Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner 'closer now as friends' after messy split, insiders claim
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Exes Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have maintained a cordial relationship in the best interests of their children.
The two have reportedly remained close while continuing to co-parent their children—Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 11—according to those close to the former married couple.
The 'Gone Girl' actor, 51, has also expressed approval for Garner's romance with businessman John Miller. "Ben is super down-to-earth, and so is John," an insider claimed.
'Lot of healing' between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner
An insider close to the former couple said, "Ben put Jen through h*** when they were together, but they’ve worked past all of that."
"There’s been a lot of healing, and they may be closer now — as friends — than they were when they were a couple," they explained.
The Boston native's easygoing relationship with the 51-year-old '13 Going On 30' actress could be partially attributed to their different approaches to handling his new wife Jennifer Lopez, per OK! Magazine.
The 'Gone Girl' actor is "relaxed" when he is with Garner, said a source. Affleck does, however, not take things so well when he is with Lopez.
"He seems so relaxed and, well, happy when he’s with Jen, but with J.Lo, he seems tense, even angry at times," a source claimed. "She can be very intense, and Ben gets caught up in that. He can get a little on edge."
Jennifer, Jen and Ben apparently on the same page
The three have managed to resolve their differences for the benefit of their blended family, notwithstanding any conflicts. A different insider claimed, "Jennifer, Jen and Ben have had a great relationship for quite some time now."
"They know there are going to be plenty of times they’ll all be attending the same events together, whether that’s school performances, sports, etc," the insider revealed, referring to Affleck and Garner's children and Lopez's twins Emme and Max, 16.
The source further explained, "They communicate rather frequently when it comes to their kids, scheduling plans, etc. They know the ones who benefit the most are the children and that’s all they care about."
"They have a mutual respect for each other as parents and know how well all their kids get along. They want to foster and nurture those relationships and will do whatever it takes to show their support," they added. "Anything that’s happened in the past is water under the bridge. It’s genuinely a copacetic situation all around."
Jennifer Garner is content with John Miller following split from Ben
Jennifer Garner's marriage of 10 years to Ben Affleck was marred by Affleck's battles with alcohol and gambling addiction, along with reports of his post-divorce affair with the nanny.
Following the couple's 2018 divorce, Ben remarried Jennifer Lopez, with whom he had previously been engaged in the early 2000s.
Jennifer Garner is "relieved," another source told In Touch Daily, that John treats her nicely and is "different from Ben." "In Jen’s eyes, John’s a keeper," the source added to the publication.
"Jen truly never imagined that this day would come again. She says life is full of blessings and surprises," a source revealed of Garner's recent happiness.