Ben Affleck had a dream casting idea for his new Netflix thriller Animals — his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner. The Oscar winner has revealed that he wanted Garner to play his on-screen wife in the film, but the actress turned down the offer, telling him the idea came with “too much baggage.”
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in an interview published Sept. 14, Affleck opened up about his hope of finally collaborating with his former spouse on the crime thriller, which he directs and now stars in.
Ben Affleck Wanted Jennifer Garner for His New Movie “Animals”
“I thought, ‘God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role,'” Affleck told EW, adding that he would love the chance to work with her. The two remain good friends more than a decade after their split, and Affleck clearly saw the project as a perfect fit for the 13 Going on 30 star.
Animals is Affleck’s sixth film as a director. The Netflix crime thriller follows the kidnapping of a Los Angeles mayoral candidate’s son — and the role Affleck had in mind for Garner was the candidate’s wife, a woman whose marriage is already strained when her child is taken.
Why Jennifer Garner Turned Down the Role
Despite Affleck’s enthusiasm, Garner wasn’t sold on the idea of playing his wife — on screen or otherwise. According to Affleck, she told him plainly: “Look, it’s not that I don’t like you or love you, it’s just too much baggage.”
It’s an honest answer, and Affleck took it in stride. The exes, who split in 2015 after ten years of marriage, have maintained a famously amicable co-parenting relationship and are frequently described as good friends.
The exchange says a lot about where the former spouses stand today. Rather than a tense Hollywood fallout, Garner’s no came wrapped in affection, and Affleck recounted the story to the press with good humor instead of disappointment. For a former couple whose every interaction is scrutinized, it’s a refreshingly drama-free chapter.
Who Ended Up Playing Ben Affleck’s Wife in “Animals”?
With Garner passing on the part, the role went to Scandal star Kerry Washington, who now plays the mayoral candidate’s wife opposite Affleck.
The casting shuffle started with another famous friend: Matt Damon was originally set to play the husband, but had to drop out due to his filming commitments on The Odyssey. Affleck then stepped in to take over the role himself — which is what opened the door to the idea of casting Garner as his on-screen spouse.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner’s Relationship Today
Affleck and Garner were married for ten years before announcing their split in 2015. They share three children — Violet, Seraphina and Samuel — and previously co-starred together in 2003’s Daredevil, where Affleck played the titular hero opposite Garner’s Elektra.
While an on-screen reunion won’t be happening in Animals, Affleck’s comments make it clear there’s no bad blood between the exes — just a boundary his former wife wasn’t willing to cross.
What’s Next for “Animals” — and the Affleck-Damon Duo
Animals marks Affleck’s sixth directorial outing and continues his long-running creative partnership with Damon through their Artists Equity banner. The two are also set to appear together in the upcoming Netflix film The Rip, in which they reportedly play cops.
As for whether Affleck and Garner will ever share the screen again, the actor didn’t close the door — he said he’d love to collaborate with her someday. If that day comes, expect the casting to be a little less autobiographical.
For now, fans hoping to see the former couple reunite on screen will have to keep waiting. But given how openly Affleck campaigned for the idea — and how warmly the exes still speak of each other — never say never in Hollywood.