Jennifer Garner, 54, shared a rare photo with ex-boyfriend Michael Vartan while celebrating the 25th anniversary of “Alias.”
The “13 Going on 30” star posted a nostalgic video montage to Instagram on Wednesday honoring the spy drama that launched her into stardom. Among the collection of behind-the-scenes clips and cast photos was a selfie showing Garner in a black top with her arm around Vartan, 56, who wore a casual button-down shirt, ball cap and eyeglasses.
Garner’s voiceover carried through the montage as she reflected on the show’s impact. “No one had thought of” her for “action” or for “a tough role” before she landed the part of Sydney Bristow, she explained. “I walked differently after I played Sydney,” she gushed. She described her castmates and crew as her “whole world,” adding, “All these years later, we’ve been together.” She called the group “a little band that’s gone together for the past 25 years” and noted she’s “so proud” to have been part of the series.
The montage also featured affectionate snapshots with director J.J. Abrams and co-stars Victor Garber, Ron Rifkin and Merrin Dungey. Garner captioned the clip, “Happy 25th, Alias ♥️”
Dungey, who played Francie Calfo opposite Garner’s Sydney Bristow, responded in the comments thread. “Love you forever and I promise not to fight you in our apartment ever again. ❤️”
Fans flooded the post with enthusiasm. One wrote, “Truly one of the best TV pilots of all time, and the season-ending cliffhangers were next level ❤️❤️❤️,” while another quipped, “Okay, fine. I’ll watch ALIAS again.”
The ABC spy thriller ran from 2001 to 2006, with Garner and Vartan playing onscreen lovers Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn. Their real-life romance followed, lasting from 2003 to 2004, before Garner married Ben Affleck in 2005. She and Affleck welcomed three children — Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 12 — before their 2018 divorce. Vartan married Lauren Skaar in 2001, though the couple split in 2014.
Despite their romantic history, Garner and Vartan have maintained an amicable relationship. In 2023, she paid tribute to him on Instagram for his 55th birthday with a throwback photo of herself in a Bavarian dirndl from the show. “I can’t remember why I was Bavarian,” she wrote, “but I do know today is your birthday. I hope it’s a great one, Michael! XX S. Bristow.”
The hit series, which turned 25 this week, is available to stream on Disney+ and Pluto TV.
