Dallas County Living Well Magazine January/February 2018 | Page 10

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
SPOTLIGHT
Jennifer Garner
Hollywood’s go-to girl next door
takes on fresh challenges.
I
By Michelle Talsma Everson
f there’s one actress whose career has stood the test of time—and
all of the trials and tribulations that being a star has to offer—it’s
Jennifer Garner.
While some may know her simply as “Ben Affleck’s ex” (the for-
mer power couple were married from 2005 to 2017 and have three
children), Garner has built a remarkable career on the big and small
screens on her own merit. Moreover, she’s also known as a protective
mom—Garner was a leading force behind legal protection of the pri-
vacy of celebrities’ children—and an activist for a variety of causes.
Garner’s small and big screen resume is quite diverse. On the small
screen, she was known for her role as a CIA officer in Alias—a role
that brought her many awards, including a Golden Globe. On the
big screen, she’s starred in a variety of genres, including romantic
comedies, super hero films, and more. Some of her latest films include
Miracles from Heaven, the family-favorite Nine Lives and Wakefield.
One of her much talked about projects, independent film The Tribes
of Palos Verdes, was released in December 2017 and touches on
a variety of hard-hitting topics, including how mental illness impacts
families.
“The Tribes of Palos Verdes is a family drama told through the perspec-
tive of Maika Monroe’s 16-year-old daughter Medina, who turns to
surfing amid her parents splitting up and her tumultuous relationship
with her mother (Jennifer Garner), finding comfort and inner strength
in the waves. But Medina is just one of Tribes of Palos Verdes’ forceful
women,” according to a recent article by The Hollywood Reporter.
“The independent movie…features a powerful, emotional performance
from Garner as Sandy Mason, a mom with an undiagnosed mental ill-
ness who becomes withdrawn and erratic as her husband (Justin Kirk)
leaves her for another woman and Sandy’s left to take care of Medina
and twin brother Jim (Cody Fern).”
Continued, Next Page
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DALLAS COUNTY Living Well Magazine | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018