By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-28 18:31:53 | Updated at 2024-11-28 20:39:44
2 hours ago
Jennifer Garner was on hand to help her ex-husband Ben Affleck navigate his marriage breakdown - and now the actress is stepping in again to ensure his Thanksgiving is 'drama free' after enduring a very public divorce.
The newly single actor, 52, who split from Jennifer Lopez, 55, in August, is taking a break from shooting his new film with Matt Damon to spend the day with Garner, their three children, and her boyfriend John Miller.
Garner will make sure the holiday is as 'easy as possible' to allow her ex to focus on their kids Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12.
'Ben and Jen are looking forward to today and Ben is anticipating a relaxing day full of food and football before he has to get back to work on the film,' a source told DailyMail.com exclusively.
'Thanksgiving is all about being drama free when it comes to Ben, it is going to be low key, only good vibes and Jen is on board to make today as easy as possible.'
A second insider said he was adamant that nothing would get in the way of the 'meaningful holiday' which will be celebrated at Garner's house with Miller, whom she has been dating on-and-off since 2018.
Jennifer Garner is stepping in to ensure ex-husband Ben Affleck has a 'drama free' Thanksgiving with their three children after enduring a very public split from Jennifer Lopez
Newly single Affleck, 52, is determined to keep his focus on his children Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12 (pictured) whom he shares with Garner, also 52
The businessman had previously aired grievances about her involvement in Affleck's marital struggles with Lopez, but there is now 'nothing but love and appreciation' between them all.
'Thanksgiving is such a meaningful holiday for them to spend together before the chaos of Christmas season hits,' the source said.
'Jen’s boyfriend is often included and there is never any issue whatsoever as they all have nothing but love and appreciation for each other.
'And yes, Jen Garner and the kids cook Thanksgiving dinner without any outside help.'
Affleck, who spent lastThanksgiving with Lopez, will no doubt be on hand to help comfort Garner who announced the heartbreaking news that her nine-year-old golden retriever Birdie had died.
The actress paid tribute to her beloved pet, who she acquired just after her 2015 split from Affleck.
'She lived a happy dog life and is now in the role she was born to play: angel girl,' she told her Instagram followers on Wednesday. 'It’s a gift to love and be loved by such a creature as Birdie the Doggie.'
Garner's Thanksgiving plans come a week after DailyMail.com reported that tensions were brewing between her and Lopez, despite the former adopting the role of 'marriage counselor' during Affleck's split from the singer.
An insider told DailyMail.com exclusively that the actor doesn't want anything to get in the way of the 'meaningful holiday which will be celebrated at Garner's house (pictured together in 2018)
'Jen’s boyfriend John Miller is often included and there is never any issue whatsoever as they all have nothing but love and appreciation for each other,' the insider continued (pictured Miller)
Sources at the time said she has now chosen to distance herself from the On the Floor hitmaker and doesn't want to have any 'communication' with her 'unless it is do with the kids.'
'Her friends feel she shouldn’t have allowed herself to get so involved in helping JLo to fix her marriage to Ben,' the source said.
'Especially considering Jen felt pitted against JLo at times during their own marriage. Jen is too nice and truly wanted to help, so she tried.'
Earlier this year DailyMail.com was told Miller was tiring of Garner seeing it as her responsibility to help 'fix' her ex-husband’s beleaguered marriage.
'Especially considering Jen felt pitted against JLo at times during their own marriage. Jen is too nice and truly wanted to help, so she tried.'
'John wants nothing more than for Ben to be okay, but it isn’t his girlfriend’s responsibility to play babysitter to him,' an insider said at the time.
‘That is for Ben to figure out on his own and for his wife to handle. It isn’t Jen’s responsibility, and he has told her this.’
They added that Affleck was conscious of being a ‘burden’ and was trying to avoid discussing his marital breakdown with Garner.
Garner and Affleck notably tied the knot in 2005, but their divorce was finalized in 2018 after 13 years of marriage.
Affleck reconciled with his ex Lopez in 2022, but she filed for divorce in August after two years of marriage.
Last month, she broke her silence on their split while talking to Interview Magazine – and described the separation as both 'sad' and 'scary.'
'It feels lonely, unfamiliar, scary. It feels sad. It feels desperate,' the hitmaker said when asked what it was like to 'be on her own.'
'But when you sit in those feelings and go, “These things are not going to kill me,” it’s like actually, I am capable of joy and happiness all by myself.
'Being in a relationship doesn’t define me. I can’t be looking for happiness in other people. I have to have happiness within myself.
'I used to say I’m a happy person, but was still looking for something for somebody else to fill, and it’s just like, “No, I’m actually good.”'
