Culture April 17, 2019

Jennifer Garner turns 47! A look back at her most memorable roles

WATCH: Jennifer Garner turns 47! A look back at her most memorable roles

Jennifer Garner turns 47 today!

The actress and mother-of-three rose to fame early in her career while starring as Sydney Bristow, a spy for the CIA, in the long-running ABC drama, "Alias."

She later cemented her fame status with memorable roles in films like "13 Going on 30" and "Dallas Buyers Club."

From playing an unstoppable action hero to a loving mother, Garner has diverse range as an actress.

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(MORE: Jennifer Garner gets a birthday surprise ... from a marching band!)

Check out some of the star's most memorable roles.

Alias - 2001-2006

Her role as in this popular series is arguably one that Garner is most known for. She said she still feels attached to her character Bristow during an appearance on "Good Morning America" in July 2018.

"First of all, she defined me to the world," she said. "But she defined me to myself."

(MORE: Jennifer Garner talks about a possible 'Alias' reboot)
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Jennifer Garner and Victor Garber in a scene from "Alias."

“I became more powerful because of her,” she added. “I became more empowered because of her. I felt stronger, smarter. I learned how hard I could work. And I grew my family.”

Daredevil - 2003

Garner starred in the superhero flick "Daredevil," based on the Marvel Comics story, alongside Ben Affleck, whom she was married to from 2005–2018.

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Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner in a scene from "Daredevil."

This movie paved the way for her own spin-off, "Elektra," two years later.

13 Going on 30 - 2004

In the cult classic romantic comedy, Garner played Jenna Rink, a young woman whose life is transformed when she travels forward in time to her 30s.

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Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer in a scene from "13 going on 30."

She revealed during a recent appearance on "Good Morning America" that one of her favorite memories from the film was working with Judy Greer.

"We had so much fun together," Garner said. "She was my frenemy and we're still really good friends."

She also shut down any speculation of a possible sequel.

"What, like '15 Going on 50?'" she joked. "Let's simmer down. Let's leave well enough alone."

(MORE: Mark Ruffalo reminisces on starring in '13 Going on 30' with Jennifer Garner, 15 years later)

Catch and Release - 2006

Garner played a woman grieving the death of her fiance, who finds comfort in the most unlikely people, in this 2006 romantic comedy.

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Timothy Olyphant and Jennifer Garner appear in the 2006 Sony Pictures film, "Catch and Release."

Juno - 2007

Garner starred in the hugely successful "Juno" as Vanessa Loring, the woman who adopts the baby of 16-year-old Juno MacGuff, played by Ellen Page.

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Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman and Ellen Page appear in the 2007 Fox Searchlight film, "Juno."

"Scripts like this don’t come around that often," she told EW about the film at the time of its release.

(MORE: How the portrayal of abortion in TV and film has shifted since 1928)

Dallas Buyers Club - 2013

The actress played Dr. Eve Saks in the 2004 Academy Award-nominated film. Her costars Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto won Oscars for their performances.

In an interview with Collider in 2013, she spoke about what she hoped to achieve when she went about playing the role of the doctor treating AIDS patients.

"It sounds so corny, but I wanted to stay grounded so the boys could fly," she shared.

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Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner in a scene from "Dallas Buyers Club."

"I wanted to be the quiet one that was with them but not trying to match them or not trying to compete with them," she continued. "Just be there to be kind of a quiet throughline so they could give these performances of their lives."

She also said she underwent a lengthy research process for the character. "I went back and read everything I could find from ’81-’82 to about ’88-’89 –- all the medical journals, everything fed to the public, everything I could find having to do with H.I.V. and AIDS," she told Collider.

Love, Simon - 2018

Garner played Emily Spier, the mother to Simon, a closeted gay teenager who is struggling with his sexuality.

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Nick Robinson, Talitha Bateman, Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel in Twentieth Century Fox's "Love, Simon".

In one of the most touching scenes from the film, Garner's character delivers an impassioned monologue to Simon about acceptance and embracing his true self.

The moment moved everyone present on set while filming the scene.

"Nick burst into tears," director Greg Berlianti told ABC News' Nightline. "I looked around and all the crew was crying. It was in that moment, I think that we all kind of realized, this is a much more universal message than we thought."

Peppermint - 2018

One of Garner's latest roles shows her playing a woman who loses both her husband and daughter, leading her to go into hiding and eventually resurface to seek revenge.

(MORE: Jennifer Garner sees her own movie with fans -- and has the sweetest meltdown ever)
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This cover image released by STXfilms shows Jennifer Garner in a scene from "Peppermint."

She posted a funny Instagram video of herself going to see the flick -- and her meltdown that followed.