The Tragic Truth About Jennifer Garner

Despite being one of Hollywood's most recognizable and successful stars, actor Jennifer Garner's life is far from perfect. Her high-profile marriage to Ben Affleck became the subject of tabloid gossip for several years, with the couple's divorce announcement in 2015 sparking a massive firestorm of rumors and speculation. It's probably not surprising, then, that during an interview with The Telegraph in 2013, the "13 Going on 30" star candidly revealed that she did not romanticize being famous, and hoped that her kids didn't want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. "Why does everyone think they need to be a star?" she asked. "It's ridiculous. The celebrity culture is so silly and the fact that people grow up thinking that it's something to aspire to just seems wrong."

However, even though fame has impacted Garner's life, she's managed to push through. As well as raising three children alongside her ex-husband, she continues to build an impressive career as an actor, starring in TV shows like Apple TV+'s "The Last Thing He Told Me" and major films like 2022's "The Adam Project" and 2021's "Yes Day." But the journey has been anything but roses and sunshine. 

In April 2024, Jennifer Garner shared the sad news that her father William John Garner had died at the age of 85. In an emotional Instagram post, she revealed that she'd been at her father's side when he died, and that the family sang "Amazing Grace" in his final moments. "While there is no tragedy in the death of an 85 year old man who lived a healthy, wonderful life, I know grief is unavoidable, waiting around unexpected corners," she wrote. The "Alias" star also shared a carousel of photos featuring her father, many taken during her youth. 

The social media post was an opportunity for Garner to pay tribute to her dad's achievements, which included being a supportive and steadfast father and grandfather. Alongside the actor, William raised daughters Melissa and Susannah with his wife Patricia Ann Garner. "We are grateful for Dad's gentle demeanor and quiet strength," she explained. "For how he teased with a mischievous smile, and for the way he invented the role of all in, ever patient girl dad. We are grateful for his work ethic, leadership and faith." While there's no easy way to grieve such an important member of your family, Garner's Instagram post showed just how much she cherished her father and everything he had provided her with throughout the years.

After marrying her "Daredevil" co-star Ben Affleck in June 2005, Garner welcomed her first child, daughter Violet Anne Affleck, in December of the same year. Three years later, in August 2008, Garner revealed that the couple was expecting their second baby, but the pregnancy didn't go as smoothly as her first. 

In November 2008, TMZ reported that a man named Steven Burky had allegedly been stalking and harassing Garner since 2002. By 2008, events appeared to have gotten much worse, as Garner obtained a court order against Burky. In documents reviewed by the outlet, Garner alleged, "I am currently pregnant and fear for the safety of my second child once born." She also revealed, "[Burkys] obsessive and harassing behavior has escalated to the point of becoming dangerous and threatening."

Unfortunately, Garner's stalker nightmare wasn't over, despite the actor being granted a court order for her family's protection. In December 2009, less than a year after the birth of  Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck, Garner and Affleck's second child, Burky was arrested for stalking Garner and her family. Per People, Burky was apprehended after he defied the court order against him by arriving at Violet's school. Affleck would later reveal to The Hollywood Reporter that he purchased guns to protect his family, after the stalker turned up at their home on multiple occasions. The same article noted that Burky was sent to a mental ward in 2010 after being declared legally insane.

Before marrying Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner was married to Scott Foley. The pair met on the hit teen show "Felicity" in 1998, where Garner played Foley's character's girlfriend. The pair married just two years later in 2000. However, the romance was relatively short-lived, with the two actors announcing their separation in April 2003, before finalizing their divorce the following year.

In October 2004, it was revealed that Garner was dating Ben Affleck after they were photographed attending a baseball game together. By June 2005, they had married and announced they were expecting their first baby. After more than a decade together and welcoming three children, Affleck and Garner split, announcing their plan to divorce in June 2015.

During a candid Vanity Fair interview in 2016, Garner lamented her two divorces, suggesting that she didn't like to quit anything. "It's one of the pains in my life that something I believe in so strongly I've completely failed at twice," she emotionally told the publication. "You have to have two people to dance a marriage," she continued. "My heart's a little on the tender side right now, and it's always easier to focus on the ways that you feel hurt, but I know that, with time and some perspective, I'll have a clearer sense of where I let the system down."

In December 2015, a series of paparazzi photos showed Ben Affleck sporting what appeared to be a giant back tattoo of a phoenix. At the time, Affleck claimed the tattoo was fake and suggested it was for a movie role. Garner was later asked about her ex's new ink in a 2016 interview with Vanity Fair, and did nothing to dispel any rumors about it. Instead, she told the outlet, "You know what we would say in my hometown about that? 'Bless his heart.'" Garner then went on to muse about the message her ex-husband may be sending with the artwork. "A phoenix rising from the ashes," she said. "Am I the ashes in this scenario?" After the publication noted that Garner had winked when asking the question, she then stated, "I take umbrage. I refuse to be the ashes." Photographs of Affleck in 2018 proved the large phoenix tattoo was, in fact, real.

Affleck found himself in hot water again in December 2021 after an appearance on the "Howard Stern Show," in which he discussed his former marriage to Garner. "I'd probably still be drinking," he said (via People). "It's part of why I started drinking ... because I was trapped." Affleck later clarified his comments during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, saying, "I don't blame my ex-wife for my alcoholism." But it must have been incredibly difficult for Garner to handle the much-publicized comments about her former marriage.

After announcing their divorce on June 30, 2015, rumors of infidelity started hounding Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. Us Weekly alleged that Garner had discovered Affleck was having an affair with the family's nanny Christine Ouzounian, whom Garner fired. The publication also suggested the famous couple had been through a 10-month long separation at the time of their divorce announcement. Affleck's team staunchly denied the cheating rumors, while a source told E! News, "Ben told Christine things that led her to believe they were going to be fully together." 

In her 2016 interview with Vanity Fair, Garner revealed that Affleck hadn't cheated on her, but she wasn't totally on board with his decision making. "We had been separated for months before I ever heard about the nanny," she told the outlet. "She had nothing to do with our decision to divorce. She was not a part of the equation. Bad judgment? Yes. It's not great for your kids for [a nanny] to disappear from their lives." The "Family Switch" star also noted that it was difficult explaining Ouzounian's sudden absence to the kids, as well as detailing why their father was involved in the so-called "Nannygate" scandal.

As if "Nannygate" wasn't challenging enough for Garner, Ben Affleck faced further cheating allegations after revealing he was in a new relationship with "Saturday Night Live" producer Lindsay Shookus. While Affleck and Shookus allegedly started dating in April 2017, sources suggested that their romance may have started a lot earlier. In July 2017, a source alleged to Us Weekly, "Ben and Lindsay started their affair about three years ago ... They were sleeping together, sending each other cute texts and meeting up whenever they could." The source also suggested that Garner allegedly found out about Affleck's affair in 2015; the same time that Shookus' husband apparently discovered the romance.

Of course, there doesn't appear to be any evidence that Affleck and Shookus were actually having an affair while the two-time Oscar winner was still married to Garner. One source familiar with Affleck and Garner shot down the idea there was any cheating involved in their split, telling People of the actor's romance with Shookus, "They started dating when they were separated." However, other sources claimed to the same outlet that Affleck and Shookus allegedly frequented the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York together for several years. Regardless, the seemingly endless rumors and speculation regarding the state of their marriage, coupled with allegations of infidelity, must have been an ongoing trial for Garner.

Despite being known as a generally amiable person, Jennifer Garner has admit she sometimes struggles to keep up with her happy and upbeat image. "I'm not always just nice," she told Town & Country in 2022. "I can also be salty." Despite pointing out that she isn't afraid to speak her mind when needed, she revealed that she never wants to upset her fans, even if she is having a really terrible day. "I don't want you to be shocked that I'm a real person," she explained. 

During an interview with Allure the following year, Garner elaborated further on the issues that come with being perceived as nice. She said she often finds it difficult to express her boundaries, especially because people have an expectation of how she'll act. "The problem is being recognized on a day where I'm not so nice or when I have blackness in my soul," Garner told the outlet. "I've definitely had days where I just can't do it. I scowl at people before they can walk up to me." Just like the rest of us, Garner struggles with her emotions from time to time, and if she's experiencing a certain "blackness in [her] soul," she might not want to be interrupted.

In June 2016, RadarOnline.com reported that Jennifer Garner's hometown of Charleston, West Virginia, had faced devastating flooding following a 12-hour period of destructive thunderstorms in the region. The natural disaster affected numerous towns and cities across the state and caused 23 deaths. Garner's father William, referred to as Bill in the article, said of the damage, "There are people who are really suffering." He continued, "There were five lives lost in this county. Houses that have been lost." Luckily, the Garner home wasn't hit by the terrible floods, but they did experience a power cut, which lasted for approximately 36 hours. Grateful that their house had survived the unexpected weather event, the Garners offered their support to the local community, and encouraged involvement in a flood relief effort organized by their local church.

The following month, the "13 Going on 30" star visited Herbert Hoover High School in Clendenin, Kanawha County, as a representative of the charity Save the Children. Speaking to People, Garner revealed that the charity was committed to providing those affected by the floods with the essentials they need and may have lost during the disaster. She pointed out that they were, "Passing out supplies needed, like clothes for babies, diapers, toiletries. Whatever is needed, we do our best to get for them." In addition to working alongside the charity, Garner also launched a T-shirt campaign with Omaze to raise money for flood relief in West Virginia.

As an extremely public figure who has starred in a plethora of popular movies and TV shows, Jennifer Garner is often featured in the media, be it on glossy magazine covers or in the tabloids. This especially became the case following her marriage and split with fellow A-list actor and director Ben Affleck. For Garner, the attention became overwhelming, leading the actor to try to avoid reading anything written about her altogether. During her enlightening Vanity Fair interview in 2016, Garner revealed her true feelings on the subject, saying, "It hurts me so much, and I care so much." And when it came to her high-profile divorce from Affleck, she was especially careful about not ingesting media coverage on the subject, instead focusing on their children. "I cannot be driven by the optics of this," she told the outlet. "I cannot let anger or hurt be my engine."

In July 2018, Garner spoke to CBS "Sunday Morning" about the difficulties she has faced as a celebrity who was often featured in the tabloids, particularly during the early days of her relationship with Affleck. She explained that positive news stories about potential engagements and marriages can end up influencing people's real lives, and that negative stories can also cause issues in the real world. "If there is any inkling of trouble, or if the tabloids decide there's trouble, it can create trouble," she explained.

While Jennifer Garner has attempted to block out negative media coverage about her personal life, she hasn't always been able to avoid the paparazzi. In 2013, she spoke to The Telegraph about how much she struggled with being photographed without her consent, so much so that she would often look for paparazzi hiding in the locale. "Usually I'd see the light on the lens so maybe it's just the leaves," she said during the interview, while searching for potential photographers. "I could swear there is someone there."

Elaborating on the paparazzi problem she had dealt with, Garner told the outlet, "Seven cars followed me when I left home at seven o'clock this morning." She continued, "I wish I could say that it doesn't bother me. But you wouldn't like it if you had it, and neither would anyone else."

Explaining just how serious an issue photographers had become in her everyday life, Garner said that there were often members of the paparazzi sitting outside of her private residence waiting for her to leave. Even worse, people would attempt to take pictures of Garner when she went to collect her children from school, removing any sense of privacy from her life. While this is pretty much par for the course when it comes to being a celebrity, Garner's account is certainly haunting, and her heightened state of worry about it shows the negative impact being followed daily by photographers can have on a person.