It was reported a couple of weeks ago that Jennifer Garner had quietly changed agents. According to Deadline, Jennifer has left WME and is now with CAA. Which is notable because her previous agent, Patrick Whitesell is a pretty big deal, repping Denzel Washington, Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, and guiding the careers of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. That’s right. She and Ben used to share an agent. And, just as she’s building some momentum in her career, with the success of Miracles From Heaven (the movie made almost $75 million from a modest $13 million budget and her performance was widely praised), she’s now making moves. Not just to CAA but to Kevin Huvane at CAA. Kevin Huvane’s client list includes Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock. Also… Jennifer Lopez.
I blanked on Garner’s agency switch when it first came out because I think I got caught up in Swoki. But then, this weekend, Fourth of July weekend in America, she’s not in LA with her family but instead in Paris for Fashion Week, sitting front row at Atelier Versace. You’ll recall, Jennifer wore Versace to the Oscars in February. Remember she talked about how hard it was to pee in that dress on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon?
Jennifer Garner isn’t a fashion front row regular. Obviously she’s developing a close style relationship with Donatella Versace. But this appearance, in combination with the agency change, might be a sign that she’s ready to professionally assert herself more aggressively, building on the great personal publicity she’s generated in the year since she and Ben Affleck announced their separation.
On that personal level though, what does it mean now that she and Ben no longer share an agent? There’s been speculation for months that they may eventually get back together. Can there be a professional division and a personal reconciliation? Or is the division both professional and personal? Ben Affleck is building a fragile comeback. Jennifer Garner has always been an asset to him. When Patrick Whitesell was repping them both, I wonder if his interests were always the priority. And now, now that she has representation independent of him, perhaps it’s because Amazing Amy really is calling all the shots.
Also attached - Ben Affleck out in LA yesterday.
