Jennifer Garner and Sheryl Lee Ralph shared a connection during their Variety “Actors on Actors” interview with one another. In the YouTube video, Ralph says the two actresses have so much in common.
Ralph said, “With all the celebrity and all of that, I feel like I have a very normal life, and I think you have a similar sort of vibe. And we love our kids.” Garner replied, “Yeah, of course, and all the stuff that comes with it.” She also said later, “All the mess of parenting. It’s a gift.” Garner was married to Ben Affleck for 13 years, and the couple share three children: Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.
Ralph was married to ex-husband Eric Maurice for 11 years, and they share two children: Etienne Maurice and Ivy Victoria. Ralph also praised herself and Garner for their work to uphold positive relationships with their respective exes. She said, “Both of us have gone through divorce. You did something that I did as well, and that was maintain a healthy relationship with my ex for the health and well-being of my children. And with the spotlight on us at all times, sometimes that can be difficult.”
She continued, “But when I look at my kids, when I see you and your kids, I was like, ‘Girl, we did that,” to which Garner replied, “We’re doing it!” and the actresses gave each other a fist bump to celebrate the moment. Affleck and Garner have worked to keep their children off social media and out of the spotlight.
In a recent “Allure” interview, Garner admitted that she struggled as a first-time mother, saying, “Your kids will really figure out who they are and what they are when they’re older, and most likely they will hew toward lovely. I have a lot of faith in my kids. I don’t love every behavior all the time, always. It’s gnarly growing up. We didn’t have the eyes on us that our kids have. I was such a first-time mom. My eldest daughter didn’t have a shot. She couldn’t have a free thought; I was all over her. I was a nightmare for everyone around me.”
She also said that after Violet was born, the relentless paparazzi hounding impacted her life. Garner shared, “There were two decades where it was really hard to hold a conversation. Not in a woe-is-me, poor celebrity way. I was on baby watch every single day. The day after I had a baby, the paparazzi were watching again. They kind of rush you through your life because they’re just trying to get to the next stage of something they can sell.”
Garner noted she doesn’t read about herself in the media either, adding, “I learned a while ago that I’m way too sensitive to what is written about me, my family. The only things I have on my phone are the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. I can’t even have CNN.”
Co-parenting with an ex can be challenging, even for celebrities. However, it’s inspiring to know that even our favorite celebs can look past their differences and do what’s right for their children.