In a candid interview, the hot onscreen duo say they are happy they traded single life for parenthood.
Like her character in her new movie Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past, Jennifer Garner admits she once had a hard time on the singles market. And like his character, Matthew McConaughey — who plays a serial heartbreaker in the film — was once notorious on the dating scene, with a string of celebrity conquests to his credit.
But these days, the pair have left all that behind them. They are both settled down in happy relationships and both are celebrating the bliss of recent parenthood.
Jennifer, 37, and her hubby Ben Affleck have two young daughters — Violet, 3, and Seraphina, three months — while Matthew, 39, and Brazilian model Camila Alves, 27, have a nine-month-old son, Levi. Chatting to Woman’s Day, the pair discuss dating, parenthood and broken hearts.
What’s the worst chat-up line you’ve ever heard?
Jennifer Garner Oh, I don’t remember anything from one day to another. But people still will come up to me with pickup lines. That’s what I find really amazing!
Matthew McConaughey And guys will do it when you’re obviously pregnant?
JG Oh yeah, guys do love a pregnant girl. It’s creepy. I just had that something happened that was just like wow! I mean, you know… I have an 8-week-old baby, and it was fascinating. You know, now the pickup line is ‘if he’s not good to you…
Do you remember your first kiss, and your first serious relationship?
JG First kiss, Matt Crittendon, broke up with me the next day because he said I was a prude. I didn’t know what that meant. I was 14. My first serious relationship was when I was 16, and I dated the drummer in the band and I played the saxophone. Yep!
MM My first kiss was Amy Mitchell on the nature trail and she had braces and yep, that whole thing is true. It was not a great kiss!
What’s the most important thing you’d like to teach your children about dating when they grow up?
MM Respect women. And that starts with respecting yourself, which is what mom always taught us. She was always teaching us like that. So respect is important. I’ve got a son, so the challenge and the opportunity here is to raise a great man.
JG Yeah, I mean respect would be a huge, huge part of that. And absolutely you have to be a self confident woman to demand it of a man. And it doesn’t hurt to learn good right hook.
MM A right hook?
JG Yeah.
What was your first idea of love?
JG I mean who doesn’t remember the first person that they had those kind of feelings for? I mean, Donny Osmond?! I’m still waiting for him to…
MM Yeah, I do think the same. And I think you also never forget that first time you got heart-broken. I don’t think you eeeevver forget that one. And, eh, you don’t want it to ever happen again. You don’t, and you can be scared as hell along the way. Oh boy, I never want to feel that again.
JG Oh, that is a bad feeling.
Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past is in cinemas from May 7.
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