“From scratch” is how Jennifer Garner described building her Los Angeles dream home. But who is Jennifer Garner? Let’s find out more about the actress.
Jennifer Anne Garner was born in Houston. It was April 17, 1972. She moved to Charleston, West Virginia at age three. Her father worked as a chemical engineer. Her mother was a homemaker and later an English teacher. Jennifer has two sisters.
Garner attended George Washington High School in Charleston. In 1990, she enrolled at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. She changed her major from chemistry to theater. Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater performance in 1994.
Garner moved to New York City in 1995. She earned $150 per week as an understudy for a Roundabout Theatre Company production. In 1997, Jennifer moved to Los Angeles. She gained her first leading role in the television film Rose Hill.
Her breakthrough role was playing Sydney Bristow in the ABC action thriller series Alias. Alias aired for five seasons. Garner received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. She also received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
While Alias was airing, Garner continued to work in film. She had a role in the crime comedy-drama film Catch Me If You Can. After seeing her in Alias, Steven Spielberg was sure that “she would be the next superstar”. Garner’s first co-starring film role was in the action superhero film Daredevil. She played Elektra opposite Ben Affleck’s Daredevil.
Garner’s first leading film role was in the romantic comedy 13 Going on 30. It was widely praised. Manohla Dargis of the Los Angeles Times found her to be “startling”. Garner reprised the character of Elektra in the 2005 Daredevil spin-off film Elektra.
In late 2007 and early 2008, Garner played Roxanne in Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway. Ben Brantley of The New York Times described her performance as “captivating”.
Jennifer co-starred in two romantic comedies in 2009. She appeared in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. She also played in The Invention of Lying. In Garry Marshall’s ensemble romantic comedy Valentine’s Day, Garner shared scenes with Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, and Patrick Dempsey.
Garner played a mother for the first time in 2012, in the drama The Odd Life of Timothy Green. That same year, Garner produced and starred in the satirical comedy Butter.
Garner reunited with Matthew McConaughey in the 2013 biographical drama Dallas Buyers Club. In 2014, Garner starred in the sports drama Draft Day. She also co-starred in the Disney adaptation of the children’s book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
In 2018, Garner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She starred as the lead in the action-revenge film Peppermint. In 2021, she produced and starred in the Netflix family comedy film Yes Day.
Garner works as an advocate for early childhood education. She serves on the board of Save the Children USA. She is the co-founder and chief brand officer of Once Upon a Farm, an organic baby food company. Garner is a vocal advocate for anti-paparazzi campaigns.
In 2019, after finalizing her divorce from Ben Affleck, Jennifer purchased a property in Brentwood. She built her dream home “from scratch”. It is a $7.9 million farm-style home. She teamed up with designer Brooke Giannetti and architect Steve Giannetti. The home has custom features. These include a Harry Potter-themed office for her son, an aquarium, and a slumber party room. Her favorite spot is her upstairs reading nook. She also has a vegetable house.
Her architect said Garner “wanted a new, warm, family home”. His wife said, “This place is kind of the house version of Jen’s personality.”
So here we are, standing before this stone, a tribute to Jennifer Garner. It represents a multifaceted woman. She is an actress, a mother, and an advocate. Jennifer’s stone stands as a reminder of her accomplishments. It celebrates her journey.