Jennifer Garner has revealed that she hasn’t sat down to watch 13 Going on 30 in its entirety since attending the film’s premiere more than two decades ago.
The actress made the admission during an appearance on the Not Gonna Lie podcast with Kylie Kelce.
“I haven’t watched it since the premiere in full,” she said. Garner explained that she has revisited specific scenes over the years for interviews or work-related discussions, but she’s never sat down to rewatch the entire film.
Released in 2004, the fantasy rom-com follows 13-year-old Jenna Rink, who wakes up as a 30-year-old magazine editor navigating adulthood in New York City.
Asked where Jenna ranks among her characters, Garner said the role is “one or two,” recalling the creative freedom and joy she felt while developing the character. The role went on to solidify Garner’s status as a romantic comedy staple and now remains a fan favourite.
Still, she suggested her top role may be Sydney Bristow from the spy series Alias. “She might be number one just ’cause she changed … my life because people cared. It was the first thing I ever did that people really cared about, but more than that, she gave me this sense of self and confidence,” Garner told Kelce.
“She made me have a swagger,” Garner added of Sydney, adding that discovering and owning that confidence is important for young women.
“I had such girl-next-door energy that I’d never had a swagger, and she made me have a swagger, and I think it’s really important for young women to find, recognize, and know how to use their own swagger,” she added.
