Jennifer Garner, 53, Says Her Children Prefer Dad Ben Affleck’s Movies Over Hers

Jennifer Garner is famously one of the most relatable mothers in Hollywood, but she recently admitted that her own children aren’t exactly lining up to watch her work. The 53-year-old actress shared that she doesn’t expect her three kids to tune in for her Apple TV+ mystery series, The Last Thing He Told Me, because they find the experience of watching her on screen a bit jarring.

Garner explained that while her children are supportive of her career, seeing her in intense or romantic situations feels more like a chore than entertainment for them. My kids don’t love to watch me in things, Garner told the media while discussing her role as Hannah in the hit drama.

She noted that while they might watch a project to be helpful, it is fundamentally different for them than watching a stranger. They do try to be supportive, but I think it’s a little weird to watch your mom kiss someone or cry, she added, highlighting the emotional disconnect that happens when a parent plays a character.

Interestingly, Garner’s children—20-year-old Violet, 17-year-old Fin, and 13-year-old Samuel—don’t seem to have the same reservations about watching their father, Ben Affleck. Garner mentioned that her kids are quite comfortable watching Affleck’s movies, partly because they don’t have to deal with the same “maternal” discomfort.

They don’t want to see me sad, and they don’t want to see me in a romance, she remarked, jokingly adding that they also aren’t fans of seeing her play a mother to other young actors. Despite their hesitation to watch the show, Garner did manage to bond with her middle child, Fin, over the original book by Laura Dave.

She recalled reading the novel aloud at bedtime, describing how the super-propulsive quality of the story kept them both hooked long past lights-out. The actress found the book’s exploration of non-traditional motherhood particularly “explosive,” even though she found it challenging to play a character who wasn’t naturally maternal, given her own reputation as a devoted mom.

The second season of The Last Thing He Told Me officially premiered on Apple TV+ on February 20, picking up five years after the events of the first season. Garner returns as Hannah alongside Angourie Rice, who plays her stepdaughter Bailey, as they continue to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of Owen, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

The new season has already generated significant buzz, with new episodes dropping every Friday through April 10. Outside of the mystery genre, Garner is currently back in the comedy world, filming a new Netflix project titled One Attempt Remaining.

In this high-stakes romantic comedy directed by Kay Cannon, she stars opposite John Cena as an embittered ex-couple who must reunite to remember a cryptocurrency password worth millions. The film, which she is also producing, marks another collaboration with Netflix following the successes of Family Switch and The Adam Project.

While Garner stays busy on set in Los Angeles, her ex-husband Ben Affleck has also been reflecting on their children’s relationship with his filmography. In a past interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Affleck shared that the first movie his kids truly enjoyed together was Armageddon, mostly because they liked the “preposterous” idea of him being an astronaut.

Have something to add? Share your thoughts in the comments.