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Ben Affleck discussed his decision to recast Jennifer Garner in his new film "Animals," explaining that including her as his on-screen love interest might bring too much real-life baggage for the audience. Initially considering Garner for the role because of their professional chemistry and personal convenience, Affleck ultimately cast Kerry Washington instead after realizing casting Garner could detract from the story's impact due to their history.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Ben Affleck decided to recast Jennifer Garner as his love interest in his new movie "Animals" because he believed their on-screen pairing would come with too much "baggage." In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Affleck explained that initially, Matt Damon was set to play the lead role when production began in January 2024. Garner was initially chosen for the love interest role due to her acting abilities and the convenience of co-parenting their three children together since they alternate weeks. However, the project was briefly put on hold before Affleck returned with Kerry Washington cast as his romantic counterpart instead of Garner.
Written for “Ben Affleck Explains Casting Decision” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 13701 · logged 2026-09-16
Ben Affleck decided to recast his ex-wife Jennifer Garner as his love interest in his new movie “Animals” because he thought the on-screen pairing would come with a lot of “baggage.”
asserted
pairing → decide → baggage
“I still would wanna work with her in the future, but what you don’t wanna do is take the audience’s baggage and have it work against you, you know?” the filmmaker told Entertainment Weekly Monday.
asserted
filmmaker → work → Weekly
In the interview, Affleck explained that “Animals” initially went into production in January 2024 with his longtime collaborator and friend Matt Damon set to play the lead.
asserted
collaborator → explain → lead
That’s why he had Garner in mind to play the love interest role.
asserted
he → ’ → role
“I thought, ‘God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role,’” he recalled.
asserted
he → think → role
“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.”
asserted
she → bring → movie
Casting her in the project would also make co-parenting their three kids easier for them.
asserted
parenting → cast → them
“It 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.
asserted
we → have → week
I thought, ‘Well, we can coordinate our schedules around it.’”
asserted
we → think → it
However, “Animals” was briefly put on pause before Affleck returned to the project, and by that point Damon was unavailable due to his commitment to “The Odyssey.”
asserted
Damon → put → Odyssey
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.
asserted
they → cast → secrets
The Oscar winner noted that he and Garner were in agreement on the decision.
asserted
he → note → decision
“I talked to Jen, and she was like, ‘We don’t wanna do that.
asserted
We → talk → that
You just get baggage.’
asserted
You → get → baggage
Affleck also made it clear that he would love to work with his ex on another project and gushed over their friendship.
“I would love to work with her, frankly.
asserted
I → love → her
She’s fabulous, and we’re really good friends, and I’m profoundly grateful to her, and we have a great thing.”
asserted
we → ’ → thing
The former couple met on the set of “Pearl Harbor” in 2001 and reconnected three years later.
They tied the knot in June 2005 and soon welcomed their kids: Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 14.
asserted
They → meet → kids
Affleck and Garner, both 54, split in 2015.
asserted
Affleck → split → 2015
However, they didn’t finalize their divorce until 2018.
asserted
they → finalize → 2018
“I see the way my kids dote on their dad and I’m happy for them,” she captioned never-before-seen snaps of the actor with their children.
asserted
she → see → children
“To love and be loved by a great dad is a gift.”
asserted
love → love → dad
Your voice matters.
asserted
voice → matter → ?
Discussions are moderated for civility.
asserted
Discussions → moderate → civility
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