When Jennifer Garner Called Ben Affleck Her 'Soulmate' Months Before He Cheated On Her

Months before Ben Affleck brutally broke Jennifer Garner's heart, the 13 Going On 30 actress gushed to her friends that he was her "soulmate." Before the alleged cheating scandal, Affleck and Garner were one happy family with their three kids- Violet, Seraphina (now Fin), and Samuel. However, once madly-in-love couple ended up separating because of Affleck's one mistake. 

Elizabeth Cary Lantz Brown, Garner's childhood pal, told PEOPLE in 2012, "I remember her telling me Ben is her soul mate." According to her friend, Garner was so deeply in love with him that she wanted to shout from the rooftop and share her joy with everyone around. "She said, if your husband is truly your soul mate, you need to [have kids together]," recalled Brown. 

Garner fell for Affleck while filming for the 2003 film Daredevil and the couple tied the knot after two years of dating in 2005. Despite many strains in their relationship, they stayed married till 2015, finalizing a divorce in 2018. Brown added that through it all, they always prioritized their children over any marital issue. 

"They're really great parents. They're really involved," the friend praised. "Our conversations weren't centered on her life as a movie star but her life as a mom. She loves her work, but it's nothing compared to her kids." 

The cheating scandal was indeed the last nail in Garner and Affleck's relationship. Although none of them ever verbally accepted the rumors, back then, it was reported that the Air star had an affair with their kid's nanny. But Garner later told Vanity Fair that they separated long before she heard of the infidelity. 

The couple's divorce announcement echoed the same sentiment in 2018, a day after their 10th anniversary, "After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce. 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."

Years later, they kept their promise. Both Affleck and Garner have been amicable despite their divorce. They are often seen having a good time together and fulfilling parental duties. While the Gone Girl star moved on with his decades-old lover Jennifer Lopez, Garner found solace in John Miller, a businessman who works as the CEO of CaliBurger and its parent company, CaliGroup, per ELLE. 

A source told Us Weekly, "She [Garner] loves how little he cares for the limelight or the whole Hollywood scenester stuff... Very different from Ben and J.Lo's relationship in that way. You'll never see them ham it up for the cameras or fixate on what events to attend together, it's just not their style." Their "under the radar" relationship doesn't "need anyone else's validation to know they're meant to be together."

Meanwhile, Affleck is currently facing serious issues in his marriage with JLo. The couple are reportedly on the verge of separation amid their personality issues. An insider told InTouch, "The writing is on the wall—it's over. They're headed for a divorce—and for once, [Ben's] not to blame!" The source added they are on different pages, citing, "She can't control him, and he can't change her." 

But, in a rare interview with The New York Times, Affleck admitted that divorce from Garner is his life's "biggest regret."