Jennifer Garner still longs for days at home

Matthew Thompson
Daily Mail staff

Wednesday October 03, 2007

Jennifer Garner was headed to Paris, but her mind was on Charleston.

She was heading to the airport in Los Angeles on Tuesday to catch a flight overseas, where she will promote her latest movie, "The Kingdom."

Though she was going to a place most Americans long to visit, Garner said she'd rather be in Charleston to relax.

"I would much rather wake up and go to Taylor Books tomorrow and sit, drink coffee and read the newspaper rather than go to Paris," Garner said in a quick telephone interview that took place while she was riding to the airport.

"It's just the overall feel of it there. The green's there, the people walking down the street. Anyone that doesn't live there or isn't from there just can't understand it."

During the past 10 years, Garner's acting career has taken her a long way from the Mountain State.

She's especially busy right now.

She's promoting "The Kingdom," which also stars Jamie Foxx. Garner plays an FBI agent sent to Saudi Arabia to track down a group of terrorists responsible for an attack against American citizens.

Next month, she makes her Broadway debut in the classic play, "Cyrano de Bergerac." She will play Roxane, the love interest of the title character played by Kevin Kline.

And in December, her next film, "Juno," will be released. In the film, Garner and Jason Bateman play a couple looking to adopt a child from an un-wed, pregnant teen. The film received rave reviews when it premiered last month at the Toronto Film Festival.

The stint on Broadway is especially exciting for the 35-year-old Garner, who has made a national name for herself on television and movies.

Though she's always loved theater work, Garner said an appearance on the "Great White Way" was something she never thought would happen in her career.

"I didn't know you could dream that big -- not that my parents didn't encourage me to dream," Garner said. "It wasn't somewhere in the back of my mind either. When I went New York or with my parents to London to see theater, I didn't think how I could do that."

The actors have been rehearsing for the past month. Garner said the experience has been wonderful.

"Kevin Kline's role is one he was born to play," Garner said. "I'm just happy to get to be there and share the stage with him and working with the all the costars is so much fun."

The play also stars Chris Sarandon, a fellow West Virginian. A Beckley native, Sarandon's 35-year film career has included roles in films such as 1975's "Dog Day Afternoon," and 1987's "The Princess Bride."

During rehearsal for the play, Garner said she found comfort acting with a Mountain State native.

"Oh, we talk about Mountaineer football and friends we have back home," Garner said. "It's funny too because we have a shared vocabulary. When the speech teacher is working with us, we have the same vocal patterns."

The play will be a limited run production. The performances will be from November 1 until December 23. There will be eight shows a week.

Garner is urging people from this area to see the play. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $20 to $100, according to the Web site.

"Just go online, book yourself a ticket, or get in your car because there is nothing better than New York in the fall," Garner said.

The Kingdom finished in second place at the box office during this past weekend, its debut, with $17.6 million.

Garner said she got involved in the project after falling in love with the script.

"I loved that it told the story from both sides," Garner said. "It wasn't villainizing any particular person or country or place or thing."

Garner said the only downside was shooting in the dry climate of Arizona.

"It was the middle of the summer, which brought some challenges because it was definitely hot," Garner said. "It was tough. I tell you I wanted to see lush green mountains, but it was not happening there."

Garner was born April 17, 1972, in Dallas, Texas. While she was in grade school her family moved to Charleston.

Raised by her mother Pat, a teacher, and father Bill, a chemical engineer, Garner grew up in South Hills, graduating from George Washington High School.

The acting bug bit during her adolescent years when she worked in various Charleston Light Opera Guild productions.

After college, Garner went to New York and then Los Angeles where she scored television work on shows like "Law and Order" and "Felicity."

Her big break came in 2001, when "Felicity" creator J.J Abrams selected Garner to star in his new ABC television series "Alias." She starred on the show for five seasons.

That led to a successful film career with roles in "Catch Me If You Can," "13 Going on 30," "Elektra," and "Catch and Release."

On the set of 2003's "Daredevil," Garner got to know star Ben Affleck, whom she married in 2005. They have a 1 1/2-year-old daughter, Violet.

Garner said the family is doing well.

She added they come and visit Charleston when time is available. Their last two visits included trips last summer and at Christmas time.

Contact writer Matthew Thompson at matthewthompson@dailymail.com or 348-4834.