Ben Affleck, 52, seemed to be wearing his emotions on his sleeve — or perhaps his beard — during a recent solo outing in Los Angeles. The Accountant star, who split from Jennifer Lopez a few months ago, was spotted sporting a noticeably bushy beard as he was driving around town on Sunday.
In the photos released by Page Six, Affleck looked rugged in a blue sweater, with his sleeves pushed up, as he puffed on a cigarette with the car windows rolled down. He appeared lost in thought in all of the snaps. The Academy Award-winning actor is reportedly on a break from filming his latest project with longtime collaborator and close friend Matt Damon for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Meanwhile, his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, was all smiles when she took their younger kids, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12, to a Santa Monica AMC theater to catch a screening of Wicked on Tuesday.
Photos obtained by the same outlet showed the 13 Going on 30 actress keeping things casual in a navy jacket, leggings, a baseball cap, and orange sneakers. Her children mirrored her laid-back style, with Samuel sporting a Snoopy T-shirt and Seraphina opting for a blue sweatshirt and black sneakers.
It was unclear why Garner and Affleck’s eldest child, 18-year-old Violet, could not join her mom and siblings. She is currently on a holiday break from her freshman year at Yale University. The cinematic family outing seemed like Garner’s way of “holding space” for quality time before Thanksgiving, according to Page Six.
Sources revealed that Affleck and Garner have decided to reunite and celebrate Turkey Day with their three children at the Peppermint star’s farmhouse in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Garner’s boyfriend, John Miller, is expected to join the family.
Last year, Affleck spent the holiday with Lopez. This year, he wants to keep things “drama-free” as much as possible so he has decided to spend it with his ex-wife and their children. Lopez is very unlikely to be invited since Garner recently made it clear that she’s tired of the singer’s antics.
“Ben and Jen are looking forward to a relaxing day full of food and football,” a source told the Daily Mail of the “low-key, only good vibes” gathering. “Thanksgiving is all about being drama-free when it comes to Ben … and Jen is doing everything she can to make the day easy for him.”
Garner, who has been dating Miller on and off since 2018, is no stranger to blending family traditions. Despite early tensions between Miller and Affleck — especially during the latter’s turbulent marriage to Lopez — there’s now “nothing but love and appreciation” among the group, according to the source. The family gathering also doubles as a time for healing for Garner, who is currently mourning the loss of her beloved golden retriever, Birdie. She recently announced her pet’s passing on Instagram in a lengthy message reflecting on the bond they shared through the years since she got her after her separation from Affleck in 2015.
“She lived a happy dog life and is now in the role she was born to play: angel girl. It’s a gift to love and be loved by such a creature as Birdie the Doggie,” she captioned her post showing her precious moments with Birdie.
As Thanksgiving brings Affleck and Garner together again, it’s clear that despite their differences, the two remain united in their shared mission of prioritizing their children.