Also Credited As:Jennifer Anne Garner
Job Title: Actor, Producer
Born: Jennifer Anne Garner on April 17, 1972 in Houston, Texas, USA
Biography
ABOUT JENNIFER GARNER
Initially seen as the squeaky-clean girl-next-door, actress Jennifer Garner became a fan favorite after channeling an inner-strength she never suspected she possessed. Garners' early work consisted of several TV-movies, numerous series guest spots, a few minor turns in feature films like "Washington Square" (1997) and a recurring role on the hit drama, "Felicity" (The WB, 1998-2002). Her natural appeal began attracting attention with supporting roles opposite Ashton Kutcher in the slacker comedy, "Dude, Where's My Car?" (2000) and the big-budget WWII epic, "Pear Harbor" (2001), starring future husband Ben Affleck. But it was her breakthrough role as Sydney Bristow, the tough-as-nails super spy on the action adventure series "Alias" (ABC, 2002-06) that turned the previously waifish actress into a leading lady to be reckoned with. Attempting to parlay the success of "Alias" into film work as a female action hero, she played Affleck's femme fatale, Elektra, in the superhero adventure, "Daredevil" (2003). The gambit failed to pay off, however, as audiences found her far more endearing in softer romantic comedies like "13 Going on 30" (2004). Following her marriage to Affleck, Garner began appearing more often as an ensemble player, earning high marks with relatable, comedic turns in such films as "Juno" (2007), "Valentine's Day" (2010) and "Arthur" (2011). Exceptionally attractive and surprisingly versatile, Garner was one of Hollywood's most sough-after actresses.
The middle child in a family of three daughters, Jennifer Garner was born on April 17, 1972 to parents Patricia and Billy Jack Garner. Mom was an English professor, while dad was a chemical engineer who moved the family to West Virginia in 1976 after securing a job with Union Carbide. Four-year-old Garner was already a budding entertainer by then, her ballet lessons expanding to an interest in musical theater. Growing up, Garner was always involved in one stage production or another, either a dance recital, musical, or marching along with her saxophone in the school band. Despite her obvious love of performing, she seemed interested in following in her father's footsteps when Garner enrolled at Denison University in Ohio and began working towards a chemistry degree. Once she took her first acting class, however, she was hooked. She spent summers doing regional theater, declared a theater major, and furthered her drama studies at the National Theater Institute in Connecticut, where she trained with renowned combat choreographer David Chandler who found her dance background and natural athleticism perfect for stage fighting. In 1995, Garner moved to New York with her sights set on becoming a stage actress.
Within her first year, Garner landed a job as an understudy on Broadway and snared a small role in the period movie-of-the-week "Zoya" (NBC, 1995). The following year, the newcomer had unheard of success to write home about, with guest spots on three prime time dramas and two TV movies, including a starring role in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production "Harvest of Fire" (CBS), playing an Amish bride. The overwhelming response encouraged her to put her stage aspirations on hold and move to Los Angeles to pursue film and television work. Garner made her big screen debut in 1997, with small roles in Agnieszka Holland's adaptation of the Henry James classic "Washington Square" as well as Woody Allen's Academy Award-nominated "Deconstructing Harry." The popularity of cable TV's youthful dramas was tailor-made for 26-year-old Garner's cheerful yet sexy girl-next-door appeal, and Fox snapped her up for a starring role in the twenty-something drama "Significant Others" (1998). The show only lasted three episodes, but Garner had barely left the Fox lot when she was called back to co-star opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt in the "Party of Five" (Fox, 1994-2000) gamine's spin-off "The Time of Your Life" (1999-2000). Playing Romy, a would-be actress, offered Garner enviable screen time and some good storylines, but "The Time of Your Life" failed to find an audience and was cancelled after only one season.
Garner rebounded with a memorable turn on the WB's "Felicity" (WB, 1998-2002) as Hanna, the musician girlfriend of laid-back resident adviser N l (Scott Foley). The recurring role earned Garner some increased notice and also introduced her to her husband - she and Foley would marry in 2000 - though their characters' relationship did not last through 1999. She followed up with a pair of high-profile movie roles. "Dude, Where's My Car?" (2000) earned her lifelong recognition on the street from the frat crowd, but her role as a thoughtful military nurse in Michael Bay's epic World War II blockbuster "Pearl Harbor" (2001) - a film which starred her future husband, Affleck - was a bit more of a feather in her acting cap.
Despite several failed prime time outings, Garner took another chance on TV and found a career-making role with "Alias," in which she starred as a graduate student with a secret double life as a spy. The show instantly found a following, tapping into the era's Xena/Buffy "girl power" trend with a butt-kicking heroine able to juggle a part-time job, schoolwork, and CIA operative status with a wink and an endless array of outrageous disguises. Of course "Alias" drew an enormous male viewership as well, establishing Garner as one of the rare Hollywood talents equally embraced by both genders: women wanted to be her best friend, men wanted to be her boyfriend. Garner's down-to-earth, off-screen persona as an anti-diva only endeared her more to growing legions of fans. While "Alias" delivered steady ratings and its star racked up Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress - in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 - Garner continued to keep one foot in the film world. She had a brief part as a fashion model with an intriguing sideline in Steven Spielberg's stylish "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), before taking the lead in 2003 as martial artist and assassin Elektra, enemy and lover of Marvel Comics superhero "Daredevil" (Ben Affleck). The personality and action prowess that had made Garner a small screen star translated perfectly to the big screen, putting her up alongside top female box office heroines as Lucy Liu and Angelina Jolie.
Unfortunately, the budding movie star's high profile meant that her private life became of great interest to celebrity gossip magazines. As much as Garner tried to keep her personal life hidden, intruding press was blamed for adding stress to her marriage to Scott Foley. When the couple separated, the break-up made headlines. Speculation of a clandestine relationship with "Alias" co-star Michael Vartan was eventually confirmed and following the demise of that relationship, Garner successfully managed to keep a whirlwind romance with former co-star Ben Affleck under wraps almost until the couple announced their engagement in spring of 2005. Back at work, Garner continued her rise to A-list actress, starring in the harmlessly entertaining "13 Going on 30" (2004), a sort of girl power version of "Big" in which she impressively essayed the 30-year-old transformation of an awkward teenage girl. Just as Garner received a lavish amount of promotion from ABC for the fourth season of "Alias," the actress appeared in her highest profile movie to date, reprising her "Daredevil" character for spin-off film "Elektra" (2005). Once again, Garner's physical commitment to the role of the resurrected martial-artist/assassin-turned-protector was impressive, and she brought her understated acting prowess to the significantly darker film. Despite some fun action moments, however, the film's story was a jumble that was lost on most audiences and the film tanked spectacularly. In fact, Garner seemed to sense it was a turkey and, unlike with the film's predecessor, she did very little publicity for "Elektra," preferring instead to focus on her growing relationship with Affleck.
Garner made her directorial debut helming an episode of the fifth season of "Alias," during which she also maintained producer status. But the star's confirmed pregnancy - she and Affleck wed in a private island ceremony in June 2005 - threatened to significantly limit her action capabilities for what would ultimately be the show's final season. There were rumors that she had an exit from "Alias" planned with the series continuing on, but the show was officially canceled in November 2005 after declining ratings and several time slot changes around the ABC schedule. The network gave the star several months of hiatus to give birth to her first child, Violet Affleck, before resuming production of the series finale in the spring. In 2007, Garner picked up her film career with appearances in three very different projects. First she starred in the romantic comedy "Catch and Release" as a woman coping with the death of her fiancé with the help of his closest friends. The film was critically panned but did make a dent at the box office with support from the important "chick flick" demographic. With the international political thriller "The Kingdom" (2007), Garner was a strong addition to the ensemble cast which included Jamie Foxx and Chris Cooper. The controversial fictionalized tale of U.S. investigators uncovering terrorist ties in Saudi Arabia met with mixed reviews, but did moderately well at the box office.
Garner's nearly-forgotten stage dreams were finally realized in November of 2007 when she debuted on Broadway opposite Kevin Kline in "Cyrano." She was applauded by The New York Times for lending the time-tested character of Roxane a "lively touch," "unaffected sprightliness," and "impeccable comic timing." The actress scored again in December with a supporting role, as a potential adoptive parent in the indie comedy "Juno" (2007), an unexpectedly poignant tale of a snarky pregnant teen (Ellen Page). The film opened to excellent responses at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals. In between juggling new projects, paparazzi invading her personal space and marriage, Garner gave birth to another child with Affleck, daughter Seraphina Rose in January 2009 and promoted her latest romantic comedy, "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," co-starring Matthew McConaughey. The busy actress' next onscreen role was opposite British comedian Ricky Gervais in the romantic comedy, "The Invention of Lying" (2009).
As picture-perfect as Garner and Affleck's lives may have seemed to the average person, they too experienced the darker side of fame, with one incident in particular. In 2010, Steven Burky, a man who had reportedly been stalking Garner for eight years, was ruled insane and remanded to a California state mental hospital after violating a restraining order and pleading insanity in 2009. A Los Angeles judge ordered that Burky stay far away from Garner and her family for at least 10 years, should he ever be released from the facility. She continued with her film work, although more often as a supporting player in such projects as director Garry Marshall's star-studded comedy, "Valentine's Day" (2010). The following year she played a shrewd social climber in the remake of the comedy-drama, "Arthur" (2011), starring Russell Brand in the role originated by the incomparable Dudley Moore. That same year, Garner made her bow as a movie producer on the quirky comedy, "Butter" (2011), in which she played an ambitious Midwestern housewife competing in a prestigious local butter sculpting contest. In February 2012, she and Affleck welcomed their first son, Samuel.
PARTNERS:
Companion: Michael Vartan. Met while working together on Alias (Fox); began dating May 2003; ended relationship July 2004
Husband: Ben Affleck. Met in 2003, while working together on Daredevil (2003); began dating in 2004; engaged April 2005; married June 28, 2005 at the Parrot Cay resort in the Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos
Husband: Scott Foley. Met while playing his love interest on Felicity (WB); married on Oct. 19, 2000; separated in April 2003; divorced in 2003
FAMILY:
Daughter: Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck. Born Jan. 6, 2009; father, Ben Affleck
Daughter: Violet Affleck. Born Dec. 1, 2005; father, Ben Affleck
Father :Bill Garner.
Mother: Pat Garner.
Sister: Melissa Garner. Older
Sister: Susannah Garner. Younger
Son: Samuel Garner Affleck. Born Feb. 27, 2012; father, Ben Affleck
EDUCATION:
George Washington High School, Charleston , West Virginia
Denison University, Granville , Ohio
CAREER MILESTONES:
Raised in West Virginia
1995
Had early TV credit in the NBC miniseries Danielle Steele s Zoya
1996
Acted in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV-movie presentation Harvest of Fire (CBS)
1996
Cast in Larry McMurtry s Dead Man s Walk, an ABC miniseries and the fourth installment of the Lonesome Dove saga
1996
Guested on an episode of the UPN police series Swift Justice
1996
Was an understudy for the Broadway revival of A Month in the Country starring Helen Mirren
1997
Appeared in the comedy Mister Magoo
1997
Featured in Agnieszka Holland s adaptation of Henry James 19th-century New York-set classic Washington Square
1997
Had a cameo in Woody Allen s Deconstructing Harry
1997
Portrayed a grown incarnation of an abandoned baby adopted by a gang of NYC street kids in the CBS TV-movie Rose Hill
1998
Had recurring role on Felicity (WB) playing Noel s girlfriend; the actor who played Noel (Scott Foley) later became her real life husband
1998
Was a regular on the short-lived Fox series Significant Others
1999
Cast in opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt in the Party of Five spin-off series The Time of Your Life (Fox)
1999
Featured in the two-part CBS TV-movie thriller Aftershock: Earthquake in New York
2000
Played Ashton Kutcher s girlfriend in Dude, Where s My Car?
2001
Breakout role starring as student-turned-secret agent Sydney Bristow in the ABC spy series Alias ; earned Golden Globe (2003, 2004), SAG (2004) and Emmy (2003, 2004, 2005) nominations for Best Actress
2001
Featured in the World War II epic Pearl Harbor as an uptight nurse; also starred future husband Ben Affleck
2002
Had a small but memorable role as a provacative model in director Steven Spielberg s Catch Me If You Can
2003
Played the exotic and deadly Elektra opposite Ben Affleck in Daredevil
2004
Played a thirteen year old who wishes to be older and wakes up a thirty year old in the comedy 13 going on 30
2005
Reprised her role from the 2003 film Daredevil to play the lead in Elektra
2007
Co-starred in the Jason Reitman-directed comedy/drama Juno
2007
Made Broadway debut as the object of Kevin Kline s affection in Edmond Rostand s Cyrano de Bergerac
2007
Portrayed a government agent investigating the bombing of an American facility in Saudi Arabia in Peter Berg s The Kingdom
2009
Co-starred with Matthew McConaughey in the romantic comedy, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
2009
Joined Ricky Gervais for the comedy, The Invention of Lying ; Gervais also wrote, directed and produced
2010
Joined an ensemble cast for the Garry Marshall directed romantic comedy, Valentine s Day
2011
Played Susan Johnson, the woman Arthur is supposed to marry in the remake of Arthur, opposite Russell Brand
Jennifer Garner arrives at the 2011 AFI FEST screening of "Butter" on November 6, 2011 in Hollywood, California.
Jennifer Garner poses for a portrait during 2011 Toronto Film Festival.
Jennifer Garner at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival premiere of "Butter" on September 13, 2011.
Olivia Wilde and Jennifer Garner at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival premiere of "Butter" on September 13, 2011.
Jennifer Garner from Walt Disney Pictures' "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" attends Disney's D23 Expo held at the Anaheim Convention Center on August 20, 2011 in Anaheim, California.
Jennifer Garner attends the New York City premiere of Arthur on April 15, 2011
Greta Gerwig, Russell Brand, Helen Mirren and Jennifer Garner attend the New York City premiere of Arthur on April 5, 2011.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner attend the 16th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards at the Hollywood Palladium on January 14, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
Jennifer Garner attends the 2011 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Gala in New York City on January 11, 2011.
Jennifer Garner arrives at Variety's 2nd Annual Power Of Women Luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel on September 30, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California.
Jennifer Garner at the 35th Annual Toronto Film Festival premiere of The Town on September 11, 2010.
Jennifer Garner at the 24th American Cinematheque Annual Gala Honoring Matt Damon on March 27, 2010.
Jennifer Garner and Anne Hathaway at the Los Angeles premiere of Valentine's Day - 02/08/2010.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Garner at the Los Angeles premiere of Valentine's Day - 02/08/2010
Jennifer Garner and Timothy Olyphant at the Los Angeles premiere of Catch and Release - 01/22/2007
Jennifer Garner arrives at the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 17, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California.
Fionnula Flanagan and Jennifer Garner at the Los Angeles premiere of The Invention of Lying - 09/21/2009
Jennifer Garner and Ricky Gervais at the Los Angeles premiere of The Invention of Lying - 09/21/2009
Jennifer Garner at the 34th Annual Toronto Film Festival premiere of The Invention of Lying - 09/14/2009
Rob Lowe and Jennifer Garner at the 34th Annual Toronto Film Festival premiere of The Invention of Lying - 09/14/2009
Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey at the Los Angeles premiere of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - 04/27/2009
Jennifer Garner and Camila Alves at the Los Angeles premiere of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - 04/27/2009
Michael Douglas, Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey at the Los Angeles premiere of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - 04/27/2009
Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner at the MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas - 09/09/2007
Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner at the London premiere of The Kingdom - 10/04/2007
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck at the 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills - 01/15/2007
ACTOR
Butter (2012) Laura Pickler
The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012) Cindy Green
Arthur (2011) Susan Johnson/ Susan
Valentine's Day (2010) Julia Fitzpatrick/ Julia Fitzpatrick
The Invention of Lying (2009) Anna McDoogles
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009) Jenny Perott
Juno (2007) Vanessa Loring
The Kingdom (2007) Janet Mayes
Catch and Release (2007) Gray Wheeler
Elektra (2005) Elektra Natchios
13 Going On 30 (2004) Jenna Rink
Stealing Time (2003) Kiley Bradshaw
Daredevil (2003) Elektra
Catch Me If You Can (2002) Cheryl Ann
Pearl Harbor (2001) Sandra
Dude, Where's My Car? (2000) Wanda
After Shock (1999) Actor
1999 (1998) Annabell
Mr. Magoo (1997) Stacy Sampanahoditra
Deconstructing Harry (1997) Woman in Elevator
Washington Square (1997) Marian Almond
Source: Yahoo
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