Jennifer Garner reveals her agent gave her an ultimatum about retiring

Jennifer Garner is opening up about an ultimatum her former agent once gave her, about either retiring from acting, or starring in Dallas Buyers Club.

The 48-year-old actress was contemplating passing on the role of Dr. Eve Saks in the drama, starring Matthew McConaughey in his Oscar-winning role.

Her agent at the time, Patrick Whitesell, who also represented her then-husband Ben Affleck, gave her an ultimatum in 2012, Garner reveals to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ultimatum: Jennifer Garner is opening up about an ultimatum her former agent once gave her, about either retiring from acting, or starring in Dallas Buyers Club

Jen as Eve: The 48-year-old actress was contemplating passing on the role of Dr. Eve Saks in the drama, starring Matthew McConaughey in his Oscar-winning role

Jen as Eve: The 48-year-old actress was contemplating passing on the role of Dr. Eve Saks in the drama, starring Matthew McConaughey in his Oscar-winning role

Cover girl: Her agent at the time, Patrick Whitesell, who also represented her then-husband Ben Affleck , gave her an ultimatum in 2012, Garner reveals to The Hollywood Reporter

Cover girl: Her agent at the time, Patrick Whitesell, who also represented her then-husband Ben Affleck , gave her an ultimatum in 2012, Garner reveals to The Hollywood Reporter 

‘He said, “This is going to be a call about one of two things: It’s going to be a call about you doing this little movie, or it’s going to be a call about you retiring,”‘ she says. 

Garner acknowledges she had ‘asked enough of my representatives, who’d been working their tails off for me and I had said no to everything and kept getting pregnant.’

The actress added she was ‘truly overwhelmed’ by having her third child with Affleck, Samuel, and during that time, ‘Ben was making Argo and I was just trying to keep the plates spinning.’

Acting or retiring: 'He said, "This is going to be a call about one of two things: It¿s going to be a call about you doing this little movie, or it¿s going to be a call about you retiring,"' she says

Acting or retiring: ‘He said, “This is going to be a call about one of two things: It’s going to be a call about you doing this little movie, or it’s going to be a call about you retiring,”‘ she says

While she was staying incredibly busy at home, she also knew that she wasn’t ready to give up her career quite yet. 

‘I also knew that I didn’t want to be done acting, so I said, “OK, I’ll do it,”‘ Garner said of taking the role in Dallas Buyers Club, which ended up being a critically-acclaimed hit, with Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto both winning Oscars.

Garner added that McConaughey, who she also starred alongside in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, ‘has a special place in my heart.’

Oscar winners: 'I also knew that I didn¿t want to be done acting, so I said, "OK, I¿ll do it,"' Garner said of taking the role in Dallas Buyers Club, which ended up being a critically-acclaimed hit, with Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto both winning Oscars

Oscar winners: ‘I also knew that I didn’t want to be done acting, so I said, “OK, I’ll do it,”‘ Garner said of taking the role in Dallas Buyers Club, which ended up being a critically-acclaimed hit, with Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto both winning Oscars

She added that the Oscar-winning actor always had her back during production, and would even cover for her when she’d have to nurse between scenes. 

Dallas Buyers Club was a turning point in her career, after a string of flops such as The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Arthur and The Invention of Lying. 

She also opened up about the dynamic between her and her ex-husband Ben Affleck, and how people react differently to both of them.

Turning point: Dallas Buyers Club was a turning point in her career, after a string of flops such as The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Arthur and The Invention of Lying

Turning point: Dallas Buyers Club was a turning point in her career, after a string of flops such as The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Arthur and The Invention of Lying

‘People are in awe of him. He’s done incredible things, he’s six-four, he’s … him, and they treat him with a kind of reverence,’ she revealed.

‘They say that people treat me like we were just in the middle of a conversation and they want to get back to it,’ she added.

‘They’ll see me and be like, ‘Oh, I’ve been meaning to tell you … “‘ Garner said.

Jen and Ben: She also opened up about the dynamic between her and her ex-husband Ben Affleck, and how people react differently to both of them

Jen and Ben: She also opened up about the dynamic between her and her ex-husband Ben Affleck, and how people react differently to both of them