Jennifer Garner has been through the tabloid ringer since separating from Ben Affleck amid the Great Nanny Cheating Scandal of 2015. Despite an amicable-seeming relationship with her ex, including family vacations and birthdays spent together (raising the inevitable “are they or aren’t they going to reunite?” narrative), Garner filed for divorce this past April. Yet, even now, she remains the subject of glossy fascination, with People’s latest cover featuring a full-bleed photo of her face with the headline “Life After Heartbreak.” For the woman known as one of Hollywood’s sweetest stars, this may have been the last straw.
Garner took to her Facebook page this week to address the cover, which, with its close-cropped, professional photo, appears very much like the kind that teases a sunny Hollywood home visit and a sit-down interview with Garner. But, in fact, as the actress is now clarifying, she had nothing to do with it.
“It has been brought to my attention that there is a People magazine cover and article out . . . that appear to be coming from me,” Garner wrote. “Before my mom’s garden club lights up her phone, I wanted to set the record straight: I did not pose for this cover. I did not participate in or authorize this article.” While she had the world’s attention, Garner also responded to the additional tabloid reports/drivel claiming she is expecting twins with Affleck. “It isn’t unusual for me to receive calls from loved ones thinking I forgot to tell them I am pregnant—with twins!—(Geez Louise), but those are so ridiculous they’re easy to ignore,” she cracked. “For what it’s worth: I have three wonderful kids and my family is complete.”
Watch and learn, Hollywood, as yet another A-list woman takes her own press coverage into her own hands. See: Jennifer Lawrence pointedly not apologizing after Radar Online’s overblown report of her pole dancing by releasing a carefully crafted statement through an official rep is so yesterday. These days it’s all about the frank, conversational—even slightly funny, kudos Jen—social media statement direct to the adoring public.
And while Garner stopped at clarifying People’s cover, signing off with “have a beautiful day,” it’s also worth noting that the “poor ex-wife” narrative perpetuated by the popular media has gotten pretty tired. Why is it that after a high-profile marriage breaks up, it’s always the woman who is publicly pitied and expected to perform and process the divorce for legions of adoring fans? (You could call it the Anistonification of Jennifer Garner.) People’s reveal of the Garner cover on Instagram was captioned, “#JenniferGarner is finding it difficult to move on from the ‘love of her life’ #BenAffleck.” Affleck is likely no less lost or heartbroken—but where are the jumbo-size photos of his face splashed across a magazine cover? We’ll wait.
