In recent years, Jennifer Garner has cultivated the persona of everybody’s favorite mom-next-door who loves crafting and cooking on social media. Part of that appeal is the children she shares with ex-husband Ben Affleck. As time has rolled on, Garner and Affleck have been treated differently by the media and public. Her children have even noticed how people treat her and her ex differently.
The Jennifer Garner of today and the one who broke through with ABC drama Alias are the same yet different. The former is more recognized for her Capital One commercials and Instagram cooking videos while the latter was kicking butt on the small screen. She and Ben Affleck met while she was in kick-butt mode. The Hollywood Reporter recently interviewed the actress about her latest project Yes Day. The interview jumped off by speaking on her friendly persona, which prompted Garner to say:
People are in awe of him. He's done incredible things, he's six-four, he's … him, and they treat him with a kind of reverence. They say that people treat me like we were just in the middle of a conversation and they want to get back to it. They'll see me and be like, 'Oh, I've been meaning to tell you … '
Given how the media has treated Jennifer Garner and Benn Affleck over the years, it’s perfectly understandable that their children are completely aware of the different treatments. Garner’s supportive nature has endured her to the public especially during Affleck’s public struggles and their breakup. Even in her interviews, the actress comes off as the friendly neighbor with whom you can talk about just anything.
But Jennifer Garner’s evolution over the past decade or so really isn’t surprising. As previously mentioned, Garner was best known for action-heavy roles such as Alias’ Sydney Bristow and Elektra in Marvel’s Daredevil and Elektra. At the same time, she became a household name through comedies such as 13 Going on 30 and Juno. So, over the years, the actress has leaned heavily into the latter. Of course, Garner recently returned to her badass roots with the revenge movie Peppermint.
This angle has informed the public of who Jennifer Garner is especially as a working mom trying to co-parent while still maintaining a busy career. People love Garner’s light personality so much that fans freaked out over her and 13 Going on 30 co-star Mark Ruffalo reuniting for a new film. She has built a brand around a friendly, approachable persona that extends both on- and off-screen.
Even with a friendly everyday mom persona, Jennifer Garner can still kick butt as well as make people laugh and cry. The contrast between Garner and Ben Affleck has helped shape not only how the public views her and her ex-husband but their children as well. Hopefully, the actress will continue to be her lovable and approachable self as her career continues to evolve.
