Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Ben Affleck Explains Jennifer Garner’s Absence From Animals
Ben Affleck is making a thriller movie called Animals.
He first hoped his former wife, Jennifer Garner, would play his character’s wife.
They decided not to work together as a married couple because viewers might focus on their real-life history.
Affleck said that could bring unwanted “baggage” to the movie.
Kerry Washington was chosen to play Abigail instead.
Affleck plays Mark Kimball, whose son is kidnapped.
Mark and Abigail must quickly find money to pay the ransom.
Affleck and Garner remain friends and share custody of their three children.
The movie will play in some theaters before coming to Netflix on Oct.
9.
Ben Affleck initially wanted Jennifer Garner to play Abigail in his Netflix thriller Animals.
Affleck said they decided not to play a married couple because their past relationship could create audience “baggage.”
Kerry Washington ultimately took the role opposite Affleck, who plays kidnapped boy’s father Mark Kimball.
The film’s original production was halted after Affleck worried it would be compared with Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest.
Animals opens in select theaters and arrives on Netflix on Oct. 9.
- Who
- Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and Kerry Washington are central to the casting story; Affleck and Washington star in Animals.
- What
- Affleck explained why Garner does not play Abigail, his character’s wife, in the thriller Animals.
- When
- Affleck discussed the decision in an Entertainment Weekly interview published Sept. 14; Animals arrives on Netflix Oct. 9.
- Where
- Animals opens in select theaters before streaming on Netflix.
- Why
- Affleck and Garner agreed that their past relationship could create audience “baggage” if they played a married couple.
- Film
- Animals
- Director
- Ben Affleck
- Lead roles
- Ben Affleck plays Mark Kimball, while Kerry Washington plays Abigail.
- Plot
- Mark’s son is kidnapped, forcing Mark and Abigail to raise ransom money within a few hours.
- Original casting
- Matt Damon was initially set to play Mark, and Jennifer Garner was set to play his wife.
- Release
- The film opens in select theaters and reaches Netflix on Oct. 9.
- Affleck and Garner
- They share custody of three children and have previously appeared together in Pearl Harbor and Daredevil.