On screen, Jennifer Garner plays the kind of mom everyone wishes they had. And off screen, three lucky kiddos get to call her mom for real.
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The "Yes Day" actress shares three children — Violet Anne, Seraphina Rose and Samuel — with her ex-husband and fellow actor Ben Affleck. According to People, the couple got married in 2005 and separated after a decade together in 2015. Jennifer and Ben have been co-parenting their kids ever since. She told Vanity Fair in 2016 that even though they're no longer romantically involved, they share the same dreams for their kids.
"The main thing is these kids — and we're completely in line with what we hope for them," the actress said. "Sure, I lost the dream of dancing with my husband at my daughter's wedding. But you should see their faces when he walks through the door. And if you see your kids love someone so purely and wholly, then you're going to be friends with that person."
Raising three kids in the public eye isn't easy, but Jennifer makes an especially extra effort to maintain some normalcy. In 2013, she supported Halle Berry and other celebrity parents in passing a bill that made it illegal for paparazzi to photograph children without permission. She's also been vocal about her attempts to keep them off social media for as long as possible.
So, who are these three lucky kids who get to call Jennifer Garner mom? Read on to learn more about her children: Violet, Seraphina and Samuel.
Violet Anne
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The eldest of Jennifer's children was born on Dec. 1, 2005. Violet Anne Affleck has mostly managed to stay out of the spotlight despite having A-list parents. However, she did express the trauma of being constantly photographed as a kid. In a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jennifer told a story about how her daughter spoke out against the paparazzi when she was just a kindergartner.
"She stood up on a chair in a little velvet dress, with her hair a bit back and her glasses on ..., " the actress recalled. "And she said: 'We didn't ask for this. We don't want these cameras, they're scary. The men are scary, they knock each other over, and it's hard to feel like a kid when you're being chased.'"
Violet is currently a senior in high school and starting to look at colleges. While Jennifer didn't give any indication as to whether her daughter would follow in her footsteps, she said on "Live with Kelly & Mark" in 2023 that Violet is "handling it like a champ."
"She's totally in charge," she said. "I'm not having to say, 'Are you doing this, are you doing this?' She's a self-starter. And I'm just proud of her no matter what."
Seraphina Rose
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Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck was born on Jan. 9, 2009. While Jennifer tends to keep a lid on her family life in order to protect her kids' privacy, she did reveal on a recent podcast appearance how different her daughters are. The actress said one of her New Year's Eve traditions is having everyone write out their goals. Apparently, Violet and Seraphina have different approaches.
"It was interesting thinking about temperament," Jennifer said. "Their personal mission statements and value statements were as if they had never met."
But those differences don't mean they're not close. Seraphina is often photographed with both of her siblings — often rocking some cool, vibrant colored hair — during family outings as well as with Jennifer Lopez's twins, Emme and Max. Ben married the singer in 2022, and Seraphina (along with Violet and Samuel) gave her dad away at the wedding.
Samuel
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The youngest of the Affleck-Garner brood was born on Feb. 27, 2012. According to Jennifer, Samuel Garner Affleck was a very happy baby who loved to laugh.
"He reaches when he sees me, and he laughs a lot," she told People. "He thinks I'm super funny. What more do you want?"
The 11-year-old also shares his dad's love of baseball — even if they're not rooting for the same team.
"I was telling my 6-year-old, my son in particular, you know, 'We're really excited because we're from Boston and this is a big deal and the Red Sox,' and I'm giving him the whole history," Ben said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in 2019. "And he listens to me, and then he stops and goes, 'Dad. You're from Boston. I'm from L.A.,' and I had a full existential crisis."
Despite that initial hesitation, Samuel seems to have come around to his Boston roots. He was photographed sitting courtside with his dad at a Boston Celtics game and reportedly enjoys playing both baseball and basketball himself. Ben even coached one of his teams.
Jennifer also supports her son's sporting endeavors. In 2023, she and Samuel were photographed at a Los Angeles Lakers-Golden State Warriors game.
