Jennifer Garner gave fans a rare glimpse into her family life by sharing never-before-seen photos of ex-husband Ben Affleck and their children as part of a touching Father’s Day tribute. The actress took to Instagram on Sunday to honor the fathers who have had the greatest impact on her life, including her own father, William John Garner, and Affleck, the father of her three children: Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14.
“My sisters and I loved to spoil our dad; he never wanted for fresh baked cookies or a bowl of ice cream,” Garner wrote alongside a collection of family photos. The post quickly caught attention because it included intimate snapshots of Affleck with their children that had never been shared publicly before.
© Jennifer GarnerOne image showed the Oscar winner posing outdoors with daughters Violet and Fin (Seraphina) when they were younger. Another sweet photo captured Affleck dressed in a Batman mask while holding a smiling Samuel in his arms.
Garner, 54, reflected on the close relationship her children have with their father, writing, “I see the way my kids dote on their dad and I’m happy for them. To love and be loved by a great dad is a gift.” She concluded the tribute by adding, “Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads and to the kids of dads, too. ♥️.”
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s Co-Parenting Journey
Although Garner and Affleck ended their marriage more than a decade ago, they have continued to prioritize their family and maintain a positive co-parenting relationship. The former couple met while working in Hollywood and married in 2005. After ten years together, they announced their separation in 2015 and finalized their divorce in 2018.
Despite their split, the pair have often been praised for putting their children first and remaining supportive co-parents.
© GC ImagesEarlier this year, Garner opened up about the challenges of ending her marriage during an interview with Marie Claire. While discussing the public scrutiny surrounding their relationship, she explained that the most difficult part was not the media attention but the personal reality of the separation. “It doesn’t serve me to take in gossip about myself or anyone else, much less my kids, so I don’t do it,” Garner said.
She continued, “You have to be smart about what you can and can’t handle, and I could not handle what was out there. But what was out there was not what was hard.”
© GC Images“The fact of it is what was hard. The actual breaking up of a family is what was hard. Losing a true partnership and friendship is what was hard.”
Where Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck Stand Today
Since their divorce, both stars have moved forward in their personal lives. Affleck rekindled his romance with Jennifer Lopez, whom he originally dated in the early 2000s. The couple became engaged in 2022 and married later that year. However, their relationship ultimately came to an end when Lopez filed for divorce in 2024. Their split was finalized in January 2025.
© GC ImagesGarner, meanwhile, has been in a long-term relationship with businessman John Miller since 2018. The couple has largely kept their romance private while Garner continues to focus on family and career.
Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner 'bonded over co-parenting their kids'
Lopez and Garner have a good friendship even after the singer's divorce from Ben Affleck. While both have navigated their own paths in the spotlight, their connection has grown over time as they have found common ground beyond entertainment.
The pair bonded over their motherhood journeys, as a source told Page Six. "The two Jennifers are actually friends," the insider said, with many wondering about their relationship. "They bonded over co-parenting their kids," the source said.
© @jloA different source told Us Weekly that they had become friends during JLo's former marriage to Ben. “Over the past year or two, they’ve definitely become close and have gotten to know each other much better,” the insider shared at the time.“Both of them are incredible mothers and always put their children’s needs first.”
