Jennifer Garner Ben Affleck Divorce: Is ‘Batman’ Star Finally Moving Out Of Family Home?
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck surprised everyone when they officially filed for divorce this week amid reconciliation rumors. The Hollywood couple has announced their separation two years ago but made no public attempt to change their physical set-up. In fact, Ben and Jennifer were still regularly seen together in family outings and even continued to live together in their $17.5 million Pacific Palisades estate in California. This prompted fans to hope that the power couple may soon get back together.
But now, with their divorce finally pushing through, reports swirl that Ben is leaving Jennifer for good. According to TMZ, the Batman vs. Superman star is in the process of purchasing his own property as a sign that he is ready to move out of their family home.
Reportedly, Ben’s new bachelor’s pad will still be close to their home, as both Ben and Jennifer want to continue sharing co-parenting duties for their three children: Violet, 11, Seraphina, 8, and Samuel, 5.
The Daily Mail reported that Ben’s quarters have been recently snapped as “unkept” with his outdoor furniture mostly covered up. These shots further fueled reports that the 45-year-old actor is indeed preparing to move on with his life sans Jennifer.
After announcing their split last June 30, 2015–a day after their 10th wedding anniversary–Ben conveniently moved to the guesthouse while Jennifer and the kids continued to live in the main house. The couple earned praises for being amicable despite the public breakup and for promoting co-parenting as a healthy way to deal with an otherwise nasty separation.
Although rumors of Ben’s cheating and alcohol addiction were said to be the cause of their separation, the two exes kept matters private and strived to remain friendly in public. While promoting his recent film Live By Night last December, Ben even called Jennifer as the “world’s greatest mom,” People reported. The actor also stressed the importance of family and his children, saying that their births are the “defining moments” of his life.
Meanwhile, in her first interview post-split, Jennifer told Vanity Fair that she would still marry Ben all over again if she could, adding that he is “the love of her life.”
“Sure, I lost the dream of dancing with my husband at my daughter’s wedding. But you should see their faces when he walks through the door. And if you see your kids love someone so purely and wholly, then you’re going to be friends with that person.”
Ben and Jennifer’s decision to push through with the divorce comes one month after the actor formally acknowledged his alcohol addiction, announcing on his official Facebook page that he has completed treatment.
“I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be,” Ben said in his statement.
“I’m lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I’ve done the work I set out to do.”
Ben and Jennifer filed identical divorce petitions last Thursday, April 13, with irreconcilable differences cited as the reason. The two are asking for joint physical and legal custody of their children and reportedly have no prenuptial agreement. Additionally, they have not hired a lawyer for their divorce proceedings. After the filing, Ben was photographed by the paparazzi having a leisurely stroll with their eldest daughter, Violet.
Ben Affleck will reprise his role as the billionaire superhero, Batman, in the highly anticipated Justice League movie, scheduled to be released this year. Meanwhile, Jennifer Garner has just wrapped up filming for her upcoming film, The Tribes of Palos Verdes.
[Featured Image by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]
