Jennifer Garner exited Ben Affleck's film Animals after he replaced Matt Damon as her on-screen husband, telling him, 'We don't wanna do that. You just get baggage.' The role ultimately went to Kerry Washington.
Garner's blunt response to Affleck's casting
The 54-year-old 13 Going on 30 star was initially set to play the wife of a mayoral candidate in Affleck's film Animals, with Matt Damon as the leading man. The film centers on a mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. Garner signed on in 2024, but when Damon dropped out due to commitments to The Odyssey, Affleck took over the role.
Affleck told Entertainment Weekly that he initially thought, 'God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role,' and saw an 'added benefit' of coordinating schedules with his ex-wife to spend time with their children—Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel. However, when he approached Garner about the casting change, her response was cutting: 'We don't wanna do that. You just get baggage.'
Previous on-screen collaborations and friendship
Garner and Affleck had previously shared the big screen three times before marrying in 2005: Pearl Harbour (2001), Daredevil (2003), and Elektra (2005). They divorced in 2018 but have remained on good terms, often spending time together for their children.
Affleck expressed a desire to work with Garner again, calling her 'fabulous' and saying they are 'really good friends.' He added, 'I still would wanna work with her in the future, but what you don't wanna do is take the audience's baggage and have it work against you.'
Kerry Washington takes over the role
Kerry Washington ultimately took over the role, expressing interest in the 'pretty horrible dynamic' between the on-screen couple. Affleck and Damon, longtime collaborators, have frequently worked together through their company Actors Equity and even shared a bank account during their early career.
Affleck previously told Metro that working with someone 'you love, trust and respect' is 'a lot easier,' though he was speaking about Damon at the time. He noted, 'Sometimes mixing work and personal relationships and stuff can be complicated. Why it's not is because we both love this job separate and independent of one another and we both understand that you can't ask a friend to change the rules of the universe to conform to your friendship.'
