented,that’s debatable….
Bite me, you sound ridiculous since they have been married 4 years and seem very happy. Photo assumptions are always stupid to make-especially since you dont seem them photographed unless they are being stalked by the paps who Ben HATES-his irritated expression is directed at THEM — you above commenters are dumbos.
love her! she is just beautiful and natural. i agree… i think it’s funny when people judge expressions from a situation like being hounded by paps. if he didn’t want to stay, then he wouldn’t.
Linda (and Abby) make a good point, Ben probably decides to lose expression if he sees a pap camera pointing his way, maybe thinks they’ll make less $$.
I don’t think Jennifer was ever in the ‘carry a movie’ category but she got good reviews for her last outing in that war movie even though it didn’t do brilliantly. I think when she decides to she’ll be able to have a half decent career and a good family life. So what if she’s not the flashiest… they’re a dime a dozen anyway.
Bite me’s assumptions are no less assumptions than the one that they are happy now – even if both parties support that idea in quotes.
The truth is we don’t know. Hell sometimes marriage’s collapse and people *in* the relationship don’t know.
It’s just a little rich castigating a negative assumption because you’re making a positive one. In theory, only they’d know about anything in their relationship.
Almost every celeb marriage to break up has people wondering ‘what happened – they looked so happy’. Case in point: Reese and Ryan, Brad and Jen, etc. etc.
To kiki and Bite…….I agree 100%.
this is her 3rd big on-set romance (the Felicity guy- married him, the Alias guy- engaged to him & Ben A), so hopefully it will work out this time…sometimes you need “practice” to make perfect…loved Alias, though!
Good point FF!
It works because they never see each other… as has been reported..
“I don’t think you could do any better.”
You´re right, Jen, you won´t do any better (money and fame-wise) if Ben divorces you. But why would he ever divorce you? You´re a perfect wife, you´ll accept him with all his faults, even his cheating.
Wow, I’m amazed by the negative “sour grapes” that I’m reading here. It’s as if some people don’t WANT them (or anyone??) to be happy.
And if a Hollywood couple dares to actually ‘appear’ happy then obviously it’s just a sham, becuase he’s “bored” or she is putting up with his cheating!!
Frankly, I wonder more about people who react so cynically and negatively to the prospect of a happy couple–their comments seem to say more about them than Ben and Jen!
RYO, you sound angry that she’s putting her family over her career. Many career women do that, you know. She probably isn’t as concerned about her box office success as you seem to be.
I’m amazed by the bitterness, too!
My mom gave me the same exact advice. Don’t try to change a man because you will only be disappointed. It’s a different story if they WANT to change and they make the changes for themself, but this is very rare.
No offence but there’s a presumption that it’s bitterness that motivates anything other than praise for the, by all appearances, happy couple.
Some people just see that she kept upgrading her partners until she got pregnant with Violet by Ben and that he seemed to be in a bit of a relationship musical chairs – not to mention that he was fond of all sorts of indulgences – so that this marriage looked a bit of a rebound from a rebound.
People just put that together with the fact that a Hollywood marriage lasting is the exception rather than the rule and wonder if their observations mean anything.
Some people may be bitter, or irritated, or just fond of sarcasm and/or cynicism but others are just wondering whether the habits of the apparent tendencies of either partner are still in evidence of if the relationship has indeed transformed them into people with new predilictions.
It could go either way and people on either side will comment – that’s the whole point of blogs like this.
We all upgrade until we find the one we like. That’s called dating. And OMG, she got divorced. Many, many, people find their second marriage is far more successful than the first.
As for Ben, look at his career while with JLo. Now look at it. He’s finally getting some respect and credibility back and his career is beginning to flourish again. Having someone support you quietly in the background makes a big difference. I have no doubt she is a big part of his comeback.
Come on people, I don’t know how Jennifer got away with hooking up with her co-stars. She was sleeping with Vartan before divorcing and she got with Ben while still with Vartan. She is no different from any hollywood woman. I don’t know how she is real or hands on mum when every steps her kid took is documented by paps. Ben was more happier with Paltrow and Lopez than with her.
Hollywood marriages never last, except of course, for very few solid relationships. Jen garner decided to marry a life long pot smoker. She accepted his
Nasty habit. Jlo would not accept his drug use and I don’t blame her. Heard this from a reliable source in Boston.
Ugh – Audrey O – i hope that’s not true! GROSS.
I do not buy one bit that she is up all night with 2 kids. Her nanny is up all night with 2 kids. Jennifer just plays to the media that she is this hands on mom and great wife when it just is not really that way.Jen knows that the paps are out there and thats why she plays the “perfect” mom. And Ben does look very bored with this marriage and that is probably why he does cheat and she just over looks it because she wants to keep up the “perfect” public marriage. She got Ben to marry her with the first pregnancy and she got Ben to stay again with the 2nd pregnancy. When Ben wants to leave again will she have a 3rd baby?
Can’t say much about a relationship I have no part in but having witnessed her appearance on a talk show she was absolutely moronic. A grown woman acting cute & wide eyed, it was beyond pathetic. Despite a gross inability to act, she is pretty.
What? Just because she is an actress she’s not allowed to be normal? I say give her a break. I imagine she is like any mom; tired and overwhelmed. A human has just recently come out of her vagina! It can’t be bread an circuses all the time. Plus, any woman that would put up with ol’ hair plugs Aflac is all right by me.
I’m on the fence with these two. I used to think they had a rare non-pretentious Hollywood marriage. But now, after months of BI items that document Ben’s flirting/possible cheating, yes, the bored look he ALWAYS has when around her, and the fact that he constantly seems to be busy and seems to avoid her, I am not so sure.
Since they are parents, I wish them well. But they do seem a bit ill-suited for each other, with Ben more fun-loving, and Jen seeming kind of boring and a drag.
I think Ben Affleck is one of those people that they need their partner to lead and dominate their relationship more or else he will run loose and over indulge. With all media attention aside that came along with Bennifer, it seemed that Ben was more happy with J.LO because she was the more dominate one and he was quite happy to go along with her rules, but with Jenifer G, she is more laid back and so he can get away with more things. I think in every relationship there is always the more strong willed partner.
Don’t get these two. Neither are imo particularly interesting/good actors so difficult to muster up any interest in any other aspect of them. Also do not get this constant ‘great mother’ thing either with her: what’s she doing that’s so great that billions of other mothers aren’t doing? Looking after her kids? Big whoop.
I hate Ben Affleck. He looks like my ex-boyfriend Cas, whom I also loathe and despise. Jennifer Garner, however, seems like she’d be fun to hang out with. But I would like to punch Ben Affleck in the face a whole bunch of times for having the temerity to look like that douchebag Cas. I would also like to punch Cas in the face a whole bunch of times, but I can’t because he is in prison and they already said they wouldn’t let me do that. So I will have to settle for Ben Affleck, which would be fine. SOME DAY, AFFLECK. Some day.
Out of all the famous moms out there, Jennifer Garner is the one I think I would most love to meet. She seems so down to earth and real. If she ever needs any advice for raising a few girls close in age, just ask! My girls are 7, 6 and 4. 🙂
The negative people are always this way lol. They see negativity where ever they look . Can you imagine how it would be to be married to them?? Before anyone gets married theu should come to the blogs and read and then see if their fiance has any qualities like the people who write nall teh negative things in here. If they do drop them GOD how awful to listen to someone day in and day out with all that negativity and Nay saying.
Ben didnt cheat on JLO he wanted OUT anda didnt know how to do it. He was sick of being her little boy and dressing the way she wanted him to and to do this her way and be what he wasnt some high flying pretend person. JLO isn’t real she is what she presents to the public on certain days. Do you see JLO taking care of her kids the way Jen does? NOPE and Ben knew that and so did his mother who did njot like JLO. Ben likes to gamble and JLO had fits about him going to Vegas ,Jen doesnt care. Personally I hope they have a long lasting marriage and raise their kids to be normal and so far so good. Ben doesnt want the paps around his kids but he is not a jerk about it and slugging people.
Lucinda, my point about Jen’s upgrades – and I’m fine with being wrong about it – is that the men she left seemed very much in love with her and confused that she left.
That’s all that bugs me about her. Once I could understand but twice seems a bit weird. Particularly as the second guy was the guy she left her husband for.
And then there were all those rumours about her getting him fired off her TV show. Though I don’t know much about that other than that was the story – and that he did end up off the show.
And then it’s not like Ben was the most centred person in the universe when she started going out with him so I could never understand her getting pregnant by him. That’s where my cynicism stems from basically.
When did she have her baby? She still looks HUGE !!
It´s very good for Ben that he doesn´t seem much in love with her. God help the man who ever really loves her.
She seems like a nice, regular, grounded person. They both do.
I like that they aren’t continually out being photographed in the trendiest nightspot and only seem to show up for red carpets that they are related to somehow.
Cute bag.
So if I say she reminds me of a horse, my comment cannot be shown?
MSat or Celebitchy, where are my 2 comments?
Ben and Jen seem like a very well suited family oriented couple who happened to both work in the entertainment industry. I love how they both seem so much alike in matters that are important in a healthy relationship. They seem to both love, respect and like each other. Hope they have lots of years together and some of the nonsense being stated on this thread should be taken for what it is ….idle gossip. No proof to any of it.
cletus: you are hilarious!
jg always irritated me – that sugary sweet “oh my gosh” persona seems so fake to me. never know what goes on behind closed doors but even thought he comes across rather cocky i sort oflike him. i find him very funny when i see him on interviews. she seems rather vanilla nad dull to me.
cletus: you are hilarious!
jg always irritated me – that sugary sweet “oh my gosh” persona seems so fake to me. never know what goes on behind closed doors but even thought he comes across rather cocky i sort oflike him. i find him very funny when i see him on interviews. she seems rather vanilla nad dull to me.
Must be time to promote the new movie.
I will never forget the nasty ‘tude Jennifer displayed on Madtv during the Daredevil premiere. It was suppose to be a fun segment, but she was in full b-mode. I was such a fan of hers and watched Alias religiously, but after seeing that display, I was turned me off to her for good. She’s phony with her “syrupy, down to eart, I want to be Martha Stewart, America sweetheart” act. She’s a great mom? How? By doing her doggone job as a caregiver and parent? Get back to me when she’s raising 2 kids by herself without nannies, working a full time job, while attending school full time. The media hypes up women like Jennifer for no good reason other than being a celebrity.
Considering the way she obliterated Michael V. and Scott F.’s hearts, I find her no different than J.Lo., she’s just a less provocative than J.Lo.
“I do not buy one bit that she is up all night with 2 kids. Her nanny is up all night with 2 kids. Jennifer just plays to the media that she is this hands on mom and great wife when it just is not really that way.”
Oh? And you know this exactly how?
Morons who type this kind of stuff just kill me. As if you have the first clue as to how she (or anyone else) lives in private.
How you do you know she’s not a hands on mom? What PROOF—not OPINION or RUMOR—but proof do you have of that fact? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
What proof do you have that she is not a great wife? The only person who can decide if she’s a great wife is her husband. You don’t know their lives, and you don’t know what he considers valuable in a realationship. So how do you magically “know” she’s not a great wife? Um, that’s right…you don’t.
See all you are doing is making up your own reality in your head, and then assuming that it must be true, even though you don’t even know these people.
You sound disturbingly ignorant and really-posting an opinion is one thing; posting an opinion as fact (when you have no basis for that) is pretty stupid.
barneslr:
I sound disturbingly ignorant? Big words for a stalker.I also bet you are one of these people who sit around and pretend that you are friends with celebrities too?
I do believe that you have problems considering that, 1) you are very upset that my post got your dirty undies in a knot 2) you seem to take this personally, which is very weird 3) you are an idiot 4) you kiss every celebrities ass and you think they are Gods 4) you are a fake and everyone knows it!!!!!!
Oh please, everyone knows Jen Garner calls the paparazi (yes, she uses a PR agent for that, so what? she still calls the shots).
Look at how her child is “trained” to smile at the cameras.
Garner and Katie Holmes should be ashamed of how they use their children.
It’s one thing to marry for career opportunities and use your husband to get interviews (because Ben or Tom are adults and they choose to be used that way), but leave the kids out of this PR game.
La Gwyneth had one of the funniest quotes ever when Affleck was going out with Lopez.
She said that “Ben always wanted a woman who would bring him beer by the pool.” or somesuch.
It was a great moment of wry sarcasm from Gwynnie, before she went all yoga-cleanse-holy on us.
Ally, I believe the word you were looking for was “jealousy”.
Gwynnie had a career because of her parents.
Garner had a career by her men (from the very beginning until this very day).
At least Lopez made it on her own.
No one really knows what goes on inside anyone’s marriage. As far as her not changing him, she does charge him $5 every time he leaves the toilet seat up. What do you call that? And being all natural, well she’s addicted to collagen injections in her lips. Hardly natural.
ROFL at the $5 charge for leaving the toilet seat up.
I gotta try that. BTW. That’s a poor example, that’s harmless and it looks to me, like a joke between the two of them.
And it’s dangerous to leave it up! Ever wake up drunk as all get out and you gotta go and then PLUNK!
Ok Annie you got me. It is a poor example and if my husband left the seat up all the time he’d get a lot worse than a fine!
i love jennifer garner so much for me she’s the simplest and most natural actress i have ever seen and ben affleck is so lucky to have her
She’s very fake and is denial about her marriage. It’s so obvious that Ben is ONLY with her b/c of the two kids and how he said his own parents divorce affected him so much. She reminds me of a desperate housewife and will be very bitter once Ben falls in love with another co-star (he would be great with Rachel McAdams or Liv Tyler!). Jen is scared of that – look at how fugly her nannies are making sure Ben doesn’t have temptations. She knows she’s only famous for being Mrs. Affleck and I wonder why the heck Hollywood lets her star in movies – they bomb!