Ben Affleck Praises Jennifer Garner's Co Parenting

Ben Affleck has praised his relationship with former wife Jennifer Garner, describing their shared parenting arrangement as a positive part of his life while promoting his latest film, Animals. In interviews published October 9 and October 10, 2026, the actor discussed raising their three children, dividing custody and maintaining mutual respect years after their separation.

Affleck and Garner share Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 14. According to Affleck's interview with Variety, the former couple follows a week-on, week-off custody schedule, allowing both parents to remain actively involved in their children's lives.

Affleck described his routine as balancing professional commitments with time at home. He told Variety that he regularly picks up the children from school and sometimes shares dinner with them when they want to spend the evening together.

"I work hard, and then I go home and pick up the kids from school. We have dinner if they agree to hang out with me," Affleck said.

He explained that their custody arrangement gives the children time with each parent on an alternating weekly basis.

"They're with me for a week, then with their mom for a week," Affleck said.

The actor also expressed appreciation for Garner's relationship with their children and acknowledged that family life can present challenges, despite their current positive circumstances.

"They have a great thing with their mom, for whom I'm also really, really grateful. I know things will come up that are hard, and I don't want to jinx that, but this time in my life as a human being is really wonderful," Affleck said.

In a preview of the October 11 episode of Sunday Today with Willie Geist, Affleck also used humor to describe the difference between his parenting skills and Garner's. He praised her as a mother and joked that he falls short of her standard.

"Their mom is spectacular," Affleck said.

He acknowledged that Garner's parenting abilities sometimes leave him feeling less accomplished by comparison.

"And it always makes me feel like I'm coming up a little short," Affleck said.

Affleck joked that he tells their children he performs at roughly three-quarters of their mother's parenting level.

"Doing about 75 percent as good as your mom," Affleck said.

According to the actor, his children respond with an even lower assessment, prompting another self-deprecating joke.

"Maybe 40 percent," Affleck said, describing their response.

He continued the joke by comparing his best efforts to a school grade.

"I'm maxing out. Woo, B+!" Affleck said.

Despite the humor, Affleck emphasized that mutual respect is central to maintaining a successful relationship with a former spouse. He also expressed gratitude for Garner's continued role in their family.

"I respect her," Affleck said.

He identified the ability to maintain a constructive relationship as an important part of co-parenting after divorce.

"The most important thing is having that mutual respect—being able to get along with that person," Affleck said.

Affleck and Garner separated in 2015 after nearly 10 years of marriage and finalized their divorce in 2018. They have remained on good terms, and Affleck has discussed the possibility of working with Garner again professionally.

During the development of Animals, Affleck considered Garner for a role as his character's on-screen wife. Matt Damon was initially expected to lead the film and had suggested pairing Garner with himself. Affleck later took over the lead role after Damon departed to work on The Odyssey.

Affleck explained that he saw Garner as a strong fit for the part when Damon was still attached to the project.

"I thought, 'God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role,'" Affleck said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

The proposed casting also offered a practical advantage because the former couple could coordinate their work schedules around their alternating custody arrangement.

"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," Affleck said.

After Affleck assumed the lead role, Garner decided the pairing would not be suitable. Kerry Washington ultimately took the role instead.

Affleck said he understood Garner's concerns about how audiences might interpret their real-life history if they played spouses on screen.

"We don't wanna do that. You just get baggage," Affleck said, recounting their conversation.

He nevertheless said he remains interested in sharing a project with Garner and values their friendship.

"I would love to work with her, frankly. She's fabulous, and we're really good friends, and I'm profoundly grateful to her, and we have a great thing. I still would wanna work with her in the future, but what you don't wanna do is take the audience's baggage and have it work against you, you know?" Affleck said.

The former couple previously appeared together in Pearl Harbor in 2001 and Daredevil in 2003. Their professional relationship remains separate from their ongoing shared responsibilities as parents.