My Favorite Role Is Mommy, Says “Jennifer Garner”

When in need of some life advice, there’s one gal pal thatJennifer Garner can always be sure to rely on: Reese Witherspoon.

“If I run into Reese, she and I have so much to talk about,” Garner, 42, said at the press day for her new filmDanny Collins, in which she stars alongside Al Pacino. “We’ll be on the street corner and just be like, ‘What do you do about this, and how did you handle this?’ ”

She continues, “I’m so grateful for that very specific kind of friend.”

A typical juicy conversation that takes place between the two hard-working Hollywood mothers may specifically consist of whether or not a role is worth (temporarily) departing from motherhood.

“I have such a big thing to balance [jobs] against that it has to besomething I love so much,” Garner says of feeling “surprised,” but grateful every time that she gets handed a new offer and has to think about calling in the in-laws for some long-term babysitting. While stationed at home and playing her favorite role as mommy, Garner makes it a point to keep her routine consistent.

“I make sure everyone has notes for their lunch box every day and [figure out] who’s having something special, and deciding who I read extra to [in the] morning,” Garner says of how a morning plays outwith her and husband Ben Affleck‘s children, Violet, 9, Seraphina, 5, and Samuel, 3. And, coming up on 10 years of marriage, being a wife is something that she sure excels in, as well. “I’m going straight to New York from here, and then I’m going to visit Ben [on set in Atlanta to] make sure he’s good,” Garner says about her special trip to see Affleck, 42, while filming his new role in The Accountant. She adds, “It’s just what you do [as a mom].” From an actress to a mother and a room mom to a Girl Scout troop leader, there’s not much that Garner hasn’t tried.

“I’ve been the room mom for pre-school and kindergarten this year, and I’m the Girl Scout troop leader for third grade,” Garner shares. “When I’m home, I dive in, [and] I try to Betty Crocker it up as much as I can.”

And when the going gets tough, the actress gets going. “It just happened the other day where I was like, ‘I think I’m ready to be on set and talk to grownups,’ ” Garner jokes. “Send Batman in.”