Ben Affleck Reveals Why Jennifer Garner Was Removed from Netflix Film ‘Animals’
Ben Affleck explains why Jennifer Garner was dropped from Netflix's 'Animals' due to 'baggage.'
POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, United States — Ben Affleck has shared the reason behind his ex-wife Jennifer Garner stepping away from his new Netflix film, ‘Animals,’ despite being initially announced as a lead star.
The crime thriller, co-written and co-directed by Affleck, follows a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose life and campaign are thrown into chaos after his son is kidnapped. Initially, Matt Damon was set to play the politician, with Garner cast as his therapist wife.
📄 POLICY WIRE WHITEPAPER PUBLISHED: PAKISTAN’S NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY PRIORITIES
Affleck told Entertainment Weekly that he believed Garner would have been perfect for the role, adding that it could have helped both of them spend more time with their children. However, after Damon became unavailable and production was delayed, Affleck took on the lead role, prompting a discussion with Garner about playing a couple in crisis. She reportedly said, ‘We don’t wanna do that. You just get baggage.’
Kerry Washington later replaced Garner in the role. The couple, who married in 2005 and had three children together, divorced in 2015 but have maintained a close relationship and co-parenting dynamic. Affleck recently praised Garner as a ‘great’ co-parent while speaking about their daughter Violet, an activist who testified at the United Nations.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
