The Stunning Transformation Of Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner is one of Hollywood's most likable celebrities. With her sweet smile, cute dimples, and easy charm, it's hard not to be a fan of hers. Both a Southerner and small- town girl at heart, her life seemed normal enough until she moved to New York City to pursue her acting dreams. There, she quickly landed a few small parts before her acting career took off, thanks to her starring role on the hit TV show "Alias."

Flash forward a few years, and Garner quickly topped the A-list, thanks to roles in "13 Going on 30," "Juno," and "Elektra." Her personal life also became tabloid-worthy when she married her "Daredevil" co-star, Ben Affleck. The two would later have three children together and divorce after 10 years of marriage. That following April, Garner topped People's Most Beautiful People list, proving that her relatability and down-to-earth charm continues to attract and enthrall her adoring fans. Now an Instagram star, in addition, thanks to her "Pretend Cooking Show," it's clear that Garner continues to evolve. Let's look back at Jennifer Garner's amazing transformation through the years.

Everyone has embarrassing memories and photos from their time in high school, and Jennifer Garner is no different. On an episode of "Late Night with Seth Meyers" back in 2016, Garner talked about playing the alto saxophone in her high school marching band. She shared a photo of herself in full uniform alongside her saxophone, Sally the Sexy Saxophone. "But you can call her Sally," she told Meyers.

While she revealed to Meyers she lost Sally, this didn't stop Garner from dressing up in full marching band uniform for her friend Reese Witherspoon's birthday, where she played "Happy Birthday" on a saxophone (which was, sadly, not Sally). She obviously has fond memories of her marching band days, declaring, "Once a band geek, always a band geek" on Instagram when she attended a Texas A&M football game in 2017.

When her eldest daughter, Violet, entered high school, it became clear that Garner remains grateful for her high school experience. She told People, "I love high school football games. I loved any high school game. I'm so excited to have a high schooler and to get to go."

After graduating from college in 1994, Jennifer Garner did what most aspiring actors do: move to New York City. There, she landed tiny roles in various TV movies and TV shows like "Law & Order" and "Spin City" (via IMDb). The latter role would offer Garner another source of income when she met Stephen Colbert, another unknown actor at the time, who also had a small role on the same episode. On "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," the stars talked about meeting at the show's wrap party where they both complained about not having any other work lined up. Colbert mentioned having a baby at home, and Garner offered her babysitting services, which Colbert took her up on.

Between gigs, Garner also worked as a hostess on the Upper West Side alongside another future star, Elizabeth Banks, who waitressed at the same restaurant. During this time, Garner landed a life-changing role in the TV show "Alias," which, according to Banks, inspired her to keep going in her own career. "I was like, 'She did it man!' She's no longer a f—ing hostess! Like I might not always be a waitress! It might work out!' I got super encouraged," as Banks revealed at the Elle Women in Hollywood event (via Us Weekly).

How we know the Jennifer Garner we know today is from her breakout role in the hugely successful TV series "Alias." The spy drama was unlike anything seen before on TV, especially since it starred a female protagonist, CIA agent Sydney Bristow. "She had a vulnerability and a kindness in her that was undeniable," producer J.J. Abrams told The Hollywood Reporter of Garner, "and of course you couldn't take your eyes off of her." Not surprisingly, she was almost instantly catapulted to the A-list. On the series' 20th anniversary, Garner recalled the moment she knew her life would never be the same again: She went Christmas s​​hopping during the show's first season, and when she walked into the store, "every person in the store stopped to talk to me. I'd been acting a long time professionally and never [experienced that]," she shared with Access Hollywood.

In 2002, Garner won a Golden Globe for her work on the first season of "Alias," and she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actress that same year (in addition to three more nominations). Her role on the show, undoubtedly, raised her profile and helped land her parts on the big screen — including "Catch Me If You Can," directed by Steven Spielberg, and "Daredevil" with Ben Affleck — alongside A-list actors and directors (via IMDb).

As famous as Jennifer Garner is for her role in "Alias," she became even more well known from her starring role in the 2004 rom-com "13 Going on 30" as Jenna Rink. The movie continues to garner fans (no pun intended), both young and old, including famous fans like Ariana Grande, who paid tribute to the movie in her "thank u, next" music video, with tons of references and by wearing the character's famous green dress.

There was even a mash-up video of Garner's 2021 movie "Yes Day," with "13 Going on 30" paying tribute to the same necklace she wears in both movies that featured costumes designed by Susie DeSanto (via Us Weekly). The film has continued to impact audience members years later, with one writer commemorating the movie, describing it as a film that "isn't actually about life at 13 or at 30. It's about our perceptions of what constitutes an 'adult.'" That's something everyone turning 30 can relate to.

Like many moms can attest, Jennifer Garner's life was transformed when she became a mom. She and Ben Affleck welcomed their first daughter, Violet, in December 2005. Four years later, they welcomed their second daughter, Seraphina (via People).

The couple later had a son, Samuel, on February 27, 2012, in Santa Monica, California. While Garner acknowledged it would be "so weird to have a boy," she also said it would be "cool and different" (via People). But don't think Garner's pregnancy was chic just because she's a celebrity. She told InStyle she wished she was "one of those cute pregnant girls who wear skinny jeans throughout their pregnancies. But I just gain weight."

Time and again, despite her A-list status, Garner has shared how she's just like any other mom when it comes to her kids and parenting. On the "Today" show, she said she was grateful to play more mom roles because "there's no more rich time in women's lives than when you have your babies, and when you're trying to figure out how to parent them and balance everything."

Another important part of Jennifer Garner's life is her commitment to charity work. Mothers and children are very dear to her heart, having served as an Artist Ambassador for Save the Children for over a decade. She also paired ​​with Huggies and Baby2Baby in 2016 to help mothers in need of diapers. At the time, she told Romper, "The thing that hits me the hardest is that I see these babies and they have dirty diapers. And I think, 'Wow, this mom must be so stressed. Diapers must be on such short supply around here that the mom would not give the baby a fresh diaper.'"

She also blended her love of children by founding her nutrition company, Once Upon a Farm, an organic baby food company, which, in 2021, paired with Save the Children, combining both of her favorite charitable endeavors. "I loved the idea of being part of a business that could have a meaningful impact on Save the Children's work because I've worked there forever," Garner told People. "In the very first meeting I said, 'If you really want to connect my heart and soul, connect Once Upon a Farm to Save the Children.'"