Jennifer Garner has remained friends and co-parents with her ex-husband Ben Affleck, while also maintaining a private relationship with businessman John C. Miller.
Garner and Affleck appeared in high spirits together last week to send their eldest son off to college in Connecticut, just one day after his estranged wife, Jennifer Lopez, filed for divorce after two years of marriage.
Miller and Garner, who have rarely been seen together or even in public, went on a date in Malibu after returning home. However, celebrity matchmaker Alessandra Conti With Affleck potentially in new crisis mode, Miller warned that he may be worried about Garner’s future.
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Jennifer Garner’s relationship status may be affected by Ben Affleck’s divorce, a celebrity matchmaker told Fox News Digital. (Getty Images/Backgrid)
“There have been reports that he’s uncomfortable with Ben and Jen’s relationship,” Conti told Fox News Digital exclusively, “And a lot of times these reports have anonymous sources, but there’s no fire without fire. I think we’ve learned this many times: There’s no fire without fire.”
“We don’t know who these anonymous sources are, but it’s a red flag that so many insiders are publicly saying he doesn’t support Ben and Jen’s special relationship.”
Jennifer Garner and John C. Miller stepped out for a rare date in Malibu on Friday. (Backgrid)
She added, “But I hope that he responds to the situation and that he understands that Jennifer needs him now more than ever because she’s moving forward in so many ways in Ben Affleck’s life.”
“But it’s a red flag that so many insiders have publicly stated that he doesn’t support Ben and Jen’s special relationship.”
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Conti hoped that Garner wasn’t “pouring from an empty cup” while helping Ben. “She’s a very strong woman. She’s proven that so many times,” she said. “She’s a mother. She’s won so many awards for acting. She’s kind… Every time Jen is in the media, it’s like she’s helping the homeless. And she’s doing it on the spot. She’s a woman with such strong values and such strong will. And she’s such a great partner. Ben is so lucky to have her.”
Garner and Affleck met on the set of “Pearl Harbor” in 2000, but their relationship remained professional as Garner was married to actor Scott Foley at the time. After Affleck’s first engagement to Lopez fell through in 2003, the two rekindled their relationship when Affleck and Garner (then single) began working together on “Daredevil.”
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner were in Connecticut last week to send their eldest daughter, Violet, off to college. (Backgrid)
Jennifer Garner continued to support Ben Affleck following his split from him, and she helped him get into recovery from alcoholism in 2018. (Jon Kopaloff)
The pair went public with their relationship in 2004 and married the following year. The former couple, who have three children together, announced their separation in 2015 and their divorce was finalized nearly three years later in 2018.
A few weeks later, the “13 at 30” star began dating Miller, who was previously married to violinist Caroline Campbell and has two children with her.
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Conti said Garner and Miller’s romance was “one of the most elusive in Hollywood.”
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“He has never posed with her in public at any event he has ever been to, and honestly, as a matchmaker and a matchmaker who works with celebrities, I don’t like to proceed with relationships with A-list celebrities in that way,” Conti said. “Obviously privacy is great and a wonderful goal, but it makes female celebrities feel embarrassed or apologetic about their careers and the level of success they’ve achieved, which is embarrassing.”
She added, “Even if he doesn’t outwardly show himself to be an unsupportive partner, if someone is secretive about their relationship, they’re not being supportive and not being supportive.”
Conti likened Garner and Miller’s secretive relationship to the six-year romance between Taylor Swift and actor Joe Alwyn.
“Even if he doesn’t outwardly present himself as an unsupportive partner, being secretive about the relationship means he’s not supportive. He’s not supportive.”
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Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn began dating in 2016 and kept their relationship closely secret. (Getty Images)
“He never said anything negative about Taylor on the surface, but it was such a stark contrast to how Taylor Swift and Travis Kelcy’s relationship blossomed and how their relationship is very private. No one knows what really goes on in their private conversations,” she said.
“But they’re giving the people what they want, and he’s celebrating her success with people like John Miller and Ben Affleck, who are media-hating, even though Ben Affleck is an A-list star himself. I don’t like celebrity relationships being treated like this.”
WATCH: Experts say Jennifer Garner considers Ben Affleck like family
While Lopez appears to be leaving their combined family with her recent divorce filing, Garner and Affleck have built an unshakeable bond for the sake of their children.
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“Jennifer is [Garner] “Garner considers Ben Affleck a family member. Jennifer, regardless of the divorce, Ben is family,” Conti said of Garner’s view of her ex-husband.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck got married in 2022, 20 years after calling off their first wedding. Lopez filed for divorce on August 20, 2024. (Johnny Nunez)
“Jennifer, as she has shown many times, has very strong values and puts family first. If you look nicely in the dictionary and look up ‘how to co-parent,’ you’ll see Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck there, and, as we all know, despite all the issues they’ve had over the years, I’d say they’re a great co-parenting couple.”
