In a rare public discussion, Jennifer Garner has opened up about her separation from Ben Affleck.

The couple, who were married from 2005 to 2018, share three children: Violet, Finn, and Samuel.

In the latest Wellness Issue of Marie Claire UK, the 53-year-old actress from West Virginia candidly spoke about the challenges of ending their marriage.

Garner, known for her role in Alias, reflected, “The truly difficult part was the dissolution of a family. Losing a genuine partnership and friendship was the hardest part.”

However, Garner believes that time can mend even the deepest wounds, sharing, “It’s crucial for women to understand that, even when they feel they’ll never rekindle that connection or friendship, time offers a chance to heal.”

Garner and Affleck have seemed friendlier in recent years as they co-parent their children.

Jennifer Garner has made the rare move of talking about her Ben Affleck divorce. The actors were wed from 2005 until 2018 and have three children together: Violet, Finn and Samuel

In Marie Claire UK’s new Wellness Issue, the 53-year-old West Virginia native addressed how ‘hard’ it was to end that marriage

Affleck went on to wed his ex Jennifer Lopez but after two years of marriage they divorced, which has made a Jennifer-Ben-Jennifer type of love triangle situation headline news that involved their combined five kids – Lopez has twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony – though the hubbub seems to have cooled a bit now.

Garner appeared to address that heightened time period as she told the site: ‘It doesn’t serve me to take in gossip about myself or anyone else, much less my kids, so I don’t do it.’ Meaning, no questions about Affleck, Lopez or the children.

And the 13 Going On 30 star also shared that she keeps her loved ones close no matter what.

‘I make a big, concerted effort to see my people as much as I can, because that’s what matters…. That’s where your resilience is: it’s in your relationships and in the people who carry you through,’ she noted.

And she made it clear she has always put her children first even though she has a big Hollywood career.

‘It never felt like a sacrifice. It was really hard to go to work and it definitely shaped the jobs I chose, in a big way,’ she said.

Though most of her comments were rather cryptic, Garner was very straight forward when talking about her workout routine. 

‘The actual breaking up of a family is what was hard. Losing a true partnership and friendship is what was hard,’ said the Alias actress

Garner was photographed by Nino Munoz

In one image the Los Angeles resident flashed her toned tummy; in the interview she also shared that she has taken up yoga

But it feels like time heals all wounds for Garner as she said, ‘It’s important for women to know, when they think, “Oh, I’ll never see that, I’ll never have that feeling, I’ll never be friends with this person again” [that] time is the opportunity to heal’; Affleck seen on January 5 in LA

Affleck went on to wed his ex Jennifer Lopez but after two years of marriage they divorced, which has made a Jennifer-Ben-Jennifer type of love triangle situation headline news that involved their combined five kids – Lopez has twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony – though the hubbub seems to have cooled a bit now; the exes seen in 2023

Garner admitted that she was forced to change up her exercise routine after going very hard.

‘I realized that I had pursued strength and stamina at the expense of mobility, so I’m incorporating things I haven’t done in so long, like yoga. I have to back up to go forward,’ she shared.

Garner looked very toned in the sizzling photo shoot by Nino Munoz.

She talked to the magazine to promote the second season of Apple’s hit thriller The Last Thing He Told Me.