A source has disclosed that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s daughter, Violet, decided to distance herself from Jennifer Lopez, her former stepmother. The source claims that Violet felt like she was used as a ‘pawn’ during the divorce between Lopez, 55, and Affleck, 52.
Violet attracted attention last summer when she opted to spend time with Lopez in the Hamptons after the separation. She also shared posts about Lopez’s sister, Lynda Lopez, visiting her at Yale University.
Insiders noted that the move came as a surprise to her parents, who had been left confused by the 19-year-old’s actions at the time.
As the divorce proceedings culminated in a finalization in January, insider information stated that Violet began to question the underlying reasons for Lopez’s closeness to her in the preceding months.
‘Violet felt like she was used as a pawn so to speak during her dad’s split from JLo,’ an insider exclusively told DailyMail.com.
The source explained how Garner was careful not to try and limit her daughter’s connections to Lopez’s family as they noted: ‘Jen supported her daughter getting close to the singer because she always puts her children first.
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s daughter Violet took a step back from her former stepmom, Jennifer Lopez, after being left feeling like she had been a ‘pawn’ (seen in July 2022)
‘But as the divorce loomed, the fact that Violet was hanging out with JLo and wearing her clothes was odd to the family. So too was Lynda Lopez visiting Violet at college.’
The source continued: ‘But Jen even let this slide, because she wants Violet to be happy and respects that, as an adult, she can choose who to spend her time with even if Jen does not necessarily agree.’
However, the source revealed that Violet has consciously chosen to cut contact with Lopez and her family after watching her father’s distress over the high profile divorce.
‘Over time Violet started to see how upset her father was that their split was at the center of everything,’ the insider explained. ‘Ben never said a word about JLo.’
The source continued: ‘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 Gone Girl actor famously rekindled his romance with Lopez in 2021, nearly 20 years after they called off their engagement.
Fast forward four years and the couple, who showcased their love with two weddings in 2022, have settled their divorce and officially ended their short-lived marriage.
Prior to the pair’s official split, Affleck had been pictured spending a significant amount time with ex-wife Garner – who had reportedly adopted the role of ‘marriage counsellor’ to the struggling couple.
Sources have revealed that in the months that led to the divorce being finalized in January, Violet started to question whether there had been ulterior motives for keeping her close
The insider revealed that Violet has consciously chosen to step back from Lopez and her family after watching her father’s distress over the high profile divorce
Sources close to Garner had been left feeling like she was forced to ‘play mediator’ to help the pair work through their issues in a way that would not impact Affleck’s sobriety.
‘Jen feels slightly used as a pawn in JLo’s bid to repair her marriage,’ a source told DailyMail.com at the time. ‘She doesn’t believe it was intentional. But when Jen realized her ex-husband’s marriage was past the point of salvation, her only concern was Ben’s well-being and sobriety.’
Meanwhile, Violet was seen showing support to Lopez during that time period, choosing to wear a Dolce and Gabbana dress that The Wedding Planner star wore on a Valentine’s Day date with Affleck in 2023.
Violet reportedly wore the dress as a statement to show how close she was to Lopez after being left ‘heartbroken’ at the split.
‘Violet does wish her dad would stay with JLo,’ the source said. ‘She wasn’t living in their house and did not see the extent of the breakdown, but she got extremely close to JLo over the past couple of years and it broke her heart when they split.’
The pair’s romance had been a dream come true for fans. Reports first surfaced that the singer and Oscar-winning director were reconnecting after Lopez split from former MLB star Alex Rodriguez in 2021.
Their initial two-year romance in the early 2000s was highly publicized and the intense scrutiny had been difficult for the couple to handle.
But they confirmed on Instagram in July 2021 that they were giving it another go before making their red carpet return at the Venice Film Festival.
Violet previously revealed she was sticking by Lopez after the split, with the pair pictured spending time together in the Hamptons
She the raised eyebrows last fall after Jlo’s sister Lynda Lopez shared a selfie with the Yale student after paying her a visit at the prestigious university
They subsequently exchanged vows at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022 and again the following month at a lavish star-studded nuptials at Affleck’s estate in Georgia on August 20.
Exactly two years to the date, Lopez filed for divorce, citing their date of separation as April 26, 2024.
In January, Lopez filed documents to Los Angeles Superior Court, asking for a judge to finalise the breakup.
The pair settled the divorce through mediation with lawyer to the stars Laura Wasser. Each party will walk away with what they individually acquired during their marriage.
Documents also show Lopez has chosen to drop Affleck as her last name.
Affleck and Garner were married for 13 years until their divorce in 2018. The couple are parents to Violet, 19, Fin, 16, and Samuel, 12.
Lopez is mother to 16-year-old twins, Max and Emme, from her marriage to Marc Anthony, 56, which lasted from 2004 to 2014.
