Jennifer Garner opens up on her breakdown of marriage and co-parenting with Ben Affleck; ‘I could not handle what was out there….’

Recently, actress Jennifer Garner spoke about her relationship with former husband Ben Affleck, and how they chose to go past the negativity, and concentrate on co-parenting, rather than their personal differences.Talking about the relationship breaking up, the 53-year-old told by E! News, “You have to be smart about what you can and can’t handle, and I could not handle what was out there,” Garner said. She added, “But what was out there was not what was hard.”She explained, “The fact of it is what was hard. The actual breaking up of a family is what was hard. Losing a true partnership and friendship is what was hard.”Staying away from gossipThe ‘Yes Day’ actress said that she does not like to indulge in meaningless gossip that affects her kids. “It doesn’t serve me to take in gossip about myself or anyone else, much less my kids, so I don’t do it,” she said.Current relationshipReflecting on her life now, Garner said, “So much about my life surprises me. That I’m still working, that I’m still alive, that my kids are healthy, that my work relationships–which are more like familial friendships–are still the same as they were 25 or 30 years ago, but richer and deeper and stronger. It’s all a gift.”Looking back at Garner-Affleck marriageBen Affleck and Jennifer Garner maintained a well-known relationship for a decade, until they divorced, but they have since become famous for their successful co-parenting relationship. The couple first met each other during 2000, before they got married in 2005, had 3 kids, and parted ways in 2018.Cracks and the divorce announcementCracks started appearing in their relationship in 2013, because Affleck fought with his drinking problems while dealing with his professional responsibilities. Garner attended Al-Anon meetings to cope, but the marriage frayed. The couple separated in June 2015 before announcing their divorce.The nanny scandal created a short-lived media frenzy about rumors but Garner confirmed it had no impact on their relationship while she described Affleck as her “love of her life” despite his “bad judgment.” The legal process took three years to produce a decision which established joint custody for Affleck while requiring him to pay $100,000 each month as child support.Reasons behind the splitAffleck has directly connected his substance abuse to his divorce by stating in 2021 that his drinking problems intensified when his marriage with Jennifer fell apart between 2015 and 2016. Garner provided his support during his rehabilitation program and intervention sessions, but they chose to separate for the well-being of their children.Affleck shared additional details about his 2025 state of mind which showed him dealing with problems that went past his drinking issues, although he kept the exact nature of these problems to himself.Co-Parenting success Post-DivorceDespite the end of their romance, Affleck and Garner have excelled as co-parents. The family members spend their time together at family gatherings, annual vacations and holiday celebrations, while making Violet, Seraphina and Samuel their main focus. Affleck credits Garner as an “incredible mother” and says they “work well together.”The 2025 sightings of the couple have brought them closer together which has led to speculation about a possible brief reunion after Affleck separated from Jennifer Lopez. However, it seems like the children maintain their strong bond with their parents because their relationship demonstrates that divorce does not sever family ties.