Jennifer Garner Gets Emotional Discussing ‘Stress’ of Ben Affleck Divorce

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck‘s divorce was splattered on nearly every tabloid as their marriage fell apart in 2015.

But the stress and pressure from the tabloids made it impossible for Garner to go about her daily life, making her feel like she could cry.

In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning‘s Conor Knighton, Garner said there were always five to six cars outside the home she shared with Affleck during their decade-long marriage. On the weekends, there could be as many as 20 cars, all belonging to photographers itching for photos of the couple and their children.

“And looking back on that, I really feel the stress of it,” Garner told CBS. “I really, I could cry talking about it.”

The couple split in 2015 and their divorce was finalized last year. However, that has not stopped the tabloid fascination with their private lives.

“What I think I’ve learned is that the scrutiny in your private life puts a pressure to make something happen,” Garner said. “You feel a pressure to hurry up and get married, ’cause you think that’ll end the Are they engaged? Are they not? … And that’s true in the reverse, as well. If there is any inkling of trouble, or if the tabloids decide there’s trouble, it can create trouble.”

The Dallas Buyers Club actress added, “But to be honest, public scrutiny, everyone says, ‘Oh, you’ve had to go through this in public.’ The public isn’t what’s hard. What’s hard is going through it.”

Since the divorce, Garner has mostly focused her acting career on family movies, like Love, Simon, Miracles From Heaven and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Her next film takes Garner back to her action movie roots though. Peppermint, an R-rated thriller, opening on Sept. 7. She also signed on to star in Lena Dunham’s Camping, an adaptation of the British series.

Garner and Affleck were married from 2005 to 2017, and Garner was previously married to Scott Foley from 2000 to 2004. Garner and Affleck have three children, Samuel, 6; Seraphina, 9; and Violet, 12.

The former couple have an amicable relationship, with Garner even sharing a heartfelt tribute to Affleck.

“Our kids are lucky to have a dad who looks at them the way you look at them and loves them the way you love them, [Ben Affleck],” Garner wrote.

Garner also co-founded Once Upon A Farm, an organic baby food brand, with Ari Raz, John Foraker and Cassandra Curtis.

Affleck is reportedly dating Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus.

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