Ben Affleck opens up about nearly casting ex-wife Jennifer Garner

Kerry Washington wasn't Ben Affleck's first choice for his upcoming thriller Animals. It was his ex-wife Jennifer Garner. 

The 54-year-old actor and director explained the casting shift to Entertainment Weekly, revealing why Garner was initially attached before eventually being replaced.

Affleck plays Mark in the film, out October 9, and is directing himself for the fifth time. He said casting Garner initially made practical sense, since their co-parenting schedule with their three kids would have allowed them to coordinate time together more easily while filming. 

"I thought, God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role," he told the news outlet.

"It also has the added benefit of, like, both of us will see our kids more because we do a week and a week and back and forth. I thought, well, we can coordinate our schedules around it."

He also felt the role could offer Garner a creative opportunity she hadn't had recently, given her limited film roles in the past couple of years.

"She can bring something interesting that she hasn’t [done], that I kind of know she can do, that I don’t think she had a chance to do in one movie," Affleck continued.

Production plans shifted after Affleck learned of a separate film, Highest 2 Lowest, with a similar kidnapping-ransom plot. Concerned about the projects appearing too similar, he considered delaying his own film before ultimately pausing it altogether.

Months later, he decided to move forward, but by then his longtime collaborator Matt Damon was no longer available for the lead role due to another project.

Affleck then decided to take on the role himself, which introduced a new issue: playing opposite Garner as a couple experiencing marital strain felt potentially distracting given their history.

Affleck said he and Garner ultimately agreed the pairing could bring unnecessary attention to their real-life past rather than the story itself, even though he said he'd still love to work with her again someday.

Affleck and Garner first crossed paths in 2004 and later became a couple while filming Daredevil.

They married in 2005 and became one of Hollywood's most recognised families before separating in 2015 and finalszing their divorce in 2018. 

Despite the split, the two have remained close as co-parents of Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14.