Jennifer Garner has spoken about the impact paparazzi had on her family during her marriage to Ben Affleck, recalling incidents in which photographers allegedly put children at risk while trying to capture images of the couple.
Speaking on the Shut Up Evan podcast, Garner described what she said were dangerous situations caused by photographers following her and her family.
“If I went through a yellow light, 15 cars would go through the red behind me,” Garner said.
“They would drive up onto people’s lawns, even on a hillside. We were trying to have our little one play soccer, and the association asked us to stop because there were 20 cars coming. So it wasn’t just about us. It was just an industry that had gotten out of control.”
The actress said the constant attention also affected ordinary family activities, including visits to the doctor.
“If you show up and you’re trying to get into the pediatrician and you have a sick kid on your shoulder and you’re scared and you can’t get into the door because you’re blocked by photographers, there’s something wrong with that, and the kids are paying the price,” she said.
Garner also recalled an incident outside her children’s preschool, claiming photographers endangered youngsters while attempting to photograph her and Affleck.
“I saw kids getting knocked over coming out of preschool by photographers who were so hungry to get at me or Ben,” she said.
She explained that although she lived in an area populated by many well-known figures, photographers focused on her family because “I had the kids.”
Asked whether the situation had improved over time, Garner said two photographers have continued following her for more than two decades.
She said the lengthy period had resulted in what she described as an unusual relationship.
“Like, there’s kind of a Stockholm syndrome thing,” Garner said. “And at the same time, I’ve called the cops on him a million times and been like, ‘Can you please just give me a walk around the block with my kids and my dog?'”