Breaking: Jennifer Garner ‘encouraged’ Ben Affleck, her ex-husband, to strengthen his relationship with and commitment to Jennifer Lopez Because Of …See More

Jennifer Garner is said to have “encouraged” her ex-husband Ben Affleck to work on his marriage with Jennifer Lopez.

The actress, 52, was hitched to actor Scott Foley, 52, from 2000 to 2004 and Ben Affleck, also 52, from 2005 to 2018, with the actor and J Lo, 55, filing for divorce in August after a two-year marriage.

A source has now told Page Six actress about Jennifer’s apparent advice to Ben before he split from the performer: “When things started getting rocky between Ben and Jennifer (Lopez), Jen was very supportive of their relationship and encouraged Ben to work on their marriage.”

The insider added Jennifer – who spent Thanksgiving with Ben helping with homeless charity The Midnight Mission’s annual holiday street fair in Los Angeles – had “even become friendly” with Ben’s wife and they were “communicating on a regular basis”.

But Page Six said it had learned the actress “hasn’t been in touch” with J Lo recently.

The source went on Jennifer has “no problem” with J Lo, adding: “At the end of the day, she just wants Ben to be happy.”

It comes after Jennifer declared women should never marry a man “thinking you can change him”.

The actress said when asked to detail her “favourite quote or mantra” on the ‘Lipstick on the Rim’ podcast: “Never expect a man… don’t marry a man thinking you can change him.”

Jennifer added the advice came from her mother Patricia Garner.

She also shared more “vintage Pat Garner” sayings on the podcast, but said “they all come from Mrs Ingalls from ‘Little House on the Prairie’ or ‘Anne of Green Gables’ or all of the above”.

Jennifer added two of her favourite bits of other advice from her mum included: “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning”, and “Happiness is your own responsibility.”

Jennifer, who has had an on-off relationship with businessman John Miller since 2018, did not speak about either of her marriages during the podcast.