When it comes to amiable ex-spouses in Hollywood, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner arguably top the list. The former couple have maintained a firm relationship since they divorced in 2018 after 13 years of marriage and continue to co-parent their three kids. Believe it or not, Affleck initially cast Garner in his 2026 movie schedule entry, Animals, before she dropped out. Affleck still wants to work with Garner at some point and, all the while, his other ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez, allegedly has strong feelings about that.
Affleck originally cast Garner to co-lead Animals alongside Matt Damon, and the two would’ve played spouses in the film. However, due to external changes, the project was scrapped for a time before being revived. By that point, though, Damon couldn’t commit due to filming The Odyssey, so director Affleck decided to take on the lead role. Yet Garner reasoned that in that case, it would be best for her to drop out due to their personal “baggage” possibly being distracting.
During the interview in which the Argo director revealed Garner’s reasoning, he also expressed an eagerness to collaborate with her down the road. A source recently spoke to In Touch Weekly, reaffirmed Affleck’s desire, saying:
Ben came very close to working with Jen on his latest movie. He decided against it at the last moment, but he is very eager to find the right role for her.
The insider opines that it makes sense for Affleck to want to work with Garner, who’s a “hot commodity” right now, especially due to her new show, The Five-Star Weekend. On the other side of this, the source alleges that JLo “is very aware that Ben is planning to do something with” Garner. The unnamed individual doesn’t suggest that Lopez holds any ill will towards Garner herself, though they claim she does take issue with a potential collaboration between her and Affleck for one reason:
It’s a huge slap in the face, because he promised her ages ago that he’d get her an Oscar, and he has not done anything to make that happen.
This Oscar-related allegation should be taken with a grain of salt, as no one from the “On the Floor” singer’s camp has addressed it. Furthermore, as In Touch also mentions, Affleck has collaborated with Lopez before. Affleck produced his ex-wife’s 2025 musical drama Kiss of the Spider Woman, and “Bennifer” even reunited at the premiere, where they were all smiles while hanging out. And, ahead of that, the pair also collaborated on the films Jersey Girl, Gigli and This Is Me... Now: A Love Story.
Of course, Garner has also worked with Affleck years ago on Pearl Harbor and Daredevil and became friendly while working on those films before becoming romantically involved. Animals would’ve marked their first collaboration in some time (and I would’ve loved to have seen the two share the screen). It’s hard to say if or when the exes might ever get the chance to work together again but, based on Affleck’s comments and those of the insider, the Accountant star is going to make it happen somehow.
And, in spite of the Jennifer Lopez rumors, it’s been reported that she and Ben Affleck have remained amicable, even if they don’t really hang out. It’s also been claimed that Affleck has been giving Lopez career advice in the aftermath of their 2025 divorce, though whether that translates into an actual collaboration between them is unclear. For now, know that you can check out Affleck in Animals (sans Jennifer Garner) when it becomes available for Netflix subscription owners starting on October 9.
