The news that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have officially filed for divorce has left many wondering why the seemingly-perfect couple are calling it quits. In an official statement, the pair explained that the decision was one they considered carefully.
“After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce,” the couple wrote in a statement to People magazine . “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. This will be our only comment on this private, family matter. Thank you for understanding.”
Affleck and Garner met each other on the set of Pearl Harbor , and started dating not long after making the 2003 film, Daredevil . They have been together for ten years and have three kids: Violet (9), Seraphina (6), and Samuel (3).
Meanwhile, an inside source close to the couple told Hollywood Life that Affleck was the one pushing for a divorce because he wanted to live a more social life.
“Ben missed being social Ben… He always had to get rid of friends for Jen, he always had to give up being him for Jen. He loved her, he loves her and he will always be grateful for the children they have together, but she ended up being more of a mom than a wife and Ben didn’t want to live that life anymore.”
The source went on to state that their relationship has been heading for a break up for quite some time, and that things reached a tipping point when Affleck was filming Gone Girl . “It’s been years and it got to a boiling point of no return during Gone Girl ,” the source stated. “That’s when they knew that counseling and all other routes to save their marriage were not working.”
At the same time, another inside source told TMZ that Affleck’s gambling and drinking were the source of the couple’s problems. Although the source stated that partying wasn’t the issue, Garner was simply tired of dealing with her husband’s gambling issues, which are actually well documented.
Although the couple has stated they will not talk any more about their divorce to the public, Radar Online is reporting that Affleck and Garner are planning on releasing a statement to their fellow friends in Hollywood with more details about their split.
“They’re going to send out talking points to those closest to them about how in Hollywood, 10 years is a huge success, and their beautiful kids are a massive success.”
Ben Affleck will have plenty of roles to keep his mind off of his marital problems. He can next be seen in Batman v Superman next spring, and he is slated to make a cameo in Suicide Squad as the Caped Crusader next summer.
[Photo Courtesy: David Livingston / Getty Images]