NEWSJennifer Garner Recalls the 'Ludicrous' Paparazzi Frenzy That Put Her Family in 'Danger': 'The Kids Were Paying the Price'
Jennifer Garner recently detailed the 'ludicrous' paparazzi frenzy that put her family in 'danger.'
July 22 2026, Published 1:14 a.m. ET
Jennifer Garner is opening up about her stardom and how over three decades in Hollywood have impacted her and her family.
Although she is grateful for everything the industry has helped her achieve, there is one major issue she continues to face even today: being hounded by paparazzi.
She spoke about the same during her recent appearance on Evan Ross Katz’s “Shut Up Evan” podcast, calling the experience "totally ludicrous.”
“And it felt like ‘Poor little me, my poor little kids who have everything in the world,’ but it was a danger to everyone around us,” she added.
Jennifer Garner revealed that the paparazzi frenzy surrounding her put everyone in 'danger.'
Jennifer Garner Recalled Paparazzi Following Her to Doctor Visits
Jennifer Garner shares three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck.
The actress shares three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck: Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 14.
She recalled that things would sometimes escalate to a point where she would be “trying to get into the pediatrician” with “a sick kid on [her] shoulder,” and be “scared” when she couldn't “get into the door because [she would be] blocked by photographers.”
“There’s something wrong with that. And the kids are paying the price,” she remarked.
Jennifer Garner alleged that the paparazzi kept hounding her because she was with her children.
“Kids were getting knocked over coming out of preschool by photographers who were so hungry to get to me or to Ben, trying to get to our kids,” Garner revealed.
She also said that she would get the worst of the paparazzi frenzy at the time, despite having neighbors who were far more successful and famous.
“They followed me because I had the kids. They wouldn’t follow Ben. They wouldn’t follow Matt Damon,” she said, referring to Affleck’s BFF.
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Jennifer Garner Said Paparazzi Would Break Traffic Laws to Get to Her
Jennifer Garner said that the paparazzi would break traffic laws to get a glimpse of her.
The 54-year-old also told the host that there were times when the photographers would disregard laws to catch a glimpse of her.
“If I went through a yellow light, 15 cars would go through the red behind me. They would drive up onto people’s lawns, even on a hillside,” she said.
At the same time, she admitted that she has developed “a very interesting relationship” with one particular photographer who has been assigned to her for 20-plus years, adding that they have “an odd respect for each other.”
Jennifer Garner revealed she has developed a 'strange' relationship with one of the paparazzi assigned to her.
“We’ve had some really real-life moments together. I was followed by someone who, for whatever reason, I thought was going to hurt me, and I ran to him because I knew him and trusted him, and I knew that he and I would be OK,” she said.
“There’s kind of a Stockholm Syndrome thing, 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?’” the 13 Going on 30 star added.
