Jennifer Garner opens up about the career sacrifices she made after Ben Affleck split

Jennifer Garner is getting candid about how her 2015 split from Ben Affleck caused a major upheaval for her young family. In a revealing new interview with InStyle, the actress opened up about the difficult choices she had to make regarding her Hollywood career. She explained that she chose to step back from acting for a long time to focus entirely on her three children during the turbulent period following the divorce.

Garner also discussed the unique physical demands placed on women in the entertainment industry, pointing out how pregnancy and recovery naturally put your career on hold. Despite working through those years—even breastfeeding between scenes on major film sets—her agent eventually gave her an ultimatum to either take a role in Dallas Buyers Club or consider retirement. Now that her children are older, Garner feels incredibly grateful to step back into the spotlight and reclaim her passion for acting.