Jennifer Garner Reunites With Ex Michael Vartan for 'Alias' 25th Anniversary

Jennifer Garner, 54, recently reconnected with her former co-star and ex-boyfriend Michael Vartan, 57, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their hit spy series, 'Alias.' The actress shared a rare photo of the two posing together on Instagram, marking over two decades since their split.

The spy drama, created by J.J. Abrams, originally aired on ABC from 2001 to 2006. Garner and Vartan, who played double agent Sydney Bristow and her CIA handler/eventual husband, respectively, dated for approximately one year from mid-2003 to 2004.

In the shared image, Garner is seen wearing a black mock turtleneck with her hair pulled back, appearing to wear minimal makeup. Vartan sports gray hair, a beard, and glasses, dressed casually in a denim shirt and a baseball cap. The social media post also included a montage of photos and video clips featuring Garner in character as Sydney Bristow, as well as images of other 'Alias' cast and crew members.

Garner reflected on the show's significant impact on her career and personal life. "'Alias' was so far outside of anything I had done," she stated in a voiceover. "No one had thought of me for action; no one had thought of me for a tough role. Playing Sydney changed me as a person. I walked differently after I played Sydney. It's something I'm so proud to be a part of."

The tribute also featured Garner with director J.J. Abrams, Victor Garber, Ron Rifkin, and Merrin Dungey. "They were my whole world, the cast and crew, and they still are after all these years later," Garner said. "We've been together, we're a little band that’s gone together for the past 25 years."

The actress shared memories of how she landed the role, including a clip where she discusses receiving an audition for the "Untitled J.J. Abrams project" with little prior information. The post was captioned: "Happy 25th, Alias."

Fellow cast members and fans responded to the post with affection. Merrin Dungey commented, "Love you forever and I promise not to fight you in our apartment ever again." Actress Reese Witherspoon expressed her admiration, stating, "Loved this show! This was my 'do not disturb' time of the week."

Garner later married actor Ben Affleck in 2005, with whom she has three children. Following their separation and eventual divorce, she began a relationship with John Miller. Vartan was previously engaged to actress Shannon Gleason and was married to realtor Lauren Skaar.

Despite their past romance, Garner and Vartan have maintained a friendship. In 2023, Garner posted a birthday tribute to Vartan on Instagram, affectionately signing off as "S. Bristow."