Is Ben Affleck’s Family Ties Hidden in 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives'?

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has taken over social media as of late. Everyone is talking about the show and the drama that has been revealed from it. There is, of course, the constant Whitney Leavitt drama, and the general debate over how the women represent Mormonism and go against the usual constructs of the religion. But one of the earliest reveals of the show was that Jen and her husband Zac are related to Ben Affleck. It became a running gag throughout the season that every time Jen was on-screen, her card would show both her first and last name, in comparison to the rest of the women who only had their first name shown. So every single time Jen showed up on screen it read “Jen Affleck,” a funny little nod to her supposed relation to mega-star Ben Affleck. But ever since she spilled her superstar genealogy, viewers have been wondering if there’s any truth to it. So what’s the deal?

Is 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Jen Related to Ben Affleck?

In the premiere episode of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Jen joked that she’s the original Jennifer Affleck. "Especially because my name happens to be not only Jen, but Jennifer Lynn Affleck, which is the exact same as JLo.” She explained. “She went from Jennifer Lynn Lopez to Jennifer Lynn Affleck, which is so crazy." But what’s crazier is that there is an actual connection between Jen and the Affleck’s thanks to her husband Zac.

In an interview with People, Jen confirmed the relation to the Afflecks, saying that Ben Affleck is her husband’s second cousin. Her father-in-law, Dave, is Ben and Casey Affleck’s first cousin, and reportedly met Ben when the star was young. Unfortunately though, neither Jen nor her husband have met the A-listers, and she says that they are more like distant cousins to them. "I'm hoping to meet him one day, too!" Jen said of Ben. "Hopefully they'll tune in, and hopefully we can do a meet and greet. They can tell me how the show is."

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Online Sleuths Don't Believe the 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Stars Are Related to Ben Affleck

While Jen often leans into the Affleck relation — making TikTok’s to “Jenny From the Block” and even joking that JLo stole her name — not all viewers were so quick to take her claims at face value. Reddit posts quickly began to form of sleuths digging into the genealogy of Zac and his family, and potentially revealing that there isn’t a relation to the Afflecks after all. At least, not the Hollywood Afflecks, that is. A Redditor did a deep dive on genealogy websites and concluded that, based on the claim that Zac’s dad is Ben Affleck’s first cousin, Zac’s grandfather, Gordon, and Ben’s dad, Timothy, would be brothers. But following this theory revealed that all of Ben’s genealogy comes from the East Coast, whereas Zac’s genealogy primarily comes from Utah. On top of that, Ben’s father, Timothy, only has one sibling, and it’s not Gordon, which kind of plateaus the entire relation right there.

We may never know for sure whether Jen and Zac are related to Ben Affleck, as it seems the genealogy can get quite messy if you try and figure it out on your own. The only way we’ll know for sure is if some sort of record were to come out and prove it, or if Ben Affleck himself confirms the relation; he may not have met them, but surely he’d know if he’s related to them, or be able to find out easily enough. Nonetheless, the Affleck name made for a hilarious running gag throughout the season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, so whether it’s true or not that Jen and Zac are related to the Hollywood Afflecks, we’ll at least always be able to get a good chuckle from the constant name-drops throughout the season.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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My list of must-try jean trends for 2026 is growing; it currently includes all the silhouettes one denim expert revealed to me as the must-watch of the year (save for baggy jeans, because I’ve been wearing those for years). That said, one style that didn’t land on said aforementioned list, but is clearly due for big, big things this year, is flare jeans. With a growing list of celebrity fans that includes Meghan Markle, Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Cindy Crawford, Kendrick Lamar (you know that moment), and, of course, Amal Clooney, there’s no denying the retro denim style that was popular in the early aughts is back—and bigger than ever.

The fact that Clooney wore flared jeans is noteworthy in and of itself. The human rights lawyer is known for her refined dressing approach, regularly opting for billowy trousers, trendy boho blouses, and comfy sweater dresses—all staples that read elegant and timeless. So, when I spotted her earlier this year in the laid-back blues while out to dinner with hubby George Clooney, I knew I had to write about it. Of course, the fact that she wore flare jeans, the style countless celebs have worn the last few weeks, is noteworthy, too, as it further cements the style’s ‘It’ status for 2026. 

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Clooney opted for a pair of medium-wash jeans with subtle fading (another Y2K reference, IMO). Her blues had an ultra-high waist—so high, in fact, that they appeared to hit at the ribcage. It’s the complete opposite of the controversial low-rise denim, so it’s a possible sign that the high-high waist is coming back, too. Not to mention, Clooney’s jeans had a slightly oversized fit from the thighs to the ankles, but it’s that flared hem that has all my attention; it’s taking me back to my middle school days when I’d wear my True Religion flares every single day. (No joke.)

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It’s undeniable that Clooney’s jeans have that nostalgic flair (ahem, flare, wink, wink), but it’s also undeniable that celebs are clamoring to the style because it’s incredibly flattering. The blues basically act like an optical illusion, making legs look super long, especially when paired with a style that has an extra-long hemline and sky-high platforms á la Lopez; the singer is 5-feet-5-inches, but don’t you agree with me that she looks way taller in these jeans? Yeah, that’s thanks to the flares. The flare hem and longer inseams help create the look of legs for days, but add in a high-waisted cut, platform heels, and a crop top, and you’ll fool people into thinking you’re inches taller. 

Leg-elongating factor aside, there’s no denying that flares are fun and nostalgia-inducing—and that’s exactly what I need right now. So, shop some more fun, funky flares from Frame, NYDJ, and Mavi below.

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