“It was the biggest pay cheque”: Jennifer Garner’s Insanely Special Memories From ’13 Going on 30′ Will Have Fans Craving For a Sequel

Actress Jennifer Garner rose to prominence by starring in romantic-comedy movies including 13 Going on 30, Juno, Valentine’s Day, and more. She is regarded as one of the most admired and influential actresses in the industry, who has also been a keen advocate for anti-paparazzi campaigns among the children of celebrities.

Garner starred as Jenna Rink alongside Mark Ruffalo in 13 Going on 30 and was highly appreciated for the performance. The story follows 13-year-old Jenna Rink, who wakes up to find herself as a 30-year-old woman living in 2004 as a fashion editor. The movie, upon release, received positive reviews from critics and audiences, especially for the chemistry between the two actors. Jennifer Garner recently shared her most cherished memories from the movie.

Jennifer Garner recalls cherishing her ‘biggest paycheque’ from 13 Going on 30

Jennifer Garner appeared on Molly Sims’ Lipstick on the Rim podcast, where she recalled how she was defined by her work on 13 Going on 30. She said,

We were young, and we were so excited, and it was Judy Greer, Mark Ruffalo, and me. It was the biggest pay cheque we’d ever had; it was the biggest role we’d ever had, and we just couldn’t believe it.

The actress added that they were all doing it together, praising the director, Gary Winick. The hosts asked Garner about her favorite memory from the movie, to which she recalled that shooting in New York with the two of them, and being outside all night shooting with Ruffalo by the Brooklyn Bridge, was her favorite part.

Garner continued that she also liked it when she and Greer would sneak breakfast or lunch somewhere or have a glass of wine after work. She added that the two of them would often find themselves realizing that they could not believe that they were staying at Four Seasons. She also added that she feels really happy knowing how happy the movie still makes people.

Back in April, Garner, Greer, and Ruffalo reunited for a Zoom call to celebrate and reminisce on the anniversary of the movie. She wrote on her social media,

Twenty years. We are three Boomers braving Zoom—because we want to thank you. To every person who has loved this movie along with us: Thank you. We see you, we appreciate you, and we love you back. Forever thirty, flirty, and thriving.

The actress recently slipped back into her 13 Going on 30 era as she dressed up as Jenna Rink for Halloween. She wore the iconic rainbow-striped Versace minidress her character wore to her work party in the movie.

She also had the same butterfly necklace from the movie, but paired it with pink sneakers and white knee-high socks instead of heels.

Jennifer Garner’s starrer 13 Going on 30 adapted as a stage musical for the 2025 UK opening

According to reports by Deadline, Jennifer Garner starrer movie 13 Going on 30 is being adapted as a stage musical in which Lucie Jones will play Jenna Rink. Reports have suggested that the show is headed for an out-of-town tryout at the Manchester Opera House, where it will run for a limited season from September 21, 2025.

Original movie scriptwriters Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa wrote the upcoming musical. Andy Fickman will direct the show. The reports added that the only musical number borrowed from the movie is the Thriller flash mob. The rest of the songs will be from the original score by Michael Weiner and Alan Zachary.

The scriptwriters shared in a statement (via Teen Vogue) that when they wrote the movie 13 Going on 30, they never dreamt that on the movie’s 20th anniversary, they’d get a chance to see a whole new generation fall in love with Razzles and feel thirty, flirty, and thriving. They added,

It’s been a joy to work with ROYO, Revolution Studios, songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, and director Andy Fickman to bring this story to life as a stage musical.

They continued that they were thrilled with the audience’s response to their workshop last year, and now can’t wait for the show to officially open at the legendary Opera House. The production is hopeful that after Manchester they’ll transfer to the West End and later Broadway.

Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa were also excited for Lucie Jones playing Jenna Rink, adding that she is talented and just embodied the character really well. The duo was impressed by her voice and childish charm.

Talking about a sequel or a series, Goldsmith and Yuspa shared with THR that they had spoken about it over the years, but according to them the musical suits them best for now.

13 Going on 30 is streaming on Prime Video.