Background:

"You can never be too positive with a show. The important thing is to keep working. You never know when it is another Felicity, something that seems like nothing that changes your life." Jennifer Garner.

Golden Globe winner Jennifer Garner was shot to stardom playing the starring role of CIA agent Sydney Bristow on ABC's series Alias. She was also widely noticed playing Hannah in the WB series Felicity and Elektra in the runaway success movie Daredevil (2003).

The brunette actress, who was named as one of People's 50 Most Beautiful People (2002), has been sweetly linked to several Hollywood actors including current Daredevil costar Ben Affleck. Maxim's Sexiest Woman in 2001, Jennifer also previously dated fellow actor in Alias, Michael Vartan, during 2003-2004.

Jennifer recently designed greeting cards to benefit the Pediatric Epilepsy Project at UCLA and put a wardrobe bustier on auction to help The American Red Cross for Tsunami Relief.

Go for it Jen

Childhood and Family:

In Houston, Texas, Jennifer Anne Garner was born on April 17, 1972. Jennifer is the second daughter of Bill Garner, a chemical engineer, and Pat Garner, a retired lecturer. Along with her two sisters, Melissa and Susannah, Jennifer relocated with her parents to Charleston, West Virginia. An aspiring ballerina, Jennifer attended George Washington High School while taking ballet lessons.

Jennifer was raised in a conservative family that did not allow their daughters to wear make-up and jewelry. However, they were very supportive and Jennifer once quoted, "My parents never said anything except, 'Go for it.'"

Jennifer's parent continued to offer support as she took up acting studies at Dennison University, Granville, Ohio, where she graduated in 1996.

On October 19, 2000, Jennifer married Felicity costar, actor Scott Foley. In April 2003 the couple announced their separation and finally filed for divorce in the following year, March 2004.

During her off time, Jennifer relaxes with cooking and gardening. Enthused by her roles in films, she enjoys adventures like hiking and martial arts.

Golden Garner

Career:

"I would roll up pennies to take the subway to work in Times Square. I was broke, but I was happy." Jennifer Garner on her early career.

After trained in acting in college, Jennifer heading for New York to pursue her career. It did not take long to get her first acting job, a stand-in for Broadway's A Month in the Country. She then looked for TV and film work in Los Angeles and got her first small screen appearance in Zoya (1995). After a string of guest roles on TV, including Spin City, and Law and Order, Jennifer won roles in films like Deconstructing Harry (1997), In Harm's Way (1997) and Mr. Magoo (1997). Jennifer then scored the lead role of Nell Glennon on Fox's Significant Others (1998).

The next year was rough for Jennifer. The series Significant Others was unplugged from the network after being aired only one month. The same thing happened to her other TV series Time of Your Life (1999), a Party of Five spin-off starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. However, the hit series Felicity, produced by J.J Abrams, relieved her disappointment. She appeared regularly playing the role of Hannah, the ex-girlfriend of Noel Crane (Scott Foley). Her small role on Felicity helped her find roles in such films as Dude, Where's My Car? (2000) and Pearl Harbor (2001).

Jennifer rejoined Felicity's producer in the ABC's epic Alias (2001). After preparing herself with martial arts, she won the audition to play the role of CIA agent Sydney Bristow. The series was triumphant, topped the ratings and achieved rave reviews. It finally handed Jennifer a Golden Globe award. At the same time, she worked with husband Scott Foley in the drama Rennie's Landing, where she portrayed Kiley Bradshaw.

The Golden Globe award helped land her the impressive role of Cheryl Ann in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can (2002, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks). She also used her skill in playing Elektra in the comic adaptation movie Daredevil (2003), along with boyfriend Ben Affleck, and Irish actor Colin Farrel. In 2004, she played Jenna Rink in the movie 13 Going on 30.

Besides continuing to shoot for Alias, Jennifer Garner also played the title role of Elektra (2005), a Daredevil spin-off.

Awards:

• Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series (Drama), Alias, 2001