Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner were one of the few examples of a wholesome and intact Hollywood family in an era where marriage is viewed as a reality TV show and children are acquired as accessories. So, their divorce announcement last week is quite a disappointment to many who believed that some marriages might still be permanent even in libertine Hollywood.
Amid the ongoing divorce drama, 42-year-old actor Ben Affleck was spotted making his first stateside appearance in Los Angeles on Sunday. His recent solo Starbucks sighting came after a post-split vacation in the Bahamas with soon-to-be ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their three children.
The Bahamas family trip was Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's first public appearance since they announced their divorce after 10 years of marital bliss, People revealed. Affleck had flown back to L.A. on July 3. Garner and the kids, on the other hand, left the family's home at the Baker's Bay resort on July 5.
Meanwhile, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner resumed working on their latest project engagements. While Affleck is set to make a Comic Con appearance in San Diego on Saturday for his "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" movie, Garner flew to Atlanta on Sunday with their children: Violet, 9, Seraphina, 6, and Samuel, 3.
Jennifer Garner, 43, is set to appear in the faith-based film, "Miracles from Heaven." Even though Affleck was spotted sans his wedding ring when he made his first solo appearance, Garner was spotted still wearing hers.
In other news, a source told E! News that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's separation was "not contentious" and that they're both focused on "co-parenting" their children.
"They grew apart," an insider added, "They were great parents together but they were not always on the same page...Things have been very challenging for the last several months."
As of now, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are planning to continue to live together on their L.A. home as they co-parent their children. They are also planning on entering mediation to ease the process of dividing their assets.
"After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce," the soon-to-be ex-couple explained. "We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time."
Indeed, the Affleck-Garner breakup serves as a pop-culture reminder that traditional marriage in American culture has begun its slow descent into oblivion, Boston Herald noted.
