“He is not the world’s fastest director”: Ben Affleck Wanted Ex-wife Jennifer Garner to Star in His Movie but Marvel Star Had Other Priorities
Fans admired the closeness that the pair enjoyed, and Ben Affleck and his ex-wife Jennifer Garner were recognized as one of the leading couples in the business. Before deciding to part ways after ten years of marriage, the former couple is renowned for having one of the most enduring celebrity love tales. They are known for having one of the best co-parenting arrangements because they have three children together.
In addition to being a well-known actor, Ben Affleck is also a writer and director. He sprang to prominence when he and co-star and close friend Matt Damon won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the movie Good Will Hunting, in which they co-starred with Robin Williams.
In 2007, Ben Affleck directed and co-wrote his directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, which was highly welcomed by both audiences and critics. The actor-director had voiced his wish to work with his then-wife Jennifer Garner and direct her, but she had other ideas. Let’s learn more.
Ben Affleck credits Jennifer Garner for being his inspiration
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, who got married in 2005 announced their separation in 2015 jointly filing for divorce in 2017 and seeking joint physical and legal custody of their three children. Their divorce was finalized in 2018 and back in 2020, the actor described the divorce from ex-wife Jennifer Garner as the biggest regret of his life, adding that it was a painful experience even if someone was on the best possible terms and had agreed that it was the right choice.
Affleck, after breaking up with Jennifer Lopez, found his peace in Jennifer Garner, with whom he starred in 2001’s Pearl Harbor and mentioned in an interview via The Things,
“Getting to know Jennifer, falling in love with her and being connected with her gave me a foundation to reach out and say, okay, I’m going to do Hollywoodland. I’m going to direct Gone Baby Gone. Those were the steps forward I needed to put positive stuff on the board.”
The actor has noted that the actress became his inspiration to carry out certain tasks, especially after his career went through a massive hiccup before he was able to stand firm and make choices that were good for him. Even after they called it quits on their decade-long marriage, the two of them remained amicable with Garner always stepping up to his back.
Also read: Jennifer Lopez is Reportedly the Reason Why Ben Affleck Got Closer to Ex-wife Jennifer Garner
Ben Affleck expressed his desire to direct a movie starring Jennifer Garner
The former couple had appeared in 2003’s Daredevil, which did not do well at the box office and received mixed reviews from the audience as well as the critics, which Affleck shared with the Times in 2010 via US Weekly that maybe their on-screen collaboration didn’t work well. He said,
“I think audiences have a hard time suspending disbelief. They already know a whole bunch of things about the relationship you have with the other person and if you try and thrust you and another person into a fictional relationship, I think it is distracting.”
But in 2017, Affleck expressed during an interview quoted in The Things that he would love to direct a movie with Jennifer Garner starring in it. He said,
“I think that would be great. I’ve often said that I want to direct a movie that Jennifer was in because I think she’s so great and she could do something really cool. The problem that gets in the way is that one of us has to look after the kids at home.”
The actors and former couple never got to work together after 2003’s Daredevil.
Jennifer Garner wasn’t keen on working with director Ben Affleck
On one hand, Affleck expressed his desire to direct a movie starring Garner. On the other hand, Garner explained that she is not very keen on working with him due to creative differences. She expressed her opinion in an interview,
“I don’t want to because he is not the world’s fastest director, and I like to get in and do my work and go home and put the kids to bed. I’m afraid there would be this moment where I would say, ‘OK. You’ve got it. I promise you it is in the can. I’ve got to go home.’ But you know, life is long and I never say never. I think Ben is brilliant at what he does. I am so happy for and proud of him.”
The actress also refused to work with her ex-husband because their last movie, Daredevil, wasn’t received well by the public.
Source: The Things
