Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's eldest child, Violet Affleck, has grown up with a lot of privilege, but has also seen her share of hardship: two parent divorces, unwanted attention, and a serious health scare.
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00:00Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's eldest child, Violet Affleck, has grown up with a lot of
00:05privilege, but has also seen her share of hardship — two parent divorces, unwanted attention,
00:10and a serious health scare. In July 2024, Violet spoke at a Los Angeles County Board
00:15of Supervisors meeting where she revealed she contracted a post-viral condition in 2019.
00:20It was all to argue for extended mask mandates in medical facilities and mask availability for
00:24at-risk populations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
00:28I'm okay now, but I saw firsthand that medicine does not always have answers to the consequences
00:32of even minor viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown that into sharper relief."
00:36Violet highlighted that vulnerable members of society are often left to bear the brunt
00:40of conditions like long COVID, stating,
00:42"...it hits communities of color, disabled people,
00:45elderly people, trans people, women, and anyone in a public-facing essential job the hardest."
00:50In the aftermath of the pandemic, Violet became known for being one of the few people in Hollywood
00:54who continued to mask. Before articulating her sentiments at the public meeting,
00:58she had already hinted at her stance the previous May when she was photographed with her mom.
01:02Masked as usual, she carried Stephen Thrasher's The Viral Underclass,
01:06a book that examines the link between health crisis and inequality.
01:10The now 19-year-old Violet grew up in a spotlight she didn't ask for. Her parents did their best to
01:15protect their children's privacy, but the paparazzi always found a way to snap their photos. Violet
01:20hated the experience so much that, as just a kindergartner, she agreed to speak to local
01:24authorities at a gathering her mother organized to ask for more protection. Garner told The Hollywood
01:29Reporter in 2021,
01:30"...Violet's hyper-articulate. She is Ben Affleck's daughter."
01:34Violet's mom further recalled her remarks at the meeting, saying,
01:37"...she stood up on a chair in a little velvet dress,
01:39with her hair a bit back and her glasses on, and she didn't say her R's right. And she said,
01:43We didn't ask for this. We don't want these cameras. They're scary. The men are scary.
01:47They knock each other over and it's hard to feel like a kid when you're being chased."
01:51Harassment from photographers prevented Violet from doing typical kid activities, like sports.
01:56"...one daughter tried to play soccer and it was such a zoo for the families that they just said,
02:00Can you please not?"
02:02In August 2013, Garner addressed the California State Assembly Committee on Public Safety to
02:07successfully advocate for legislation aimed at protecting children from paparazzi.
02:11When it became clear Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's marriage wouldn't last,
02:15Violet Affleck took desperate measures to convince her father he should give it another shot.
02:19In mid-August 2024, a week before Lopez filed for divorce, Violet stepped out in the pink dress
02:24Jayla wore to the first Valentine's Day she celebrated with Affleck as a married couple
02:28in 2023. It was reportedly no coincidence. A source told the Daily Mail,
02:32"...wearing her soon-to-be-former-step-mom's Valentine's Day dress was a bit of a statement.
02:36She knew what she was doing."
02:38Violet's decision wasn't exactly well-received. The insider added,
02:42"...those close to her thought it was bizarre."
02:44It's unclear whether Ben felt touched by his daughter's public appeal,
02:47but her gesture ultimately wouldn't make any difference. The source said,
02:51"...unfortunately for her,
02:52wearing J.Lo's dress in public is not going to affect Ben's divorce at all."
02:56Violet likewise made it clear that she wouldn't cut ties with Lopez. The source explained,
03:00"...she is not going to stop talking to J.Lo and recently enjoyed time in the Hamptons with her."
03:05Violet's relationship with Jennifer Lopez and her family has reportedly put her at
03:08odds with both her parents. Following Ben and J.Lo's divorce in August 2024,
03:13Violet maintained her close bond with her former stepmother. Violet's efforts apparently put her
03:17father in a difficult situation. With a source telling Entertainment Tonight,
03:21"...Ben certainly doesn't want to cause any strain between Jen and Violet,
03:24and he is in support of them spending time together. It's a little tricky for him."
03:27It seems Ben's feelings are different about Violet's insistence on staying close with
03:31J.Lo's family, though. Ben was reportedly annoyed that J.Lo's sister, Linda Lopez,
03:35visited his daughter at Yale in November 2024, especially because he didn't learn about it until
03:40his former sister-in-law posted a picture online. Another source told the Daily Mail,
03:44"...Violet has a strong attachment to J.Lo and her family. It's quite confusing to Ben
03:48and Jen Garner because they do not understand why Violet is so adamant on keeping her close."
03:53"...I feel very full in my family. We have a very full and close and happy family."
03:59Some observers found Linda's decision to post the selfie with Violet on Instagram
04:03pretty shady. One Instagram commenter wrote,
04:06"...I'm confused because her own mother has never posted her children's picture online.
04:10Thirst trap, and not in a good way."
04:12As a first-time mom, Jennifer Garner struggled to find the balance between being protective
04:16and allowing Violet Affleck to explore her autonomy. She told Allure in 2023,
04:21"...It's gnarly growing up. Violet didn't have a shot. She couldn't have a free thought.
04:24I was all over her."
04:26With time, Garner understood that parents can't control every aspect of their kids' lives.
04:30For the most part, they are who they are, and parents can only do their best to keep them safe.
04:35She said,
04:35"...Your kids will really figure out who they are and what they are when they're older,
04:39and most likely they will hew toward lovely. I have a lot of faith in my kids."
04:43Despite Garner's early failures to allow Violet to express herself,
04:46her daughter went on to find her voice regardless. Besides her masking activism
04:50and early courage to speak up on the paparazzi issue, Violet has shown she
04:53isn't afraid to express her opinions, even if they might be polarizing.
04:57In January 2024, she sent a message by wearing a pro-Palestinian crew neck from
05:01Wear the Peace, a Chicago-based company that raises funds for Gaza.