After news of Jennifer Garner’s divorce from Ben Affleck broke, she reportedly said that she couldn’t remember a time when it was just the two of them. A common feeling for couples who have children early in their relationships, but it’s an unfortunate outcome for one of Hollywood’s favourite pairs. But instead of dwelling on demise of the celebrated couple, fans can at least focus on the happier times for this leading lady. Here are 10 memorable moments from Jennifer Garner’s life before Ben Affleck.
10. Made-for-television Jennifer
Before fame, fortune, and Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner appeared in her first small screen role in the made-for-television movie Zoya, based on a Danielle Steel novel. Jennifer had a relatively minor role playing Sasha, the main character’s “aggressively neurotic daughter” who was the catalyst for “innumerable family crises.” Fans can safely assume that the crises of a young Russian countess’s daughter wouldn’t really mirror the divorce drama of a modern Hollywood star.
Source: Zoya9. Dude, Jennifer’s Film Debut
In 2000, Jennifer Garner took her acting to the big screen when she appeared in Dude, Where’s My Car. In her feature film debut, she played the role of Ashton Kutcher’s girlfriend. While it wasn’t the most remarkable of roles, it helped her make her way along the path to the star she’d soon become.
Source: 20th Century Fox Film Corp.8. Historical Harbor Drama
Moving from comedy to something a bit more dramatic, Jennifer Garner appeared in 2001’s Pearl Harbor. In a film where she appeared alongside future husband Ben Affleck, Jen played a nurse in the period piece about the 1941 attack on the U.S. harbour.
Source: Touchstone Pictures7. Catch Her if You Can
Things kept rolling along for Jennifer garner professionally when Steven Spielberg sought her out for a role in his 2002 film Catch Me if You Can. The movie, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio, saw Jennifer Garner as a call girl, which was another departure from her previous roles and allowed her to show yet another side of the sometimes-sweet, sometimes-sultry, sometimes-kickass actress.
(c) DreamWorks/courtesy Everett Collection6. 13 is a Lucky Number for Jennifer Garner
Never limiting herself to one genre, Jennifer Garner jumped back into comedy with 2004’s 13 Going On 30. Playing a peppy popularity-seeking teen that is magically transformed into an adult, Jennifer captures the innocence and excited possibilities of every young girl when dreaming about growing up.
(c) Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection5. Jennifer Garner’s First Marriage
Before Ben there was Scott. In 1998, Jennifer Garner met Scott Foley on the set of the hit television series Felicity. The couple married in October 2000 and were a popular pair in the Hollywood scene, both endearing fans with their sweet smiles and adorable PDA. Unfortunately, the couple split up in 2003 due to “irreconcilable differences” and their divorce was finalized in 2004.
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com4. Stalker Sentenced
Another memorable moment that was more of a low-point than a highlight was the arrest of Steven Burky in 2009 after violating a restraining order that had been placed against him in 2008 for stalking Jennifer Garner. It’s alleged that the stalking behaviour started all the way back in 2002 and in 2010 Burky was ruled insane and sent to a mental hospital with an order to stay away from Garner and her family for 10 years if released. Yikes!
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com3. Grueling Daredevil Days
Jennifer Garner is well-known for her butt-kicking ways in Alias but, according to the actress herself, her training for the movie Daredevil was even more grueling. In fact, her future-husband Ben Affleck co-starred in the film and became her real-life hero when he became responsible for “reaching up and saving [her]” when she became entangled in wires. Her arms were stuck and she was unable to move while doing a flip and she came crashing “head-first with such velocity, that [she] was about to smash [her] head into the wall.”
TM & Copyright (c) 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection2. Acing Alias
From 2001 to 2006, Jennifer Garner played CIA agent and super-awesome super-spy Sydney Bristow in ABC’s hit series Alias. Full of action, intensity, and all the Jennifer you could want, Alias was the perfect vehicle to launch Jennifer Garner firmly into star status.
© ABC / Courtesy: Everett Collection1. Awarding Alias
Alias was more than just a fan favorite, with award nominations rolling in for Jennifer Garner’s popular prime-time performance right from the start. During the show’s run, Jennifer was nominated for four consecutive Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama, as well as a nomination for an Emmy Award. She finally won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in 2005.
Photo by Nicolas Khayat/ABACA.
