Ben and Jen divorced
The actress finds the right time to say adieu
The actress is free to love again
Divorce is painful for anyone to deal with, but actress Jennifer Garner has handled the heartbreak and humiliation of splitting from “the love of my life” Ben Affleck in the public eye – and did so with grace at every turn.
As far as supportive exes go, few compare to Jennifer. After announcing her split from Ben, 46, three years ago – a day after they marked their 10th wedding anniversary – the Peppermint actress went with him to church, publicly praised his skills as a dad and remained civil when rumours of an affair with a nanny surfaced. And as recently as August 22, Jennifer was forced to stage an intervention, even fetching Ben from his house and taking him to rehab when the actor fell JusticeLeague
off the wagon, relapsing with his booze addiction.
After years of suffering, Jennifer, 46, begged for just one thing of Ben – when he was healthy and sober, he must sign their divorce papers to give her closure and let her move on with her life. Finally, that’s what he’s done.
The mother of their three children, Violet, 12, Seraphina, nine, and Samuel, six, asked a judge to expedite their divorce and on October 4, the pair met at Jennifer’s LA home to sign the paperwork that officially ended their marriage, finalised custody arrangements and split their combined fortune of $300 million.
“It was important to Jen that Ben be in a positive headspace first,” tells an insider. “But it was time.”
Soon after finishing his 40-day stay at a Malibu rehab facility, Ben announced on
Instagram that “battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle” but staying sober was “a full-time commitment”. He told fans, “I am fighting for myself and my family.”
His renewed sobriety came with one casualty – his relationship with Playboy model Shauna Sexton, who he started dating soon after a year-long relationship with producer Lindsay Shookus ended. Days after his release, Ben whisked 22-year-old Shauna away to Montana and gently informed her the relationship was over.
A source says, “Ben enjoyed being with Shauna but is working on himself and being together with her at this time is not something that works.”
The news was welcomed by Jennifer. She felt from the start that hard-partying Shauna spelled trouble and
the end of the liaison has given her a sense of optimism for the future.
A pal close to Jennifer tells, “The divorce has been an emotional rollercoaster and dragged on longer than Jen ever imagined, but she has closure. She’ll always love Ben and they’ll continue to co-parent the children as amicably as possible, but she’s excited about moving on, and finally being able to find love again and get her happy ending.”
In fact, spills the friend, the actress has been on a string of dates with a mystery man, introduced to her by her BFF Jessica Biel. “Out of respect to the children, Jen made a vow not to get in too deep with anyone until her divorce was official. Now the papers have been signed, she feels free to get more serious with her new beau.”