Jennifer Garner Insists Cheating Didn't Lead To Her Divorce From Ben Affleck

It seems like ex-spouses Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are both doing well these days; Affleck is married to Jennifer Lopez, and Garner reportedly is happy with her longtime beau John Miller. But it never hurts to reflect on where you came from, especially if you don't want history to repeat itself. For Garner and Affleck, that means their tumultuous marriage and heartbreaking divorce.

The pair officially filed for divorce in 2017, two years after announcing their split and over a decade after their low-key 2005 wedding. During that tough period of their lives, the headlines were rife with reasons for their divorce, one of the most popular being "Nannygate," in which Affleck was accused of cheating on the mother of his three kids with their nanny, Christine Ouzounian. Affleck's team has denied those accusations, but Garner divulged they are and are not true. It seems he did have a relationship with the nanny, but not while he and Garner were technically together.

She told Vanity Fair, "Let me just tell you something. We had been separated for months before I ever heard about the nanny. She had nothing to do with our decision to divorce. She was not a part of the equation." Still, Garner admits that it wasn't exactly the best decision for her ex to sleep with someone so closely connected to the family, stating, "Bad judgment? Yes. It's not great for your kids for [a nanny] to disappear from their lives. I have had to have conversations about the meaning of 'scandal.'"

According to a joint statement released by Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, the couple put much "thought and careful consideration" into their separation. During an interview with Howard Stern (via The Hollywood Reporter) Affleck recalled that he felt "trapped" in his marriage, which led him to drinking and eventually addiction. The "Batman V Superman" actor later recanted his statement, saying they simply "shouldn't [have] been married anymore" and his actions regarding drinking were entirely his own.

It's been mostly a one-sided view of things, as Garner hasn't spoken about the divorce as much as Affleck. She steadfastly supported him on his quest for sobriety, at one point even driving him to rehab. And, of course, adamantly denies that the nanny was the root of their marital problems. However, the "13 Going On 30" actor still called Affleck "the love of her life" post-divorce. It's unclear how much Garner really wanted out, despite Affleck saying their marriage had been tense and falling apart for two years before they officially filed for divorce.

What's important, however, is that the two seem to get along well enough to maintain a great co-parenting relationship with Jennifer Lopez, Affleck's wife. Garner even stepped out with Affleck and the singer for Halloween 2021.

There's no denying that even if Christine Ouzounian and Ben Affleck's "affair" wasn't as scandalous as the media made it out to be, the then twenty-something-year-old definitely still received her fifteen minutes of fame. The California native came into the family's lives when Affleck hired her to nanny his and Garner's three kids during their trial separation. Ouzounian alleged that they quickly hit it off and began sneaking around, cuddling, and cavorting. Soon, sources close to Ouzounian told Us Weekly that it was "true love" between the Beverly Hills nanny agency employee and her celebrity employer.

We all know how their relationship worked out — it didn't, and we're guessing the same can be said for Ouzounian's future as a nanny to the rich and famous. According to LinkedIn, Ouzounian is now in real estate and insurance in Los Angeles, California. She is listed as the Assistant Vice President of National Commercial Sales at Commonwealth Land Titles Insurance Company. Her LinkedIn profile, the only social media form she maintains these days, also says the former child caretaker received her Bachelor of Arts from Arizona State University.

Hopefully, she's found as much peace and happiness (and less drama) as her former employers have with their new significant others.