Jennifer Garner Opens Up About Her Marriage to Ben Affleck & the Pain the 'Scrutiny' Caused
It's been a year since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck filed for divorce, with the once Hollywood A-list couple sending shockwaves through Tinsletown after announcing their split back in 2015 after 10 years of marriage. Since then, there's been a lot of speculation about what caused their demise -- including Ben's current relationship with Lindsay Shookus -- that likely didn't help any talks of reconciliation. Recently, Jennifer Garner opened up about her marriage to Ben and how much the outside scrutiny took a toll on her.
Jennifer sat down with the folks at CBS News Sunday Morning where she opened up about fame and how "startling" it can be.
"It's startling to become recognizable," the celeb mom confessed on the July 15 episode. "It's startling and shocking."
She also revealed what it was like to live out her marriage to Ben Affleck in the public eye, and the toll it took.
"There was a solid decade where there were five or six cars minimum -- and easily up to 15 or 20 on the weekends -- outside of my house at all times," Jennifer Garner revealed. "I really feel the stress of it, I really -- I could cry talking about it."
"Scrutiny on your private life puts a pressure to make something happen," Jennifer told CBS News.
"You feel a pressure to hurry up and get married, because you think that will end the 'are they engaged or are they not?' [questions]," the mom of three continued about her relationship with Ben Affleck and how their Hollywood divorce continues to play out in the public eye.
"And that's true of the reverse as well. If there is any inkling of trouble, or if the tabloids decide that there's trouble, it can create trouble. But, to be honest, public scrutiny -- everyone says, 'oh, you had to go through this in public' -- the public isn't what's hard. What's hard is going through it.
I don't look at it. I had to really get serious with myself and say this is not healthy, no one should see pictures of themselves that paparazzi have taken."
Though questions still swarm around Ben and his girlfriend Lindsay Shookus -- and whether there was overlap -- Jen continues to take the high road.
While Lindsay Shookus denies dating Ben while they were both still married, outlets reported Jennifer confronted Lindsay about their relationship before their 2015 split.
She continues to praise her ex for being an awesome father and has no problem coming together for the sake of their children.
Jennifer Garner received high praise for her sweet Father's Day message to Ben that's total co-parenting goals. (The once couple have three children together: daughter Violet, 12, and Seraphina, 9, and son Samuel, 6.)