Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are legally single. The former couple have finalized their divorce more than three years after separating. They will share joint custody of daughters Violet, 12, and Seraphina, 9, and son Samuel, 6, Us Weekly confirms.
The Justice League star and the Alias alum, both 46, met at her house on Thursday, October 4, to discuss the final details. She had filed court documents three days earlier requesting a private judge to speed up the case.
“It was important to Jen that Ben be in a positive headspace [before finalizing],” a source tells Us.
Affleck and Garner began dating in 2004 after costarring in the 2001 drama Pearl Harbor and the 2003 superhero flick Daredevil. They tied the knot in June 2005 during a private ceremony in Turks and Caicos.
The pair announced in a joint statement to Us in June 2015 that they had called it quits on their 10-year marriage “after much thought and careful consideration.”
Affleck and Garner simultaneously filed for divorce in April 2017. They have continued to amicably coparent their three children since breaking up, but the actress had been stalling their divorce proceedings as her estranged husband worked on his sobriety.
The Gone Girl actor checked into rehab on August 22 for the third time. He recently completed a 40-day treatment program for alcohol addiction and will continue to receive outpatient care.
“The support I have received from my family, colleagues and fans means more to me than I can say,” he wrote in a statement on Instagram on Thursday. “It’s given me the strength and support to speak about my illness with others. Battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment. It is a full-time commitment. I am fighting for myself and my family. … I hope down the road I can offer an example to others who are struggling.”
The Oscar winner stepped out on Friday, October 5, for a meeting in Los Angeles, marking the first time he has been spotted since addressing his rehab stint and finalizing his divorce.
After his split from Garner, Affleck dated Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus from July 2017 until this August. More recently, he was spotted hanging out with Playboy model Shauna Sexton.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
