Fans didn’t always see Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner‘s daughter Violet around the town. But lately, the 19-year-old has been taking a bigger step into the public eye.
Case in point? Violet recently delivered a passionate speech at the United Nations headquarters in New York, in which she spoke about the effects of long COVID in children and called for clean air infrastructure.
“We are told by leaders across the board that we are the future,” the Yale student stated in her Sept. 23 address. “But when it comes to the ongoing pandemic, our present is being stolen right in front of our eyes.”
Four months before, Violet published an essay in The Yale Global Health Review in which she compared the responses to climate change—detailing her experience with the Los Angeles fires—to those of the COVID-19 pandemic. And in July 2024, the youth advocate attended a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting in which she called for steps to be taken to confront long COVID, including availability of masks, tests and treatment; air filtration in government facilities; and an opposition to mask bans.
“I contracted a post-viral condition in 2019,” she shared at the time. “I’m OK now, but I saw firsthand that medicine does not always have answers to the consequences of even minor viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown that into sharper relief.”
But other than these instances, a 2022 visit to the White House and the occasional paparazzi photo, Violet has lived a relatively private life. And after years of her and her family—which includes siblings Seraphina, 16, and Samuel, 13—being hounded by photographers, who could blame her?
Jennifer even remembers Violet speaking out against the paparazzi when she was only in kindergarten.
“Violet’s hyper-articulate—she is Ben Affleck’s daughter,” the 13 Going on 30 star—who testified in court to champion the “No Kids Policy” to shield children from the paparazzi—recalled to The Hollywood Reporter in 2021, “and she stood up on a chair in a little velvet dress, with her hair a bit back and her glasses on and she didn’t say her R’s right, and she said: ‘We didn’t ask for this. We don’t want these cameras, they’re scary. The men are scary, they knock each other over and it’s hard to feel like a kid when you’re being chased.'”
Jennifer and Ben—who’ve remained on good terms after breaking up in 2015 and finalizing their divorce three years later—have also refrained from sharing photos of their kids on social media and having them join the apps.
“She’ll occasionally talk to me about getting Instagram, and I can see why,” the actress recalled about Violet on a 2019 episode of Next Question With Katie Couric. “Because I’m on there and it’s something kind of fun that I do and I’m modeling the oppose of what I want for her to do. How often is that in parenting? And I just say, ‘When you can show me studies that say that teenage girls are happier using Instagram than not, then we can have the conversation. But everything you look at, I don’t see anything positive for you out there.'”
Still, Jennifer and Ben have shared some insights into their family’s world. And other than having celebrity parents, it sounds like Violet’s life isn’t all that different from that of other teenagers: She’s in school, applied for jobs and internships and isn’t afraid to tell her mom and dad what she really thinks (whether it be about their movies or use of emojis).
“My daughter is so funny, she teases me, she’s 14 and she’s like, ‘Why do they let you on this group chat? You don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t pretend you have any idea what’s going on,'” the Oscar winner said at a 2020 screening of his film The Way Back, per People. “Then she’s like, ‘What are they saying on the group chat?’ which is only appropriate very rarely for my daughter, but it’s a lot of fun.”
And it’s been for Ben and Jennifer to watch her grow.
“She’s a self-starter,” the Alias alum said on Live With Kelly and Mark in 2023 while discussing Violet’s college application process. “I’m just proud of her no matter what.”
To see more stars and their mini-me kids, keep reading.
Jodie Sweetin & Zoie Herpin
The Full House alum appears with her look-alike eldest daughter (left) and daughter Beatrix during a trip to Jamaica in 2023.
Yolanda Hadid & Gigi Hadid
Like mother like daughter. After becoming a household name on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the former supermodel Yolanda Hadid‘s daughter Gigi Hadid broke into the fashion industry as a teen and has been rocking runways ever since.
Clint Eastwood & Scott Eastwood
Clint Eastwood‘s fifth child, son Scott Eastwood, has followed in his movie star footsteps by starring in films like Suicide Squad, Snowden, The Fate of the Furious and Pacific Rim.
Jon Bon Jovi & Jake Bongiovi
The Bon Jovi singer and his third child is his mini-me. Pictured: The two appear on either sides of with the musician’s wife, Dorothea Bongiovi, and their youngest son Romeo Bongiovi at the Jefferson Awards Foundation’ 2017 DC National Ceremony at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. in 2017.
Katie Holmes & Suri Cruise
The look-alike duo is all smiles while attending a 2016 performance of Finding Neverland in the Big Apple.
James Marsden & Jack Marsden
Woah, the Marsden men’s resemblance was uncanny at the 2017 SAG Awards.
Sienna Miller & Marlowe Sturridge
The Alfie star’s daughter, whom she shares with ex Tom Sturridge, joined her mom for a rare public outing in London in April 2025.
Kim Zolciak & Brielle Bierman
Double take! The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum’s daughter looks like her younger sister!
Cristiano Ronaldo & Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.
The soccer star has the cutest plus-one ever at the London premiere of Ronaldo.
Christie Brinkley & Sailor Brinkley-Cook
Sailor is taking after her mom in the modeling industry.
Kate Moss & Lila Moss
And Kate’s daughter is also following in her mom’s famous footsteps.
Reese Witherspoon & Ava Phillippe
Here posing for an Instagram snap before the Hot Pursuit premiere in Los Angeles, mom and her daughter have never looked more alike!
Lisa Bonet & Zoë Kravitz
Like mother, like daughter. The two attend the Vanity Fair Oscars party in 2015.
Rumer Willis & Demi Moore
With their matching jumpsuits, sleek hair and glasses, the two look more like twins than mother and daughter! “That moment when you realize you actually are becoming your mother #twinning #imnotmad,” Willis joked on Instagram.
Madonna & Lourdes Leon
Pictured here in 2010, the pop icon’s daughter is a fashionista just like her mama!
David Beckham & Brooklyn Beckham
You’ll get a kick out of how much the soccer star and his son look alike.
Kelly Ripa & Lola Consuelos
The spunky morning show host celebrated her daughter’s 14th birthday with this adorable pic. Look at that resemblance!
Uma Thurman & Maya Hawke
Once upon a time in Hollywood…the Kill Bill actress twinned with her daughter on the red carpet.
Jay Z & Blue Ivy Carter
Little Blue stole the show at the 2017 Grammys, and she’s totally #twinning with her pops!
Alison Sweeney & Megan Sanov
The Days of Our Lives star and her daughter get in the holiday spirit at Disney On Ice Presents Frozen at the Staples Center.
Lily-Rose Depp & Vanessa Paradis
The mother-daughter pair looked like virtual twinsies (especially with those matching bobs) at the Chanel fall-winter Haute Couture show in Paris.
Julianne Moore & Liv Freundlich
The Oscar-winner and her daughter both rock the red hair.
Robin Wright & Dylan Penn
The nearly identical stunning stars even dress the same!
Lori Loughlin & Olivia Giannulli
The Fuller House star and her daughter are practically twins at the Summer TCA Press Tour.
Daniel Day-Lewis & Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis
The Last of the Mohicans and Lincoln star’s young adult son, whose mother is French actress Isabelle Adjani, made his big runway debut at 2015 Paris Fashion Week, walking into the Chanel show with Julianne Moore.
Gillian Anderson & Piper Maru Klotz
The two stunned on the red carpet at the Olivier Awards in London.
Kaia Gerber & Cindy Crawford
If you didn’t know better, you might’ve guessed they were sisters!
Tom Hanks & Colin Hanks
This apple certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree!
Mamie, Grace and Louisa Gummer & Meryl Streep
Mammia Mia! You can certainly see the family resemblance.
John Legend & Luna Legend
The EGOT winner posted this baby photo of himself, looking exactly like baby Luna on Oct. 6, 2017
