Jennifer Garner talks Ben, nursing, Violet, and more in Marie Claire
Actress Jennifer Garner, 35, graces the cover of the October issue of Marie Claire, with an interview inside in promotion of her new movie, The Kingdom.
Click below for the baby-related highlights — including marriage to Ben Affleck, nursing, Violet, and more — and photos from the shoot (which took place during the joint Affleck-Damon family vacation in Hawaii earlier this summer).
On pregnancy weight: I wasn’t a woman who stayed thin like I thought Iwould. I definitely gave myself the freedom to eat what I wanted. Ithought, ‘Oh, it’s going to drop away; I’ll have another cookie.’ Nexttime around I won’t go quite that hog wild. I did not have a huge baby[Violet was 6 lbs, 10 oz] and I was ginormous!
On being able to say no: It got a lot easier once I had a kid.
More on heat and nursing: Jennifer expounds on previous statements she made about filming The Kingdom in Arizona in summer ‘06.
[The heat] made people crazy. It was like another character inthe movie. Your whole body is saying, ‘Go inside. Find somewherecooler.’ And there you are, just standing there, baking. The crew hadit worse than we did.
I checked with a pediatrician, I checked with my gynecologist, and they said, ‘Breastfeeding? You’ll be fine. Just drinkplenty of water.’ But the rules when it’s 138 degrees are different. Well, it sent me to the hospital a couple of times. I guess I was getting heatstroke. All my electrolytes weregoing to the baby — I wasn’t keeping any of the potassium in my body. Iwould never pass out or anything, but I just got so dizzy that Ithought, ‘I can’t pick up my daughter when I get back to the hotel.’ It happened twice. It was scary.
I made it through, though. I really didn’t want to give [nursing] up, and Ididn’t.
All in all, shenursed Violet for 14 months — pumping in the car on the way to the Oscars, and in airplane bathrooms.
I really loved [breastfeeding]. It gave me peace and a sense of purpose.
On Violet, now 21 months: She’s pretty awesome. We’re in that sweet spot before the terribletwos. She sleeps till 7! Yeah, we lucked out. Supposedly [when] youhave one that’s this easy and great, you’re screwed the next time around.
Jennifer says she is with Violet in the morning ‘four out of five workingdays.’
Then I put her down for her nap, I run out and have a meeting, Irun back. Sometimes I get home before she’s even woken up.
On the paparazzi: [The paparazzi] justnips away at anything you’re doing, the small pleasures. Iwould give just about anything to make it go away, especially for mydaughter. I feel like she has a right to her privacy, and it’s kind ofencroached on.
The family is still considering a possible move away from LA — Jennifer is from West Virginia, while Ben hails from Boston.
I can’t live in West Virginia and do what I do — I’m not going to get a lot of jobs there. We’re far from Ben’s family as well. It bums us out. We haven’t figured it out yet.
On marriage to Ben: I don’t know what makes it work. Butit does. One thing that makes it work is that we’re both pretty nice.He’s not someone who’s ever going to blow up on anyone. What I mean is,if he’s ever angry with me, he doesn’t act out on it in a weird way oryell at me. And I am the same. So we handle conflict in a very lovingand adult way.
On having more children: We definitely wonder what it would be like to have another — hopefully, knock on wood, someday. [raps table] My job is great to have as a mom. I get to take breaks and then work in a really concentrated way. During that concentrated time, it sucks, but whatever.
On Ben quitting smoking: Three weeks before we had Violet, he went to a hypnotist and has not smoked since! I so admire him, because it was so painful. But he is sick so much less often, and I don’t lose him every 15 minutes while he wanders around outside. He smells great. It’s a huge gift that he gave me — and our daughter as well. I probably annoy him, I celebrate it so much.
On her possible future talk show: I feel like women, and especially mothers, are disenfranchised from our families; we don’t have the same support group around us that we did a generation ago. All my girlfriends and my sisters were having these same issues, and I felt like, ‘Why isn’t this being addressed?’ There are tons of talk shows, yet there’s nothing that’s specifically for them. But I’ve never gotten the balls to go out and do it.
Source: Marie Claire, October issue, p. 86-91
Tags: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Marie Claire, Violet Affleck
- Posted on Sep 15, 07 at 3:44PM
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- 23 Comments
September 15th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Yeah! I love breastfeeding celebs!!
September 15th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
I just adore Jennifer…she’s so down to earth and normal–these are answers that any mother around the world would give…she’s got a daughter and a husband whom she love dearly and that’s just the way it is. She happens to make movies and be famous but at the core it seems, at least to me, that she just wants to be a good wife, mother, and career woman…something I think every woman strives for.
I LOVE her talk of Ben quitting smoking–that’s absolutely wonderful for him to be able to do it and the way she’s so proud of him!
I do just simply adore this family…Jen and Ben are amazing parents who are goin to have (probably one of the few) completely amazing and wonderfully adjusted and normal daughters in Hollywood and that is all a credit to them…
the one sad thing is her talk of the paps…she doesn’t take Vi to premieres or to events–they simply go to the library and the farmer’s market and that should be allowed without 15 cameras in your face…so I definitely feel for her there…
I absolutely cannot wait for baby #2…this family rocks and is a family others should model themselves after–in Hollywood and everywhere else IMO–family comes first before all else…
LOVE the Garner/Afflecks!
September 15th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
I ♥ Jennifer Garner!
September 15th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
That was a cute interview, but I disagree with her on the “there’s no way to think escape the paparazzi” thing…I mean, when you live in L.A., what do you expect??
If they’re willing to sacrifice a little work, they could move back near Boston in a nice suburb or something. I don’t know…it just seems silly to complain about paparazzi when you live in one of the most celebrity-packed areas of the U.S.
September 15th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Jen sounds like a great mom and lady. Hope Ben and her are one of the hollywood couples that can avoid divorce, and would love to see them have anther child.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
That’s funny about the smoking reference she gave. I specifically remember seeing a picture of them walking Violet in a stroller when she was younger & Ben having a smoke in his mouth. I remember thinking if I was Jennifer I wouldn’t allow him to do that!
September 15th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Megan – let’s get this straight, you feel that Jennifer and Ben should be able to take Violet out without paparazzi photographing them, but on the other hand, you “cannot wait for baby #2″?? I.e you expect to find out about baby #2, information, photos? Which is it? Either they’re allowed their privacy or not?
Let’s face it, if any of us actually cared much about these kids’ privacy we wouldn’t be on this site, looking at all this paparazzi photos without much regard for the ethics of photographing other people’s children (who don’t have celebrity careers and never asked for this).
CBB doesn’t really care much about that either or they wouldn’t base their entire site around paparazzi photos.
When it comes down to it, we’re all hypocrites, there’s no point in agreeing that celebs are allowed their privacy when we’re all waiting gleefully for the next pap shot of somebody else’s cute baby.
Let’s just be honest and acknowledge that rather than paying lip service to ‘privacy’ while invading it at the same time.
Sarah’s note: Well, we care somewhat, i.e. we don’t post upset children or when the parents are trying to hide them. And I hope people don’t think we’re totally based on pap photos — that’s about 1/3 of the site. We try to focus on pregnancy and birth announcements and interviews as well. Hopefully that comes across?
But I agree — I like to see photos as much as the next person so I can’t really comment on the privacy issue.
September 15th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
ok since you called me out specifically tary, I will respond…although i don’t think it was necessary for you to do so. I never said that I didn’t come here to see pics of Violet or that i don’t enjoy seeing her…I just meant that it’s sad that it has to be that way…I am not going to lie and say i don’t love seeing pictures of her on here–but I can also understand Jen wanting to protect Violet’s privacy…is there something wrong with my opinion? I didn’t say that it wasn’t two sided or that we don’t play into it, I was simply reacting to something Jen said in her article…that’s all.
September 15th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
I don’t think Ben has smoked since Violet was born. I don’t ever recall a picture of him smoking with Violet in a stroller. Sorry, but whomever said they saw that pic is mistaken I think.
I adore this family. They are just normal people with high profile jobs.
September 15th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I believe that when you become a celeb the paparazzi and lack of privacy go with you. If you choose that life so do your children and celebs KNOW that. I hate when celebs complain about it (some celebs are worse than others) because I wouldn’t like half the celebs I do if all I saw was photoshoots and premieres.
Violet doesn’t seem to mind it unlike some kids too.
I personally love the paparazzi. Without them, I wouldn’t get ANY candids of my fave celeb kids, and because they’re never in photoshoots they’re the ONLY pictures I get to see.
September 15th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Leeanne, it was probably one of those health food fake cigarettes that nonsmokers and exsmokers smoke onscreen just to have something in his mouth to stop from eating all the time after quitting. It sounds like it was a bit of an issue in the marriage, so if he was smoking in front of the baby I’m sure she’d remember.
September 16th, 2007 at 12:32 am
no Megan, there’s nothing wrong with your opinion – I am merely pointing out that there is no point in you, or me, or any of us bleating about how “sad” it is that these kid’s privacy gets invaded, and that we understand the parents want to protect them, blah blah, when it is our actions that cause the paparazzi to push those cameras in their faces in the first place. If we really truly thought it was sad, we wouldn’t look at the photos. If we weren’t sitting here looking at paparazzi photos, buying the magazines, reading the site and providing the readership that allows CBB to buy them, then the paparazzi wouldn’t have any reason to take them. Let’s be honest with ourselves and stop pretendng we truly care about these kids’ privacy. It’s a “running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds” situation. I mentioned your post because it was a classic example, but we all do it, myself included.
September 16th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Tary your right, this site along with everybody reading it, obviously likes to see pics of celsbs with their kids. If someone feels strongley about thinking it’s wrong, they wouldn’t be here. The only difference with this site and other sites are comments are moderated, but really even though pics of kids crying or parents very angry aren’t posted, many pics of celebrities out with their kids that are posted here, the parents don’t exactly look thrilled lol. heck I’ve seen some pics here where even pregnant celebrities don’t seem happy to have their pics taken. Jen is a down to earth girl though, she deals with the paparazzi well when she is out with violet, because really that’s the price of fame, those pics sell and make money for other business including a site like this.
September 16th, 2007 at 9:17 am
I have never seen any pic of Ben smoking near Violet. He smoked while Jen was pregnant, there are plenty of photos to prove it, but I am sure Jen knows for sure, if she says so, then she is right.
September 16th, 2007 at 10:18 am
SHE IS SO DOWN TO EARTH. SHE IS RIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR GENERATION AND NOT HAVING THE SUPPORT. I’M ALMOST 40 WITH FOUR KIDS AND MY MOM NOR MY MOTHER N’ LAW NEVER BREAST FED (MY FRIENDS DID NOT EITHER)SO IT WAS JUST BABY AND ME.PAINFUL MISTAKES AND LEASONS. I THINK THAT WAS THE HARDEST AND ISOLATED EXPERIENCE OF ALL. BUT WE DID IT AND I LEARNED ALL BY MYSELF. AND NOW I HELP OTHERS. AS FOR THE PAPS I DO FEEL GUILTY SEEING PICS OF HER AND OTHER CELEBS WITH THEIR CHILDREN. IN MY TRAVELS WITH MY CHILDREN I HAVE COME ACROSS CELEBS AND THEIR CHILDREN AND I NEVER APROACH NOR DO I TAKE A PHOTO. I FIGURE IF THEY ARE WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY ARE AT DISNEY OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT IS A FAMILY VACATION AND I HAVE NO BUSINESS TALKING TO THEM OR PHOTOGRAPHING THEM. ALTHOUGH I DO LIKE READING ABOUT THEM IN INTERVIEWS THAT THEY GIVE.
WHEN SHE SPOKE ABOUT HOW BEN QUIT SMOKING AND THAT IT WAS THE BEST GIFT BEN HAD GIVEN HER AND THEIR BABY. THAT IS TRULY A SPECIAL GIFT. NO MONEY OR JEWLERY IN THE WORLD CAN MAKE A PERSON MORE HEALTHY THAN TO STOP A CANCER STICK HABIT.
September 16th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I can see your point Tary and I am also with you Natasha. Yes it might suck that celeb’s children don’t have privacy; they knew that came with the package, it’s been this way since forever, and yes that incluldes their spouse, immediate family and children, whether they signed on for the job or not, because they did for them, knowing what the outcome could be.
MY OPINION is some celebs are like,
“Don’t take pictures of me when I’m doing normal things but hey, I’m doing a movie or an albulm and need some news coverage, so now you are allowed to take pictures of me and put them on eonline, news clips, tabloids and I’ll do some magazine articles and by the way, I’ll be on Jay Leno tonight to promote my new movie or albulm, so you guys can support it and my lifestyle, but after the movie and albulm promotions, it’s back to giving me and my family some privacy”. Whatever, you can’t have it both ways. I feel either they should stay out of the media period and live a low life or hush up and continue to deal with not having any privacy and keeping your name out to the public, to help further your future career moves.
And CBB shows a lot of magazine scans of pictures and interviews of celebs and if they didn’t want those scanned and on the net, then they shouldn’t have done the interview. Once somebody buys a magazine article with a picture scans and interviews of a celeb, they can do whatever they want to with their purchased magazine.
She really does seem like a great mother and they seem like a very happy family.
September 16th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I aree 100% with Tary. You can Garner is very much a media ‘whore’ just like any other actress. If she didn’t want so much paparazzi attention then she wouldn’t be out and about is conspicuous places all the time. And if she think she puts Violet as #1 that is not true- she’d be living on the easts coast or somewhere more private for the sake of Violet but she doesn’t! She lives right there in L.A. so she won’t miss any job opportunities. Really makes me sick, just like most other celebrities moms.
September 16th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Once somebody buys a magazine article with a picture scans and interviews of a celeb, they can do whatever they want to with their purchased magazine.
Actually, that’s not true. You can do certain things, like resell the magazine, but from a copyright perspective, you can’t scan the whole thing and put it on the internet. There are probably certain fair use exceptions (like posting thumbnails of photos), but scanning the entire article is likely a violation of copyright law. (Whether it would be enforced is an entirely different issue. Just because no one complains doesn’t mean a violation didn’t happen.)
Sarah’s note: Yes, there are very specific rules that vary from magazine to magazine. For example, we can’t use whole magazine pages (hence why we do photo and interview highlights), they can’t be more than a certain size, and everything must be sourced meticulously.
September 16th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Come on folks, name one person who has NEVER complained about a certain aspect of their job in their life. My husband, who loves his job, sometimes complains about certain things that he has to do or put up with on the job. However, he would never leave his post because he hates those particular things. Everyone has a gripe about their jobs at some point. That’s part of life. It doesn’t mean that they hate what they are doing or that they want to quit or that they are going to seek another form of employment. It just means that if there was one thing they could do without on the job, XYZ would be that one thing. For some celebs that XYZ happens to be the papparazzi. Yes they know that it is a part of their job and that it comes with the territory but it doesn’t for one second mean that they have to like the Paps or that they can’t wish that things were different. Anyone would be annoyed if they had people following them with cameras constantly even as they tried to perform simple tasks like going to the grocery store or going to the doctor. It’s not like Jennifer Garner is rude to the Paps or the press at all. In fact, I have always seen her be very nice and accommodating. However, she is allowed to be annoyed that she can’t have private moments with her baby without someone snapping her picture. The great thing about Jennifer and a lot of celebs like her is that she hardly ever shows that annoyance in public.
September 16th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
She gave a great interview, and I would be pretty damn proud if my man gave up smoking for the family as a whole. Sweet gesture to me!
And she looks pretty damn amazing in the photos from the magazine!
September 17th, 2007 at 8:40 am
I love her! I think Jen and Ben are perfect and their little Vi is too cute! Jen looks stunning!
September 17th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Thank you Sarah and Teiko for clearing that up that does make sense.
September 19th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
I very much enjoyed reading the article on Jennifer Garner in Marie Claire. She is awesome. I adore her. Even before she and Ben came out as a couple, I was one of her biggest fans. (I kinda liked him too). I am so pulling for them. They are both so laid back (not the usual Hollywood type of celebrities). For me that is the greatest attraction they hold for me. I am so happy they found each other and I have mixed feeling regarding the paparazzi invading their privacy. On the one hand I am so eager to see them in candid shots just hanging out with their little Violet,but I also feel badly that they are unable to go anywhere without being photographed..I guess it’s like some others’ comments before me, high profile people hold an interest for their fans. It’s part of the territory. Jen looked great in those shots from the magazine.