Garner credits her training in "Alias" and "Daredevil" for helping her tackle the physical comedy aspects of "13 Going on 30." Producer Donna Arkoff Roth says "Alias" fans will be pleasantly surprised with Garner's ability to transition from the serious Sydney Bristow to the plucky and playful Jenna. "This movie shows Jennifer in a way that we haven't seen her before. Even though she's known for the fearless action role she plays on 'Alias,' we recognized her abundant talent as a comedienne. For anyone who has spent time with her...it's immediately obvious that she has fantastic comic timing. She's a very funny person," says Arkoff Roth.
INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER GARNER:
How did you take risks with this film?
The risk is always being over the top, in my mind. That was something that Gary [Winick] and I worked really hard on together, was to try to walk a line of having fun with it but also be honest and truthful. And because something isn't funny if there isn't a bit of honesty, but at the same time, it has to be funny. Honesty is also kind of sitting and staring into space. You don't want to do that either. I know you've heard about the sleepover and that was more of a reminder that 13-year-olds, and particularly these girls that I was hanging out with, are smart and sophisticated and capable of absolutely having any kind of adult conversation. Then they flip and surprise you by being children and goofy and dramatic. So it was constantly making sure that I didn't go too far in any one direction.
Did you have a friend like your childhood friend Matt in this movie?
I did actually. I grew up next door to this guy named Danny Moore. He is now married with a couple of kids. He still lives in Charleston and I still see him every time I go home. And Dan and I had this ritual, we called it ‘porch talk’ where every night when we got home from our various things, and then through high school it would be from dates or whatever it was, he would throw rocks or pennies at my window if my light was on, or I would at his window. I would come downstairs or he would and we would sit on the front porch of either house and talk about [and] go through everything. We were absolute sweetest best of friends and it was always innocent, but I think we probably both did have crushes on each other but we never… He set me up with all of his friends instead, and I talked him through his various relationships.
Do you keep in touch with your friends from your teens?
Oh, of course. Yeah, a couple was just staying at my house that was one of my friends when I was little. Yeah, my best friend is somebody that I grew up dancing with. She lives in Atlanta and I talk to her. Oh yeah, of course. I'm still really close with everyone at home and their parents - and their brothers and sisters. I was so, so, so lucky to grow up as part of a community and I don't take that for granted. I try very hard to stay part of it.
What happened to your character Jena between 13 and 30 to turn her into a bitch?
We talked about it so much. We talked about specific incidents with Matt or with Tom Tom, Judy [Greer’s] character Lucy, or times that separated her more and more from her family, that pulled her away more and more from her relationship with Matt. I just think she did what is so easy to do. She probably made a couple of bad decisions right after her 13th birthday party where she shunned Matt and wouldn't talk to him again. And where she shunned her parents and latched more onto the Six Chicks as her family and I think once she did that, she probably became ashamed of her behavior. So once she was embarrassed, it became easier and easier to separate herself from that instead of going back and apologizing and getting closer again to who she was. And the next thing you know, she started to believe that she really was this girl and then she became her.
Did they approach you for this movie or did you go after this?
They actually came to me, which was new for me.
PAGE 2: Jennifer Garner on Mark Ruffalo, Dancing, and "Elektra"
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Interview with Mark Ruffalo
Andy Serkis Interview
"13 Going on 30" Photo Gallery
"13 Going on 30" Trailer, Credits, and Movie News
