- Jennifer Garner discusses art, friendship and family life while juggling new projects.
- She names Diane Keaton as an aesthetic hero and credits Matisse’s MoMA exhibit for inspiring her.
- Garner says she’s “unnerved” by AI’s rise and values human connection above automation.
- Upcoming work: The Five‑Star Weekend and season two of The Last Thing He Told Me on Apple TV.
Jennifer Garner: actor, mother and avid collector of friendships
Jennifer Garner keeps a famously grounded life between acting, parenting and running Once Upon a Farm. In a recent interview she spoke candidly about the small things that matter to her — a childhood teddy named T Bear, a new mattress she can’t wait to return to, and the women she’s “collected” along the way.
Garner, 53, described dropping her kids at school and taking the call amid a hectic morning in Los Angeles, a reminder of how she balances work and family. She’s preparing for two high‑profile projects: the adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s The Five‑Star Weekend and season two of the Apple TV thriller The Last Thing He Told Me, which returns in February.
Art, artists and an early Matisse moment
Art clearly shapes Garner’s outlook. She recalled a formative trip to New York during college to see a major Matisse exhibition at MoMA. The range and joy of Matisse’s work stuck with her, showing how an artist can explore a lifetime of expression.
She also named Diane Keaton as an aesthetic hero, admiring the homes Keaton created and the sense of joie de vivre in how she lived and dressed.
Human connection over automation
Garner expressed unease about the growing influence of artificial intelligence. Referencing Niall Williams’s novel This Is Happiness — a story about a town confronting the arrival of electricity — she said the book reminded her that people and stories survive disruptive change.
“I’m so unnerved by AI’s march toward all of us,” she said, stressing that there is no substitute for human connection.
Small comforts, big loyalties
The actor shared personal favourites: Stevie Wonder’s Overjoyed as a trailer anthem, Alexandra Stréliski when she needs focus, and Bill Withers’s Lovely Day. She also spoke about family rituals and keepsakes — T Bear, the teddy her father gave her, remains priceless.
Garner’s home life features an array of pets (a cat named Moose, a labrador Bugs and a doodle‑cross Kitty) and a house full of books. Off‑screen she serves on the board of Save the Children and co‑founded Once Upon a Farm, which is expanding to the UK.
Looking ahead
As she slots projects between parenting and everyday life, Garner’s priorities stay clear: her children and the close circle of women who make up her chosen family. She’s as enthusiastic about returning to a beloved mattress as she is about new roles — proof that even Hollywood stars find joy in ordinary comforts.
The Last Thing He Told Me season two arrives on Apple TV in February, and fans can expect to see Garner continue to balance demanding roles with a very human, grounded approach to life.
Image Referance: https://www.countrylife.co.uk/lifestyle/im-so-unnerved-by-ais-march-toward-all-of-us-jennifer-garner-on-acting-collecting-women-and-her-consuming-passions
