When we talk about Jennifer Garner's romantic history, the conversation usually jumps straight to Ben Affleck. It’s natural. They were the "it" couple for a decade, they have three kids, and the paparazzi followed them like a shadow. But long before the tabloid frenzy of "Bennifer 2.0," there was another actor in the picture. Scott Foley.
He wasn't just a placeholder. Honestly, he was the guy there when Jennifer Garner was barely a name on a call sheet. Most people today know him from Scandal or Grey’s Anatomy, but back in the late nineties, he was the charming Noel Crane on Felicity. That’s where it all started.
The Felicity Spark: How They Actually Met
It wasn't some grand movie premiere or a high-stakes Hollywood party. In 1998, Garner was just another working actress looking for her big break. She landed a guest spot on Felicity playing Hannah Bibb—the long-distance girlfriend of Scott Foley's character.
The chemistry wasn't just for the cameras.
They hit it off immediately. Foley has since described their meeting as "instant," and they started dating shortly after her two-episode arc wrapped. It’s kinda crazy to think about now, but at the time, Foley was the bigger star. He was the series regular on a hit show; she was the guest star.
They were together for about two years before they decided to make it official. No massive media spectacle. No selling the photos to People magazine for millions. They got married in their own backyard on October 19, 2000. It was small. Private. Very "West Virginia" of her, if you think about it.
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Why the Marriage to Jennifer Garner’s First Husband Collapsed
Success is a weird thing in Hollywood. It can be the very thing that builds a life and the exact thing that tears it down. Shortly after they wed, Jennifer Garner’s career didn't just grow—it exploded.
J.J. Abrams, who had also worked on Felicity, cast her as Sydney Bristow in Alias. Suddenly, she wasn't just "Scott Foley’s wife." She was a Golden Globe-winning action star. She was in Pearl Harbor. She was filming Daredevil.
The schedule was brutal.
The "Victims of Hollywood" Narrative
Garner has been remarkably candid about why things fell apart. Years later, she told InStyle that they were essentially "victims of Hollywood." Everything moves too fast there. If a marriage hits a bump in a normal town, you work through it. In the fast lane of Los Angeles, the culture often suggests just moving on.
"We were full-on grown-ups, but looking back I'm aware we did not know what hit us. We didn't have a shot. He's a really good guy, and we just imploded." — Jennifer Garner to Allure (2013).
There were rumors, of course. People pointed fingers at her Alias co-star Michael Vartan. Others whispered about the time she spent with Ben Affleck on the set of Daredevil. But Foley has always been a class act about the split. He told TV Guide back in 2003 that there was no infidelity. He basically said that Jennifer became a massive star, and the marriage just couldn't handle the shift in dynamics.
It’s a tale as old as time in Tinseltown. One person’s star rises while the other’s stays steady, and the foundation starts to crack.
The Breaking Point: The 2003 Oscars
If you want to pin down the exact moment the public knew it was over, look at the 2003 Academy Awards. Garner showed up as a presenter. She looked stunning. But she was alone.
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Well, not totally alone—she brought a female friend as her date.
In the world of celebrity PR, that's a flashing red siren. Divorce papers later confirmed that March 23, 2003—the night of those Oscars—was their official date of separation. They announced the split just a week later on April 1. Some people actually thought it was a cruel April Fool’s joke. It wasn't.
Life After the Split: Where Are They Now?
The divorce was finalized in March 2004. Garner, as we know, went on to marry Ben Affleck in 2005. Foley took a bit more time. He eventually found his "forever" in actress Marika Domińczyk. They married in 2007 and have three kids.
Interestingly, there is zero bad blood.
In 2021, Foley told Andy Cohen that while they don't exactly hang out or text—they both have their own families and lives—they are perfectly civil. He’s run into her in L.A. with his wife, and it’s always cordial. No drama. No messy tell-all books. Just two people who grew apart before they really knew who they were.
Key Takeaways from the Garner-Foley Era
Looking back at the history of Jennifer Garner’s first husband, a few things become clear about why this relationship still gets brought up:
- Age Matters: Garner has admitted she regrets marrying in her twenties. She’s famously said she wishes she had waited until she was 30 to walk down the aisle.
- The Fame Factor: Rapid stardom is a pressure cooker. When Alias took off, the "normal" life they had built in their backyard vanished.
- Communication Gaps: Garner later reflected that she didn't have a "voice" back then. She struggled to advocate for what she needed in the relationship, choosing therapy later to find that strength.
If you’re navigating a relationship where one person’s career is taking off while the other’s is stagnant, the Garner-Foley story is a bit of a cautionary tale. It requires a massive amount of intentionality to keep the "implosion" at bay.
The best way to respect their history is to see it for what it was: a sweet, early-career romance that simply couldn't survive the transition into the A-list spotlight. Sometimes, "imploding" is just the natural result of two people growing in completely different directions.
Actionable Insight: If you're entering a major life transition or a period of rapid career growth, prioritize "check-in" sessions with your partner that focus on the relationship dynamic rather than just logistical scheduling. Professional counseling during times of high success—not just during times of crisis—can help maintain the balance that fame often tips over.