Ben Affleck Almost Cast Ex-Wife Jennifer Garner in ‘Animals’ Before Deciding ‘We Don’t Wanna Do That’: ‘You Just Get Baggage’

Ben Affleck originally wanted to cast his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, as the leading lady in his latest directorial effort, “Animals,” until a scheduling conflict meant he’d have to step into the role opposite her.

“I thought, God, Jen Garner would be amazing for this role,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “It also has the added benefit of, like, both of us will see our kids more because we do a week and a week and back and forth. I thought, well, we can coordinate our schedules around it.” He also noted that he thought Garner could “bring something interesting that she hasn’t [done], that I kind of know she can do, that I don’t think she had a chance to do in one movie.”

Initially, Matt Damon was attached to star as Mark Kimball, the male lead. But because of scheduling conflicts and another film in the same genre slated for a similar release window, Affleck tabled the film two weeks before production was set to begin. When it was time to revive “Animal,” Damon was set to star in another project: “The Odyssey.”

“Matt was unfortunately doing another lesser film, obviously, with Odyssey,” Affleck joked. “He chose a smaller director and a smaller film and a smaller role for his career, and I think he’s gonna suffer for it. He’ll regret this choice.”

Affleck stepped in for Damon, and the former couple ultimately decided they didn’t want the “baggage” that would come with the on-screen pairing: “I talked to Jen, and she was like, ‘We don’t wanna do that. You just get baggage,’” he said.

“I would love to work with her, frankly,” he continued. “She’s fabulous, and we’re really good friends, and I’m profoundly grateful to her, and we have a great thing. I still would wanna work with her in the future, but what you don’t wanna do is take the audience’s baggage and have it work against you, you know?”

Co-written by Affleck, Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray, “Animals” stars Affleck as a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped, giving him and his wife, Abigail (Kerry Washington), a few hours to come up with the ransom money.