Where The Cast Of 13 Going On 30 Is Now
The romantic comedy "13 Going on 30," starring Jennifer Garner, follows a young girl who wishes to become older after a cruel prank. She finds that she has aged 17 years overnight and has been transported from 1987 to 2004. Jenna Rink has a stunning job at "Poise Magazine," but as she retains the mind of her 13-year-old self, she is unaware of the lies, theft and horrible deeds that have brought her to this point of her life. When she realizes what kind of person she has become, she tries to make amends with everyone she has wronged, including her childhood crush Matty — the boy that found her alone in the closet after "7 Minutes of Heaven."
Though the two have feelings for one another, Matty is engaged and intends to go through with the wedding. Heartbroken, Jenna makes another wish, and she is back in her 13-year-old body the day of her party. This time, Jenna kisses her friend, confronts her bullies, and decides to become a much better person than the one she became. 17 years later, she and Matty are now happily married.
"13 Going on 30" was well-received. In 2016, It was announced that a Broadway musical was in production, and as of 2019, the idea was still in the works. It has been 17 years since the film first hit screens, so let's take a look at what the cast is up to now.
Jennifer Garner is a household name
Jennifer Garner's role in "13 Going on 30" was highly praised. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly particularly loved the "Thriller" dance scene and even called it the moment where Garner became a star. "There's nothing suave or measured in her attitude," he said. "She dances with the free heart of an adolescent who hasn't yet learned how to be cool."
Though Garner's performance was seen as magical and innocent, it is not the first time she caught audience's attentions. In fact, before, during, and after becoming the adult Jenna Rink, she was known for starring in J.J. Abram's "Alias" from 2001-2006. She portrayed Sydney Bristow, a college student and double agent for the CIA who had to create multiple identities to complete her missions.
Garner has stayed busy since "13 Going on 30" and the end of "Alias." In 2007, she starred as Vanessa Loring in "Juno," alongside Elliot Page. She appeared in "Love, Simon," an adaptation of "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda." She has also provided the voice of Mama Llama in Netflix's "Llama Llama" based on the children's book series of the same name. During quarantine, she participated in a virtual "The Princess Bride" reenactment as Princess Buttercup. Garner has more projects planned for the near future, including "Yes Day" — in which she is also a producer — and "The Adam Project."
Mark Ruffalo is a superhero
Mark Ruffalo appeared in a number of movies before being cast as the adult Matty Flamhaff, Jenna Rink's childhood friend and future husband. Arguably, the movie that really put him in the spotlight was "The Kids Are Alright," in which he plays Paul Hatfield, a sperm donor for a lesbian couple. The movie received many nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Ruffalo at the Academy Awards. He recently won a Golden Globe Award for HBO's "I Know This Much is True."
Ruffalo has gained even more traction since he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2012. When Edward Norton did not return as Bruce Banner/The Hulk for "The Avengers," Ruffalo took over the part. His first appearance was met with critical acclaim, and Ruffalo reprised the role in "Iron Man 3," "Avengers: The Age of Ultron," "Thor: Ragnarok," "Captain Marvel," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Avengers: Endgame." He will return as Bruce Banner in the upcoming Disney+ original, "She-Hulk." In addition, he will reunite with Jennifer Garner in the 2022 film, "The Adam Project."
Judy Greer balances blockbusters
Before being cast as the adult Lucy Wyman — aka Jenna Rink's childhood bully – Judy Greer appeared in a number of other productions. She had a small part as Erin the File Girl in "What Women Want" alongside Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. Fans of dysfunctional comedy know her as Kitty Sanchez, George Sr.'s secretary and lover, in "Arrested Development," a role she reprised when the series made a comeback in 2013 and 2018.
After "13 Going on 30," Greer has done several other projects, including "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," "War for the Planet of the Apes," Tomorrow Land," and "Jurassic World." She joined the MCU in "Ant-Man" and its sequel, "Ant-Man and the Wasp," as Scott Lang/Ant-Man's estranged wife, Maggie. Greer has multiple films coming out in the next few years, such as "Lady of the Manor" with fellow "Two and a Half Men" alum Melanie Lynskey, as well as "Gringa" and "Flint Strong." She will once again star as Jamie Lee Curtis's daughter in the "Halloween" sequel, "Halloween Kills," scheduled to hit screens this October.
Andy Serkis is still precious
Richard Keenland, Jenna Rink's editor-in-chief at "Poise Magazine," was played by Andy Serkis. He is perhaps best known to fans as Smeagol/Gollum in the highly acclaimed "Lord of the Rings" series. Following "13 Going on 30," Serkis has appeared in numerous films including Caesar in the "Planet of the Apes" reboot trilogy, "The Hobbit" films — reprising his role as Gollum — and the "Star Wars" sequels as General Snoke, all of which required motion-capture animation. He also served as a motion capture consultant on several productions.
Like Mark Ruffalo and Judy Greer, Andy Serkis has also been part of the MCU. He appeared in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Black Panther" as Ulysses Klaue, an ally of Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger, throughout the latter film.
Serkis has many upcoming projects. In addition to playing the latest incarnation of Alfred Pennyworth in Matt Reeve's "The Batman," he will serve as an executive producer for Taika Waititi's "Next Goal Wins" and the director of "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," starring Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, and Michelle Williams.
Christa B. Allen has become Jenna
The young Jenna Rink in "13 Going on 30" was Christa B. Allen's first on-screen role. Following the success of film, she went on to appear in "Youth in Revolt," "Detention of the Dead," "The Valley," and "Ghost of Girlfriends Past," where she once again portrayed a younger version of Jennifer Garner. Perhaps her most famous post "13 Going on 30" part was in "Revenge," in which she was cast as Charlotte Grayson/Clarke. The series ran for four seasons, and Allen appeared in 70 of the 89 episodes aired. She was also invited for a "Revenge" virtual reunion that will raise money for St. Jude's.
Last year, Allen opted for a nostalgic Halloween costume by recreating some of Jennifer Garner's iconic scenes from "13 Going on 30." One of the most memorable was when Jenna goes through her wardrobe as she gets ready for a "Poise Magazine" party. Fans showed their own costumes for the film, and Allen was thrilled. "There has been an absolute deluge of 13 Going on 30 content from this Halloween. You are all so creative!! Please keep tagging me. I love seeing it and enjoying this character with you," she said.
Brie Larson is the world's captain
Brie Larson's first film role was in "13 Going on 30." She played a Six Chick, a girl that was part of Lucy Wyman's band of bullies that humiliated Jenna Rink. Though Larson did not have much of a part, she has quickly become one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood. She appeared in a variety of films and television — most notably, "Raising Dad" alongside Bob Saget and Kat Dennings, and "The Room," for which she took home the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2016 — before joining the MCU as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers.
The first "Captain Marvel" film was released in 2019 and was the first MCU film with a female lead. That same year, Larson reprised her role in "Avengers: Endgame." She will return as Captain Marvel in the sequel; it was recently revealed that the title will be "The Marvels." The film is set for a 2022 release date.