Ben Affleck decided to recast ex-wife Jennifer Garner as his love interest in his new movie \u201cAnimals\u201d because he thought the on-screen pairing would come with a lot of \u201cbaggage.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI still would wanna work with her in the future, but what you don\u2019t wanna do is take the audience\u2019s baggage and have it work against you, you know?\u201d the filmmaker told Entertainment Weekly<\/a> Monday.<\/p>\n In the interview, Affleck explained \u201cAnimals\u201d initially went into production in January 2024 with his longtime collaborator and friend Matt Damon set to play the lead.<\/p>\n Ben Affleck recast ex-wife Jennifer Garner (pictured in 2014) as his love interest in his movie because he thought the on-screen pairing would come with a lot of \u201cbaggage.\u201d FilmMagic<\/p>\n \u201cWhat you don\u2019t wanna do is take the audience\u2019s baggage and have it work against you, you know?\u201d Affleck said of the decision for his film \u201cAnimals.\u201d WireImage<\/p>\n That\u2019s why he had Garner in mind to play the love interest role. <\/p>\n \u201cI thought, \u2018God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role,\u2019\u201d he recalled. \u201cShe can bring something interesting that she hasn\u2019t [done], that I kind of know she can do, that I don\u2019t think she had a chance to do in one movie.\u201d<\/p>\n Casting her in the project would also make co-parenting their three kids <\/a>easier for them. <\/p>\n \u201cIt also has the added benefit of, like, both of us will see our kids more because we do a week and a week and back and forth. I thought, \u2018Well, we can coordinate our schedules around it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Affleck (pictured with Kerry Washington in \u201cAnimals\u201d) initially planned on Matt Damon to play the lead character and cast Garner to play his wife. Warrick Page\/Netflix<\/p>\n However, when Damon had a conflict and Affleck needed to step in as the lead, he and Garner both felt that replacing her with another actress, who ended up being Washington, was the right choice. Warrick Page\/Netflix<\/p>\n However, \u201cAnimals\u201d was briefly put on pause, and when Affleck returned to the project, Damon was unavailable due to his commitment to \u201cThe Odyssey.\u201d<\/p>\n Affleck ultimately cast himself as the lead and recasted Garner with Kerry Washington to portray a complicated marriage in the film, which follows a mayoral candidate and his wife as they scramble to raise ransom while confronting a web of dark secrets.<\/p>\n The Oscar winner noted that he and Garner were in agreement on the decision.<\/p>\n \u201cI talked to Jen, and she was like, \u2018We don\u2019t wanna do that. You just get baggage.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n Affleck thought his ex (pictured in 2008) \u201cwould be amazing for this role,\u201d and even though it didn\u2019t work out, he wants to work with her in the future. AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cI would love to work with her, frankly. She\u2019s fabulous, and we\u2019re really good friends,\u201d Affleck (pictured with Garner in 2007) gushed. WireImage<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tWant more celebrity and pop culture news?\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with Page Six Daily.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Affleck made it clear he would love to work with his ex on another project and gushed over their friendship.<\/p>\n \u201cI would love to work with her, frankly. She\u2019s fabulous, and we\u2019re really good friends, and I\u2019m profoundly grateful to her, and we have a great thing.\u201d<\/p>\n The former couple met on the set of 2001\u2019s \u201cPearl Harbor\u201d and reconnected three years later.<\/p>\n They tied the knot in June 2005 and soon welcomed their kids: Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 14.<\/p>\n The former couple met on the set of \u201cPearl Harbor\u201d in 2001 and wed in 2005 before welcoming their three kids (seen above in June 2025). Getty Images<\/p>\n The exes have an amicable co-parenting relationship and still hang out one-on-one, as seen above in May. BACKGRID<\/p>\n Affleck and Garner, both 54, split in 2015. However, they didn\u2019t\u00a0finalize their divorce<\/a>\u00a0until 2018.<\/p>\n The exes have remained close since their split, and they\u2019re often spotted hanging out with their kids<\/a>.<\/p>\n In June, the \u201cJuno\u201d actress\u00a0shared an emotional Father\u2019s Day tribute<\/a>\u00a0to Affleck.<\/p>\n