Jennifer Garner, 53, Opens up About Being Totally Cringe to Her Kids

Jennifer Garner may be a Hollywood powerhouse, but in her own home, she is struggling to earn any “cool points.” During a recent appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show on February 19, the 53-year-old actress admitted that her three children—Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 13—are far from impressed by her fame.

Joined by her castmates from The Last Thing He Told Me, Garner shared that her kids actually find her to be fully cringe and are easily embarrassed by her public persona. The conversation began when Garner and host Jennifer Hudson bonded over the uphill battle of appearing cool to their teenagers.

Garner joked that the talk show host was actually the one providing her with social currency for the day. She explained that her children have very little interest in seeing her on screen, particularly when her roles involve emotional vulnerability or romance. According to Garner, when she asked if they planned to tune into the second season of her hit Apple TV+ show, they simply asked, Do you need us to?

Despite the lack of interest in her own work, Garner revealed she is getting some help from her famous friends. Since her son, Samuel, is currently obsessed with Game of Thrones, having Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as a co-star has slightly boosted her standing. She also noted that her children are big fans of “Aunt Judy,” referring to her longtime friend and 13 Going on 30 co-star Judy Greer.

Garner laughed that she is essentially parenting with a button on her mouth these days, letting her teens make their own choices as she navigates this new stage of motherhood. The actress, who shares her three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck, has certainly been keeping busy outside of her domestic life.

Garner recently made a high-profile return to the award show circuit, appearing at the Golden Globes in a stunning black sequined gown, her first time attending the ceremony in thirteen years. She has also been active in promoting her organic baby food company, Once Upon a Farm, which continues to be a major focus of her entrepreneurial efforts alongside her advocacy for early childhood education.

On the professional front, fans are gearing up for the premiere of The Last Thing He Told Me season two, which officially drops on Apple TV+ on February 20. The new season is based on the sequel novel The First Time I Saw Him and sees Garner reprising her role as Hannah Hall.

The plot follows Hannah and her stepdaughter, played by Angourie Rice, as they face new dangers when Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s character, Owen, resurfaces after five years on the run. Garner is also set to headline a new Netflix comedy titled One Attempt Remaining, directed by Kay Cannon.

The film follows a divorced couple who must retrace the steps of a wild night from years ago to recover a lost cryptocurrency password worth millions. Starring alongside John Cena and Kate McKinnon, the project began filming in February and is expected to be a major release for the streaming giant.

Additionally, she is executive producing and starring in the Peacock limited series The Five-Star Weekend, based on the popular novel by Elin Hilderbrand. Whether she is navigating the high-stakes world of streaming thrillers or the even higher stakes of a teenager’s judgment, Garner remains one of the most relatable figures in Hollywood.

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