Jennifer Garner had different plans for her future before becoming an award-winning actress.
The “Alias” star was a dedicated ballet dancer, and from a young age, she didn’t think acting was going to be part of her career trajectory.
Garner, 52, recalled a few of the people who helped shaped her life while chatting with best friends Molly Sims and Emese Gormley on an episode of the podcast, “Lipstick on the Rim.”
After admitting one particular teacher helped mentor her throughout her school years, and wrote her a note praising her for receiving a scholarship to an intensive summer dance program at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Garner expressed gratitude to the special people in her life who helped shape her.
Sims wondered when Garner began acting through her challenging dance schedule, in which the “13 Going on 30” actress expressed less of an interest in working in front of the camera.
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“Well, I never wanted… I didn’t think I would be an actor,” Garner said. “I didn’t think that that was a possibility. I didn’t think about it anyway. There’s so many jobs I’ve always wanted to do. I still feel that way. I’m still like any minute in my fifties, I’m going to go back to school and study. I don’t know. But it was just kind of what I did. And it was an extracurricular that took over my life. And so, I danced every day after school.”
Garner taught ballet to children and would then have classes and rehearsals with her dance company daily before practices throughout the weekend.
“So I was pretty myopic, but it still, my dad would sit me down and say, ‘Jennifer, it’s wonderful that you’re doing this, but shouldn’t you be focusing just on something real to study in and to study for?'” she said.
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“My older sister was valedictorian, and she’s brilliant, and I think he just so badly wanted me to follow her, and I was a good student, but I was definitely distracted, you know.”
When Sims noted that Garner was “following a dream,” Garner corrected the former supermodel and said, “I wasn’t though.”
She added, “It wasn’t like it was a dream. It was a love. I was following a love. I just had so much love for it and I wanted and I still feel that way. I still just really love it and I really want to be better at it, but it’s not ever been like I have a dream to X, Y, and Z. I don’t see myself in that way. I’m just, I just really love what I do and I, it’s always been hard for me and I really, really want to do my best.”
Garner, who has three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck, gave more insight into her personal life as well, and detailed how she was navigating grief seven months after the death of her father, William.
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When Sims asked how Garner remained positive amid a challenging time, Garner insisted all was not as it seemed.
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“Molly, of all people you know better than anyone that I don’t all the time. You kind of are where you are, and you just have to find the friends who can handle that for you,” Garner said. “And think of how many times I showed up at your house and just started crying because you were safe, and you were somebody that I could do that with.”
She added, “And I got super, super weepy and emotional, and you just stopped and helped me and said, ‘What do you need to do?’ And I said, ‘I think I should go home,’ and you were like, ‘OK, great. Let me walk you to your car,’ and you gave me a hug, and you sent me on my way and that was exactly… we just we need each other, and we also need to give ourselves and each other permission to be where we are. And to just have faith in the sun on the other side of the clouds.”
