Violet Affleck - the eldest daughter of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner - has reportedly cut ties with her ex-stepmum over worries she was used as a “pawn.”. Ben, 52, married Jennifer Lopez, 55, in 2022, decades after getting engaged to her for the first time in 2002. Unfortunately they weren’t to last, and separated in April 2024, before filing for divorce that August.
Despite JLo and Ben’s split, Violet, 19, remained close to the singer. In August last year she was seen wearing a dress JLo had previously worn for a Valentine’s Day date with Ben, and reportedly frequently visited her stepmum. Now though, Violet is said to be shifting away from the Lopez family and siding with her dad over the divorce drama.
“Violet felt like she was used as a pawn so to speak during her dad’s split from JLo,” a source told the Daily Mail, adding that Jennifer Garner, 52, didn’t mind Violet hanging out with JLo as she “always puts her children first.” The insider claimed that as JLo and Ben headed for divorce, Violet’s closeness with the star did become “odd” for her family, and said that JLo’s sister Lynda Lopez even visited the teen at college.
Jennifer reportedly chose not to argue against her daughter’s bond with the Lopez family “because she wants Violet to be happy and respects that,” but the source suggested that the actress didn’t “necessarily agree” with Violet’s choice of pals.
Things supposedly changed when “Violet started to see how upset her father was that their split was at the center of everything,” despite Ben not saying a bad word about JLo during the process. “Violet is highly intelligent and will ultimately always be a daddy’s girl. This is why you do not see her on public outings with JLo anymore,” the insider concluded of the changed family dynamics.
Violet’s decision to stick by her dad after the split comes after JLo and Ben’s divorce was finalised. JLo submitted documents to the Los Angeles Superior Court last month confirming that the former couple had reached a settlement through mediation in September, roughly a month after she initially filed for divorce - with the process due to be officially finalised.
Their divorce terms reportedly deal with their shared $61 million Los Angeles home, and agree that the former couple won’t pay spousal support and will keep the earnings from their individual projects and business ventures. Alongside Violet, however, their blended family included Ben and Jennifer’s younger kids Fin, 16, and Samuel, 12, alongside JLo’s twins Max and Emme, 16, shared with former husband Marc Anthony. Despite the very public split, Ben, Jennifer, and JLo are said to keep on good terms for the sake of their blended brood.
"Ben and Jennifer are still connected and they do communicate when it involves their kids. They have every intention of continuing to be in each other's lives despite not being romantically involved,” a source told Page Six after the divorce. Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
