Mark Ruffalo Praises ‘Magical’ Jennifer Garner Ahead of ’13 Going on 30’s 20th Anniversary (Exclusive)

Mark Ruffalo has nothing but incredible things to say about his co-star Jennifer Garner nearly 20 years after their film ‘13 Going on 30‘ was released. Talking with ET’s Rachel Smith at the 2024 National Board Of Review Awards Gala in New York City on Thursday, the actor explained that it was the ‘wonderful chemistry’ he had with Garner that hooked him to the project.

‘It was my first kind of studio film and, you know, I’d been doing pretty small indies up to that point,’ Ruffalo said. ‘Gary Winnick, our director, said ‘I want to do a small indie but in a rom-com studio film,’ and he told me I would be opposite Jen Garner.’

‘It was Jen Garner, who is just magical, and we had just a wonderful chemistry together,’ the Avengers star continued. The film was released in April 2004 and became an instant classic, boosting Ruffalo and Garner’s own careers astronomically. Ruffalo credits ’13 Going on 30′ with helping him reach the next stage in his career and being cast in ‘elevated roles.’

When asked about his favorite scene from the movie, Ruffalo mentioned the tender moment between his character and Garner’s on a swing set outside of New York City. He described it as a ‘beautiful, sweet scene.’

In 2022, Garner and Ruffalo reunited for the movie ‘The Adam Project,’ where they played a married couple. Speaking about the reunion, both actors expressed how much they needed it and how great it felt to work together again.

‘We did ’13 Going on 30,’ went on and had lives, families, and kids and all kinds of other stuff, and came back and it’s like, ‘Wow, what a journey we’ve taken’ and here we are,’ said Ruffalo. Garner added, ‘It was so lovely. It was really comforting to be together again, and I don’t think either of us realized how much we needed it and how great we feel.’