Garner shares the story behind her return and video of her grueling workouts — while director Shawn Levy also reveals how she felt about that shocking Ben Affleck divorce joke.
Jennifer Garner shared a glimpse of what it takes to become Elektra.
Nearly two weeks after Deadpool & Wolverine hit cinemas, spoilers are no longer being kept secret from the movie’s cast and crew — who have been sharing a ton of behind-the-scenes stories and photos to social media starting Monday.
One of the film’s surprise cameo stars, Garner, is no exception — with the actress opening up about reprising her Daredevil role 20 years later.
and Marvel fans around the world are still in awe that Garner reprised her early 2000’s iconic role.
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In the Instagram post showing her vigorous workout routines to get back into fighting shape — “I was fit, but not [Marvel] fit. 🥷🏻👵🏼,” she quipped — Garner recalled her journey to picking up “Elektra’s sais” again after Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds came up with the idea while they were all on set of The Adam Project.
“They gave each other this look they have that can communicate an idea, 20 pages of dialogue, nuclear codes — there is a crazy artistic kismet between those two,” Garner began, giving Marvel fans an insight into the behind the scenes discussions and chemistry.
Garner went on to explain that she called up her “bestie and OG” stunt double Shauna Duggins and “amped up our training” to prepare for their return and get super-hero ready for the first time since 2005.
Led by trainer Beth Nicely, the pair took on boxing classes three times a week from Flvco Pichardo and participated in “lots and lots” of workouts led by Peloton’s Becs Gentry. From difficult jump routines on trampolines to swimming — there was no work out Garner seemingly didn’t try.
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“Other than trying to convince my kids’ preschool buddies that I was secretly a ninja, I hadn’t picked up Elektra’s sais since 2004,” she added.
“I didn’t know that Elektra and I needed an ending, but Shawn and Ryan did. They are gifted in many ways, but seeing and elevating people around them is at the top of the list. Shauna and I were in heaven on set with them, with my old pal Hugh Jackman, Dafne Keen, Channing Tatum and Wesley Snipes,” Garner added.
It’s safe to assume the “heavenly” set would have also been a hysterical one — with Levy revealing to Variety that Garner’s Ben Affleck divorce joke was in the script. In the movie, Reynolds’ Deadpool offers up his condolences to Elektra for the loss of her longtime love, Daredevil (originally played by Affleck). Her reaction: An unaffected “It’s fine.”
“We never did a joke about or with anyone that we didn’t run by them first,” Levy told the publication. “Whether it was scripted, like the Daredevil line, or unscripted, like ‘He’s normally shirtless, but he’s let himself go since the divorce’ [about Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine], which was more of on-set improv, Ryan or I would always run the lines by performers and make sure everyone felt comfortable and that we were never punching down.”
“It was all in a playful spirit that everyone felt good about. Those lines wouldn’t be in the movie if Hugh and Jen didn’t think they were funny,” he added. Levy also said that while Affleck’s character was on an initial list of names to bring back, they never actually reached out to his people.
For more stars sharing spoiler moments from the film, check out the gallery below!
