{"id":51335,"date":"2026-06-12T14:13:36","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T18:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=51335"},"modified":"2026-06-12T14:13:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T18:13:36","slug":"jennifer-garner-reveals-how-upheaval-from-ben-affleck-divorce-impacted-her-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/06\/jennifer-garner-reveals-how-upheaval-from-ben-affleck-divorce-impacted-her-career.html","title":{"rendered":"Jennifer Garner Reveals How ‘Upheaval’ From Ben Affleck Divorce Impacted Her Career"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Kathy Hutchins \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jennifer Garner is opening up about one of the hardest seasons of her life and how it reshaped both her career and her perspective on motherhood.<\/p>\n

In a new interview with InStyle, the actress reflected on the emotional toll of her highly publicized divorce from actor Ben Affleck and revealed that the upheaval in their family life caused her to step away from work for years while focusing on their three children.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen my kids were little, I worked so little, and then we had such an upheaval in our family, that I really hardly worked for a long time,\u201d Garner shared.<\/p>\n

The \u201cAlias\u201d star and Affleck first met while filming the 2001 movie \u201cPearl Harbor\u201d before reconnecting years later on the set of \u201cDaredevil.\u201d The couple married in 2005 and announced their split in 2015 after a decade together.<\/p>\n

At the time, the pair released a joint statement saying they would move forward \u201cwith love and friendship for one another\u201d while remaining committed to co-parenting their children.<\/p>\n

Now, years later, Garner says the experience taught her valuable lessons about grace, imperfection and self-compassion \u2014 especially as a working mom.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to raise yourself at the same time,\u201d she told InStyle. \u201cAnd just be so radically kind to yourself about how imperfect it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Garner admitted that trying to perfectly balance career and family simply isn\u2019t realistic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no such thing as balance. There\u2019s no such thing as doing it right,\u201d she explained. \u201cAnd when the big moments happen, you are okay, and that\u2019s on you to know and understand so your child feels your okayness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her comments echo earlier reflections she made this year during an appearance on Bustle\u2019s \u201cOne Nightstand\u201d podcast, where she spoke candidly about parenting after divorce.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen your kids grow up in two separate households, I become mom and dad, and he becomes dad and mom,\u201d Garner said. \u201cYou kind of can\u2019t help it, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, she believes there can be growth even through painful transitions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a little bit of loss in that, but there\u2019s also something gained in that,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Despite the heartbreak of their separation, Garner has consistently spoken respectfully about Affleck through the years. In a 2016 interview with Vanity Fair, she famously described him as \u201cthe love of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t marry the big fat movie star; I married him,\u201d she said at the time. \u201cI would go back and remake that decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Affleck has also publicly praised Garner and acknowledged the lasting bond they share as parents. During a 2020 appearance on \u201cGood Morning America,\u201d the actor admitted the divorce was deeply painful.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to get divorced,\u201d Affleck said. \u201cI really didn\u2019t want to be a split family with my children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, he emphasized the importance of maintaining respect and unity for the sake of their children.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have children with somebody, you\u2019re connected to them forever,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m very lucky she is the mother of my children.\u201d<\/p>\n

These days, Garner appears to be embracing a healthier outlook on work and life. The actress is currently starring in Peacock\u2019s upcoming adaptation of \u201cThe Five-Star Weekend\u201d and says she no longer feels guilty about pursuing her career.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I work, I don\u2019t apologize to my kids for it,\u201d Garner told InStyle. \u201cWorking hard is part of life, and messing up is part of life. Tripping and falling \u2014 there\u2019s room for all of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

For many parents navigating life\u2019s unexpected challenges, Garner\u2019s honesty serves as a reminder that healing often comes slowly \u2014 and that grace, both for ourselves and others, matters along the way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jennifer Garner is opening up about one of the hardest seasons of her life and how it reshaped both her career and her perspective on motherhood. In a new interview with InStyle, the actress reflected on the emotional toll of her highly publicized divorce from actor Ben Affleck and revealed that the upheaval in their…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":51338,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nJennifer Garner Reveals How 'Upheaval' From Ben Affleck Divorce Impacted Her Career<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jennifer Garner says her divorce from Ben Affleck caused family \u201cupheaval\u201d that kept her from working for years.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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