Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have remained mum about the state of their marriage, even though their actions seem to indicate they are moving toward a split. Friends have been lending their ears to both A-list actors amid this tumultuous time, but one of Affleck’s steady pillars of support may be done for good.
Jennifer Garner, who has been there for Affleck through thick and thin, has reportedly decided to remove herself from his Lopez marital issues, according to the Daily Mail. She apparently has been giving him advice and acting as a “counselor” while he decides whether to stay with his wife. While Garner’s input might be helpful to her ex-husband, it reportedly wasn’t helpful to her.
“Jen eventually got to a place where she was like, ‘Sorry, figure this out yourself,’” a source told the outlet. “It was beginning to become too painful for her because it was bringing back so many memories of their divorce.” Garner, who has a friendly relationship with Lopez, still has some unresolved feelings about Affleck and their marriage. “Throughout their marriage, there were times when Jen felt like she was second to JLo even though there was no communication between her and Ben for years,” the source said.
It was also confusing for Garner when Affleck was so “public” about his reunion with Lopez “because he was always a man who wanted to be out of the spotlight when they were married.” Well, those issues reared their ugly head almost two years into his marriage with Lopez — Affleck still doesn’t love the press attention. For Garner though, she had to do what was best for her, and that was back away from playing “marriage counselor.” The Yes Day star’s friends have been recommending that she put up “boundaries” with her ex so that it doesn’t ruin her healthy relationship with her boyfriend John Miller.
“They don’t want her ensnared in his problems again,” a source told In Touch. “Some friends believe Jen should step back from Ben a bit because it might cause tension in her relationship with John if she doesn’t.” It sounds like Garner took her pals’ warning and she’s going to let Affleck take it from here. It’s up to J.Lo and him to figure out the next step in their marriage without any input from their trusted inner circle.