Why Mark Ruffalo’s Friendship With Jennifer Garner Ended Over Her Relationship With Ben Affleck
So, let's bring them back.
Lev Radin (Left) S_bukley (Right) // Shutterstock.Com If you’ve seen the much-beloved 2004 film “13 Going on 30,” you’re familiar with Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. Their friendship on-screen and off made their 2000s rom-com the classic it is today. While Garner and Ruffalo played love interests in their film together, in real life they were simply good friends.
Unfortunately, it seems they fell out of touch after filming together and the reason behind their friendship breakdown might surprise you.
Mark Ruffalo said Ben Affleck got in the way of his friendship with Jennifer Garner.
In 2014, Ruffalo appeared on Andy Cohen's “Watch What Happens Live,” where he was asked by a fan if he stayed in touch with his “13 Going on 30” costar, to which he regretfully shook his head.
"We had a great time together, and I think we would, but then Ben [Affleck] came on the scene and that was the end of that,” he told the fan.
Garner and Affleck began dating in 2004, the same year “13 Going on 30” came out, so it seems that while Garner and Ruffalo’s friendship was genuine and close, it was also quite brief if the timeline is to tell us anything.
Why did Ben Affleck keep Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner apart?
It is unclear why Affleck got in between the friends. Ruffalo has been married to his wife since 2000 so it doesn't seem like Affleck would have had any reason to be jealous of Garner's friendship to the "Hulk" actor.
Responding to Ruffalo’s statement to the fan interview on “Watch What Happens Live,” the host, Andy Cohen, joked, "I heard he doesn't allow her to have male friends,” before quickly clarifying, “I made that up!"
While it is not clear why Affleck would have kept the two apart, a simple answer that shouldn’t be completely thrown out is that perhaps Garner simply did not have time to keep in touch with too many old friends anymore.
Garner and Affleck got married only about a year after they began dating, so they were quick to settle down together. Perhaps it was as simple as wedding planning and children to look after, on top of her already busy acting career, that prevented Garner from keeping up with everyone she might’ve otherwise.
Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo rekindled their friendship after almost 20 years.
With the pair being reunited for their 2022 film “The Adam Project,” where they are once again playing a couple, the pair have seemed to enjoy the familiar company, even if it has been overdue.
While filming, Ruffalo posted a photo of he and Garner "reconnecting" with a "13 Going on 30" reference, asking, "Anyone know where we can get Razzles in Canada?"
Garner posted the same photo on Instagram, writing, “Wishing dust worked! And I got a perfect day with my old pal.”
Everyone was excited to see the reunion and even more excited to see how friendly they still seemed. In an interview with “The Tonight Show,” Garner described working with Ruffalo in their new film together as “instantly comfortable. There was just so much trust there.”
Just as in any true friendship, time and distance haven't seemed to dull the connection between the two actors.
"It just felt so comforting to be back together," Garner told E! News at the 2022 premiere of "The Adam Project." "It felt like we were almost in the continuation of Jenna and Matty from 13 Going on 30."
Amanda Hartmann is a writer and editorial intern at YourTango who writes on news and entertainment.