Ben Affleck Nearly Cast Ex Jennifer Garner As His Wife In 'Animals': "You Just Get Baggage"

Ben Affleck nearly cast his ex-wife Jennifer Garner as his on-screen wife in Animals. He told Entertainment Weekly that he first gave her the part of Abigail. Later he took over the lead role himself from his friend Matt Damon. Affleck said working with Garner would come with extra baggage. Garner and Affleck were married for many years and share three children. He said filming together could have helped them both see their kids more. In the end the roles changed. Affleck wrote, directed and stars in the Netflix film.

Affleck and Garner divorced in 2018 after more than a decade of marriage. Both are well-known actors who have worked for decades. Affleck has directed several praised films, including Argo. Animals is his next directing project. Animals comes out on Netflix on 9 October. It is a crime thriller about a kidnapping. Gillian Anderson and Kerry Washington also appear. Netflix often gives star-led films both a cinema run and a streaming launch.

This matters because it shows how personal lives can shape casting choices in film. It also gives fans a new Affleck movie to watch in October.