Jennifer Garner biography

Synopsis

Jennifer Garner was born on April 17, 1972, in Houston, Texas. After performing on stage, she moved to Los Angeles to work in television, landing bit parts Spin City and Law and Order. In 2000, she earned notice for her role on Felicity, and was cast in the TV drama, Alias. In turn, she landed the films as Catch Me If You Can and Daredevil. She starred in Elektra in 2005 and The Kingdom in 2007.

Early Life

Actress Jennifer Anne Garner was born on April 17, 1972, in Houston, Texas. The daughter of a chemical engineer and a retired English professor, Garner was raised in Charleston, West Virginia, with her two sisters. She attended Denison University in Ohio, where she graduated with a degree in theater in 1996. After performing on stage in New York City, she moved to Los Angeles to work in television, landing bit parts on several shows, including Spin City and Law and Order.

Commercial Success

In 2000, Garner earned notice for her recurring role on the hit show Felicity, and the show's producer subsequently cast her as the lead in a new ABC drama, Alias. It was her starring turn as CIA agent Sydney Bristow that made Garner into an overnight success, earning her a loyal following of viewers and critical praise. In turn, she was cast in such feature films as the Steven Spielberg film Catch Me If You Can co-starring Leonard DiCaprio; Daredevil co-staring Ben Affleck; and 13 Going On 30 with actor Mark Ruffalo. In January 2005, she starred in the Daredevil spin-off, Elektra.

In 2007, Garner starred in the action film The Kingdom, which addressed U.S. conflicts with the oil industry in Saudi Arabia. That same year, she co-starred with Ellen Page, Michael Cera and Jason Bateman in the indie comedy, Juno. The film won more than 45 awards, including an Oscar for Best Screenplay and a Grammy for the motion-picture soundtrack. Garner's role as an adoptive mother also earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her upcoming projects include the television remake of the play Cyrano de Bergerac, as well as the romantic comedy The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.