Were Jennifer Garner And Patrick Dempsey Ever More Than Co-Stars?

Jennifer Garner and Patrick Dempsey have explored their romantic connection on-screen, as their characters had a fling in the 2010 rom-com "Valentine's Day." They reportedly had strong chemistry while filming, according to the Daily Mail. But were the actors ever an item off-camera?

In 2015, Garner and Dempsey found their respective relationships coming to a halt. After a 10-year marriage, Garner and Ben Affleck shared that they were filing for divorce, per People. In a joint statement, they said, "We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time." That same year, Dempsey and celebrity makeup artist Jillian Fink nearly got divorced. Fink filed for divorce, attributing their split to irreconcilable differences, per Us Weekly. The couple, who had been married since 1999, stated, "It is with careful consideration and mutual respect that we have decided to end our marriage."

As their marriages coincidentally crumbled, rumors later flew that things were heating up between Garner and Dempsey. But were these claims true?

In 2015, multiple outlets reported that Jennifer Garner and Patrick Dempsey were dating. OK! Magazine (via the Daily Mail) shared that the two were keeping their relationship on the down low and talking a lot through text and Skype. An insider told the outlet that a coffee outing initiated by Garner started it all. 

They added, "They've been friends for years... it was only natural for them to confide in each other. As soon as they started talking, the spark was evident to both of them. Jen was relieved – and excited." According to the source, the pair hit it off romantically, as they revealed, "Patrick has been treating her like a queen. It's refreshing after Ben." They remarked on their compatibility, saying, "He can be a hothead, so talking to someone as calm and sweet (as) Jen is very soothing." 

However, it was later confirmed that Garner and Dempsey were not dating, with Extra TV shutting down the rumors. When asked about their romance, Dempsey's rep reportedly laughed.

Rumors about Jennifer Garner and Patrick Dempsey's romance were further put to rest once the "Grey's Anatomy" star patched things up with his wife. In 2016, Dempsey's divorce was called off as he confirmed that he and Jillian Fink had gotten back together, per an interview with Evening Standard's ES Magazine. "You have to work at everything. And you cannot do everything. Something has to be sacrificed," he said. Dempsey was determined to repair his relationship, as he told People, "Our marriage was not something I was prepared to let go of. I didn't feel like we had done all the work. And we both wanted to do that work. That's where it started." The couple went to marriage counseling and worked hard to make changes.

Unlike Patrick Dempsey and Jillian Fink, Garner and Ben Affleck did not reconcile. But Garner showered her ex with praise, seemingly having no regrets about their relationship. In 2016, she told Vanity Fair, "I didn't marry the big fat movie star; I married him. And I would go back and remake that decision. I ran down the beach to him, and I would again. You can't have these three babies and so much of what we had. He's the love of my life."