When you think of Jennifer Garner’s love life, you probably think of her marriage to Ben Affleck. It’s only logical. After all, the high-profile partnership lasted years, produced three children, and the exes maintain an oddly close relationship despite a less-than-ideal end to their union. Ben Affleck wasn’t her first Hollywood love. In fact, he wasn’t even her first Hollywood husband. Before Ben Affleck, there was Scott Foley, and Jennifer Garner once said they probably would have still been married to him had they lived where she grew up.

Jennifer Garner once said she’d still be married if she lived in West Virginia

Jennifer Garner’s first marriage to Scott Foley ended in divorce after just three years. The 2003 split came just as Garner’s star was on the rise, and while she’s discussed the end of the union multiple times, people often forget it ever happened. It might be more important than you think, though. Garner believes that her first marriage might have had some staying power if it hadn’t unfolded under the scrutiny of the Hollywood sign.

In 2004, Garner sat down for an interview with In Style and blamed Hollywood for the downfall of her marriage. She told the outlet, “Everything is speeded up here — it is a fast-lane life, and if something is not working, it is considered best to end it without much thought. If we lived where I was brought up, we would probably still be together.”

Garner was raised in West Virginia. She often speaks of her upbringing and remains highly connected to the Charleston community in which she grew up. In 2024, she told Southern Living that she felt fortunate to have been raised in a region where community was important. She returns to the area regularly.

Scott Foley actually moved out of California

While Jennifer Garner was obviously talking in hypotheticals when she made her comments about Scott Foley, it looks like her former partner actually took her advice. Foley has been married to Marika Domińczyk for nearly two decades. Dominczyk took to Instagram to celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary and their 22nd year as partners earlier this month.  

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A post shared by Marika Dominczyk (@themeanchick)

The pair spent their early marriage in Hollywood. Still, they’ve moved on. They’ve actually moved away from the spotlight and settled down in Connecticut. They made the move in 2020 to offer their three children a grounded and normal life. Maybe Foley agreed with Garner that marriages thrive better when they are nurtured outside of Hollywood.