Ben Affleck has revealed that he initially wanted his ex-wife Jennifer Garner to play his on-screen wife in his upcoming Netflix thriller Animals, but the pair ultimately decided their real-life history could distract audiences.
Affleck, who co-wrote, directed and stars in the film, told Entertainment Weekly in a 14 September interview that he initially envisioned Garner as Abigail, the wife of Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball.
'I thought, God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role,' Affleck said. He also believed the role could showcase a different side of Garner's acting range. 'She can bring something interesting that she hasn't [done], that I kind of know she can do, that I don't think she had a chance to do in one movie,' he said.
Why Animals Was Delayed
The film took a complicated route to production. Animals was first announced in January 2024, with Damon attached to star and Garner in talks to play Abigail.
However, Affleck scrapped the project just two weeks before filming was due to begin after learning that Spike Lee was making Highest 2 Lowest, a kidnapping thriller starring Denzel Washington. 'It's hard enough to make a good movie,' Affleck said. 'You don't need those kinds of headwinds.'
Affleck later revived the project, but Damon was no longer available because he had committed to Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. He joked about his longtime friend's decision, saying Damon had 'chosen a smaller director and a smaller film and a smaller role for his career' and would regret it. He then decided to take over the lead role himself.
The 'Baggage' Problem
Affleck's decision to play Mark created a new complication. He would now be starring opposite Garner as a married couple whose relationship deteriorates during the film, marking their first on-screen collaboration since 2003's Daredevil.
Affleck said he raised the idea with Garner directly. 'I talked to Jen, and she was like, "We don't wanna do that. You just get baggage,"' he recalled. He elaborated on the concern: 'What you don't wanna do is take the audience's baggage and have it work against you, you know?'
Kerry Washington ultimately took over the role of Abigail. Despite the change, Affleck said his admiration for Garner hasn't dimmed. 'I would love to work with her, frankly,' he said. 'She's fabulous, and we're really good friends, and I'm profoundly grateful to her.' He added that he'd still like to work with her in the future.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's History
Affleck and Garner first met on the set of 2001's Pearl Harbor, though both were dating other people at the time. Their romance developed after they worked together on Daredevil, in which Garner played Elektra opposite Affleck's Matt Murdock character. The pair married in June 2005 and have three children together.
They announced their separation in June 2015 after 10 years of marriage, and their divorce was finalised in October 2018. The former couple have continued to co-parent and have maintained a friendly relationship in the years since their split. Both of them were spotted sitting in the front row together at a Boston Red Sox game in July 2025, and they also volunteered together at The Midnight Mission's annual Thanksgiving Street Fair in November 2024.
When Is Animals Released?
Animals follows a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped, putting his campaign and troubled marriage under pressure. Affleck directs and stars alongside Washington, Steven Yeun and Gillian Anderson.
The thriller is scheduled for release in select cinemas and on Netflix on 9 October.
