Jennifer Garner has pulled back the curtain on her marriage to Ben Affleck with a hilarious and relatable revelation about his creative process. The actress just shared a surprising detail about the specific musical habit Affleck adopted while making one of his most famous films. It turns out the Oscar winner played one iconic Beyoncé track on repeat for months, and Garner was there to witness every single beat.
A Musical Habit Behind The Scenes
Garner dropped this fun piece of trivia during a candid appearance at Diesel, A Bookstore in Los Angeles. She was speaking to an audience alongside author Laura Dave when she decided to share a personal story about living with a focused artist. She started by asking the crowd if anyone else had the habit of listening to a single song over and over again.
She jokingly told the audience that she had “survived” this exact scenario. The timeline takes us back to 2009. Affleck was deep in the production of his crime thriller “The Town.” This was a massive project for him, as he was directing, co-writing, and starring in the movie. The stakes were high, and he needed a way to get into the zone.
Garner revealed that Affleck listened to Beyoncé’s smash hit “Halo” incessantly during this period.
The image Garner painted was incredibly domestic and grounded, contrasting sharply with the gritty tone of the Boston-based crime movie Affleck was making. The couple was living in a rental home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to be close to the production location. Garner described the scene vividly. She noted that they had a three-year-old and a three-month-old baby at the house. While she was busy nursing their infant, the soaring vocals of Beyoncé would be playing in the background, over and over again.
The Method to the Madness
While it might sound maddening to some, this repetitive listening habit is actually quite common among high-level creatives. Laura Dave, the author of “The Last Thing He Told Me,” immediately validated the practice during the event. She noted that the only other person she knew who did something similar was the legendary screenwriter Tom Stoppard.
Hearing that put Affleck in very elite company. Dave admitted that she also indulges in the same habit. For artists, playing a song on loop can create a trance state that helps with focus. It blocks out distractions and sets a specific emotional tone that the creator wants to maintain.
In Affleck’s case, the strategy clearly paid off. “The Town” premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2010 to critical acclaim and revitalized his reputation as a serious filmmaker. The movie went on to earn a nomination from the Producers Guild of America and secured two wins from the National Board of Review. The intense focus on “Halo” might have been exactly what he needed to balance the stress of wearing so many hats on set.
Navigating Life After Marriage
This lighthearted story offers a rare glimpse into the private life Garner and Affleck shared during their ten-year marriage. The couple wed in 2005 and became one of Hollywood’s most watched pairs before eventually parting ways in 2015. They share three children together: Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.
Despite the split, the two have managed to build a functional and supportive co-parenting relationship. This has remained true even through Affleck’s subsequent marriage to Jennifer Lopez, which lasted from 2022 to 2025. Garner has remained a steady presence in his life, focusing on the well-being of their children.
Recent reports indicate that the former couple continues to spend time together for the sake of the family. They were seen spending Thanksgiving at Garner’s home in Brentwood last November. They also attended a theater outing at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre with their daughter Seraphina. Insiders suggest that Affleck feels a deep level of comfort with Garner, even years after their romantic relationship ended.
The Hard Truths of Divorce
While they have reached a good place now, Garner has been open about the fact that it was not an easy road. In a recent interview with Marie Claire, she spoke honestly about the pain of divorce. She did not sugarcoat the experience for her fans.
“The actual breaking up of a family is what was hard,” Garner admitted, adding that losing a true partnership and friendship was the most difficult part.
Her comments highlight the reality that even amicable splits come with significant grief. However, her perspective focuses heavily on healing. She explained that time provides the opportunity to forgive and to find a new way to be friends. This philosophy seems to be exactly what she and Affleck are practicing.
The story about “Halo” serves as a reminder of the history they share. It is a funny, intimate memory from a time when they were building their careers and raising young children together. Sharing these kinds of anecdotes shows that they have moved past the bitterness and can look back on their time together with a sense of humor.
It is refreshing to see exes who can laugh about their past quirks. Garner’s ability to joke about “surviving” Affleck’s Beyoncé obsession shows a level of maturity that many divorced couples strive for. It also humanizes Affleck, showing that even big movie stars have relatable, and slightly annoying, habits when they are stressed at work.
For fans of both actors, these small glimpses into their past dynamic are a treat. It connects the dots between the polished red carpet appearances and the real, sometimes noisy, life that happens behind closed doors. Whether it is nursing a baby while “Halo” plays for the hundredth time or navigating co-parenting schedules, Garner keeps it real.
It leaves us wondering what other songs might be on Affleck’s playlists for his other movies. But for now, we know that Beyoncé played a secret, supporting role in the making of “The Town.”
Time and patience have clearly allowed Garner and Affleck to find a new rhythm as friends and parents.
