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Unknown source, from a friend:
Jennifer Garner, actress and star of “Alias,” died on Thursday in Glendale, Ca. She was 32.
Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center said Ms. Garner died of complications during back surgery. Last week, Ms. Garner was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital after she suffered nerve damage doing stunts for “Alias” and the recently released film, “Elektra.”
Ms. Garner propelled to stardom with her lead role as Sydney Bristow in ABC’s hit spy series “Alias.” She also starred in hit films such as “13 Going On 30,” “Daredevil” and “Dude, Where’s My Car?” Her most recent film, “Elektra,” which opens today, premiered last weekend in Las Vegas to poor reviews.
Ms. Garner also was known for her off-screen relationships. After divorcing actor Scott Foley (“Felicity,” “Scream 3”), Ms. Garner had a brief relationship with her “Alias” co-star Michael Vartan. Ms. Garner was best known for her relationship with Hollywood star Ben Affleck.
On Tuesday, the polite, spunky actress received a Screen Actors Guild nomination for her role on “Alias,” adding another achievement to Ms. Garner’s short-lived career. In 2001, “MAXIM” named her the sexiest woman of 2001. The same year, “People” named her one of the “Breakthrough Stars of 2001.” She also was a trained ballerina and a member of Pi Beta Phi national sorority.
Jennifer Anne Garner was born April 17, 1972, in Houston, Tx. She was the middle child of three girls raised in Charleston, W. Va., by Bill and Pat Garner. Her father, a former engineer, used his frequent-flier miles to send his children to the Louvre in Paris. In a Tuesday interview with USA Today, Ms. Garner recalled, “We’d literally get a big tub of peanut butter and take it with us for lunch. We didn’t have much money, but Dad wanted us to know the arts.”
Growing up in Charleston, Ms. Garner spent 9 years studying ballet, driven by a love of the stage. She graduated from Charleston’s George Washington High School; she played the saxophone while she was there.
After graduating high school, Ms. Garner enrolled at Denison University as a chemistry major, but it did not stick. Her love of the stage pulled her to a theater degree, which she completed in 1994.
New York City called the young actress, and soon she was working as a hostess at Isabella’s restaurant, trying to launch her career in film and television. Her first breakthrough role on the WB’s “Felicity”—where she met ex-husband, Foley—came after the actress moved to Los Angeles. Not long after, her biggest breakthrough, “Alias,” made her a television star. Her recent film, “13 Going on 30,” was a surprise hit at the box office.
Ms. Garner was scheduled to star in the upcoming drama, “Catch and Release.” It is unknown at this point if production will continue with a new actress.
Ms. Garner is survived by her parents, Bill and Pat Garner; her sisters Melissa and Susannah; and her dog, Martha Stewart.
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