By Patricia Jones Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner said their marriage ended because they had grown apart and could no longer make the relationship work. Affleck’s struggles with alcohol also placed pressure on the family, but neither person identified one single incident as the sole cause of their divorce.
Garner specifically denied that rumours involving the couple’s former nanny caused the breakup. She said they had already been separated for months before she learned about that situation.
Their Official Separation Announcement
Affleck and Garner married in June 2005 and had three children together. On June 30, 2015, one day after their tenth wedding anniversary, they announced that they had decided to divorce.
Their joint statement said the decision followed considerable thought and careful consideration. They also said they intended to move forward with love and friendship while remaining committed to raising their children together.
The statement did not accuse either spouse of wrongdoing or provide a detailed explanation. This was consistent with their later approach of keeping many personal matters private and protecting their children from public conflict.
They Had Grown Apart
Affleck later gave one of the clearest explanations for the divorce during a 2021 interview with Howard Stern.
He said they had taken their time before deciding to separate, but ultimately concluded that they had grown apart and had a marriage that no longer worked. He said they tried to remain together partly because they had children, but eventually decided that an unhappy marriage was not the example they wanted their children to see.
According to Affleck, the separation included difficult conversations and occasional disagreements, but the basic relationship remained founded on mutual respect. He continued to describe Garner as someone he loved and respected and as a good mother.
Did Ben Affleck’s Drinking Contribute to the Divorce?
Affleck’s alcohol addiction was an important difficulty during and after the marriage. He has publicly discussed attending treatment and acknowledged that he needed to become sober for himself and his family.
In the Howard Stern interview, Affleck said he felt unhappy and trapped during the later part of the marriage and used alcohol as an unhealthy method of coping. He also said that remaining in the marriage under those conditions might have led to more drinking and increasing resentment.
However, his comments should not be simplified into the claim that Garner caused him to drink. Affleck faced a personal addiction problem for which he sought treatment, and he acknowledged his own responsibility for becoming sober.
Garner continued supporting his recovery after their separation, particularly because his health and sobriety affected their ability to raise their children together. Their divorce was finalized shortly after Affleck completed a 40-day treatment programme in 2018.
Did the Nanny Scandal Cause the Divorce?
No, according to Jennifer Garner.
After the separation announcement, reports circulated claiming that Affleck had become involved with the family’s former nanny. Garner directly rejected the suggestion that this caused the marriage to end.
She explained that she and Affleck had been separated for months before she heard about the nanny. She said the nanny was not part of their decision to divorce, although she described the circumstances as poor judgment and acknowledged that they affected the children.
Affleck’s representative denied the affair reports at the time. Because the former couple did not publicly provide complete details, unverified claims about what happened should not be presented as the confirmed cause of their divorce.
What Did Jennifer Garner Say About the Marriage?
Garner spoke honestly about the emotional difficulty of losing the marriage while still expressing affection and respect for Affleck.
In a 2016 interview, she described him as brilliant, charismatic and generous but also complicated. She said she had genuinely loved him and would not erase the family and experiences they created together.
Her comments suggested that the divorce resulted from a complicated and painful breakdown rather than one simple event. She also said she would not allow anger, hurt or concern about public appearances to control how she handled the separation. Her priority was maintaining a stable family relationship for their children.
When Did They File for Divorce?
Although Affleck and Garner announced their separation in June 2015, they did not immediately file formal divorce papers.
Both submitted divorce petitions in Los Angeles in April 2017, nearly two years after publicly separating. Reports described the filing as coordinated and amicable rather than a contested action initiated by only one spouse.
The additional time allowed them to manage parenting arrangements, financial matters and Affleck’s continuing recovery before legally ending the marriage.
When Was the Divorce Finalized?
Their divorce became legally final in November 2018 after a private judge submitted the completed documents to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
They agreed to share joint custody of their three children. The complete financial terms were not publicly disclosed, and neither party publicly announced a large divorce-settlement payment.
Did They Remain Friends?
Affleck and Garner continued maintaining a cooperative relationship after the divorce. They have repeatedly appeared together at family events and have spoken respectfully about one another.
Affleck has praised Garner as a mother and parenting partner. Garner has supported his recovery while maintaining appropriate boundaries as his former spouse. Their continuing connection is primarily based on raising their children and preserving a dependable family environment.
The Main Reason for the Divorce
There was no single publicly confirmed event that completely explains the divorce.
The most reliable explanation, based on their own statements, is that:
- They gradually grew apart.
- Their marriage became unhappy and stopped functioning properly.
- Affleck’s alcohol addiction added serious strain.
- They did not want their troubled marriage to become the relationship model seen by their children.
- The reported nanny situation was not the original cause of the separation.
Therefore, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner divorced because their relationship had gradually broken down and they concluded that remaining married was no longer healthy for them or their family—not because of one confirmed scandal or sudden argument.