why is she famous?
She plays CIA double agent Sydney Bristow on ABC's Alias, laying beats to bad guys while in a variety of disguises which, in turn, allow for a variety of sultry outfits. Her first major film role was opposite Ben Affleck in Daredevil .

bio
Jennifer Anne Garner was born on April 17, 1972 in Houston, Texas, to a chemical engineer father and an English professor mother. She was the second of three daughters, all of whom were a young age when the family relocated to Charleston, West Virginia.

quote
"It brings to mind the old quote about how Ginger Rogers had to do everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in high heels. Likewise, [Jennifer] Garner is Jackie Chan in a slinky cocktail dress."
-Writer Mark Binelli, on the difficulties involved in Jennifer's role on Alias

overall rating 84
We're grateful to ladies like Kelly Hu and Zhang Ziyi for starting the trend of attractive female characters who can kick butt. Not only has Jennifer Garner ensured that this fad will continue until at least the end of the 2002-03 television season (when Alias' current contract with ABC expires), but she has expanded its conventions to allow for the attractive female in question to sport a bikini or a French maid's outfit while in the midst of kicking butt. This is a development that we endorse wholeheartedly.

The success of Alias, and Jennifer's contributions to that success, have solidified her status as a television actor for years to come. If the film Daredevil, slated for release early in 2003, is as lucrative as many anticipate it to be, Jennifer could very well become one of Hollywood's most sought-after personalities. Rightly so: talented, beautiful girls who can take on any fellow mano a mano deserve fame and fortune.

personality & talent 84
To take on the multidimensional role of a college student/CIA agent pretending to be a spy pretending to be a banker would present a challenge to any actor, but Jennifer seems to have no problem pulling it off on a weekly basis.

The acting capabilities that Jennifer has showcased on Alias frequently overshadow her stunning looks, which is a task in itself. Nonetheless, we couldn't give her top marks in this category, as one character in one series doesn't make for much of a frame of reference. Once we see her in the star-studded Catch Me If You Can (slated for release in 2002) and Daredevil (early 2003), we'll have a better sense of her range.

As for her personality, Jennifer seems as sweet as any product of a conservative Bible belt upbringing. The press raves about her politeness and grace in interviews, fans rave about her personability in encounters, and everyone who's worked with her gushes about her too. No problems here.

sexiness 87
There's something about a woman who has the skills to play a martial arts-trained CIA agent that makes her terribly sexy. There's also something about a woman who has a striking physique, a gorgeous face, and soft, pouty lips that makes her terribly sexy.

When you stumble into a rarity like Jennifer Garner, who fulfills both these categories, well that's just almost too good to be true. Well, guess what: it is too good to be true. She's married to former Felicity star Scott Foley. Yeah, we were disappointed too.

accomplishments & fame 82
The primetime series Alias has been getting plenty of press as of late, most of which has centered around Jennifer. And with good reason -- while the show's formula -- a blend of intricate investigative realism and over-the-top action sequences -- is certainly a strong one, there's no doubt that its ratings would falter considerably without Jennifer as its star.

That's why she was awarded the 2001 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series (Drama). This would be a coup for any actor, but one would imagine that it is especially satisfying for Jennifer, being the survivor of a number of failed television series (remember Significant Others? Us neither).

Although Jennifer is the reigning queen of TV, she has yet to make her break in movies. She has made appearances in a number of successful films (Pearl Harbor and Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry amongst them), but has yet to prove that her presence in a leading role can translate to the big screen. This test will come in early 2003, when the comic book adaptation Daredevil is released in theaters. Jennifer will play Daredevil's nemesis/eventual lover Elektra, a role that seems to be fairly substantial.

natural beauty 88
Beautiful skin, ravishing dark hair and pouty lips contribute to Jennifer's gorgeous face, and working out daily for her Alias role has given her a body to match. Good looks aside, the fact that actor Scott Foley had played the role of Felicity's boyfriend could have landed him any lady in America. He saw Jennifer as a keeper, and that speaks volumes for her attractiveness.

personal style 79
Jennifer is a frequent visitor to the red carpet spread in entertainment magazines, but mostly because she's one half of a Hollywood couple (the other half being actor Scott Foley) that photographers just can't get enough of.

She wouldn't be landing on any fashion pages on the strength of her style alone -- not because she dresses badly, but rather because she doesn't dress outrageously. It may be a remnant of a conservative upbringing, but Jennifer sticks to the solid, earthy colors in simple arrangements, and has been seen in red on more than once occasion. When not in the awards show or movie premiere limelight, she tends to stick to casual clothes like jeans and sweaters -- not a stretch from how she appears in the Gap ads.