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Ben Affleck Saying He 'Wants To Work With' Jennifer Garner In Movie Role After Reports He Wants 'Another Chance' Is A 'Huge Slap' In The Face To Jennifer Lopez, Insider Reveals

September 27, 2026 by Julia DeKorte
shefinds | Celebrity
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Ben Affleck has not been shy about his desire to work with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, telling Entertainment Weekly that he nearly cast her as his on-screen wife in his upcoming film Animals. Though it didn’t end up working out, the suggestion was reportedly “a slap in the face” to Jennifer Lopez, especially amid the rumors that Affleck wants another chance with Garner. Keep reading for more information.

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ben affleck jennifer garner

Ben Affleck 'Wants To Work With' Jennifer Garner

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly about his upcoming film with Netflix, Affleck explained that he was initially only holding the role of director, but has since stepped in as the lead as well. His best friend, Matt Damon, was originally supposed to star in the film, but ended up having to step away to film The Odyssey. Jennifer Garner was supposed to play his on screen wife, but when Affleck took Damon's place, Garner stepped away too. 

"I thought, God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role," Affleck said. "It also has the added benefit of, like, both of us will see our kids more because we do a week and a week and back and forth. I thought, well, we can coordinate our schedules around it."

He even talked it over with Jen, but it didn't end up working out: "I talked to Jen, and she was like, 'We don't want to do that. You just get baggage,'" he recalled.

Kerry Washington ended up playing his on-screen wife, but Affleck didn't take the rejection from his ex personally. "She's fabulous, and we're really good friends. I'm profoundly grateful to her, and we have a great thing. I still would wanna work with her in the future," he said.

ben affleck jennifer lopez

Jennifer Lopez Reacts To Ben's Comments

Upon hearing Affleck's comments about wanting to work with Garner again, Lopez reportedly did not react well. "It's a huge slap in the face," an insider reveals. Aside from reportedly wanting another chance with Garner, Affleck reportedly "promised [Lopez] ages ago that he'd get her an Oscar, and he has not done anything yet to make that happen."

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner married in 2005 and stayed together for over a decade, divorcing in 2018. They share three children together, Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 14, and have maintained a close co-parenting relationship. Despite this, there are still rumors that Affleck wants another chance with Garner, fueled mostly by fans who see them together and immediately take to social media, writing tweets like, "He definitely wants another chance with her," and "Time to flip flop back to Garner now that the divorce dust has settled on Lopez!"

Author:

Freelance Writer

Julia DeKorte is a New York-based writer. A graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course, Julia covers celebrity and brand news for SheFinds, reviews toys and games for People of Play, and loves cooking for her family, walking her dogs, and running outside, preferably in view of the ocean. Contact Julia at julia@shefinds.com.