Jennifer Garner Getting In Shape To Play Elektra

While Deadpool & Wolverine was filled with many surprise cameos, the appearance of Jennifer Garner’s Elektra wasn’t technically one of them, as her casting was announced prior to the release of the film.

Given that Jennifer Garner had previously worked with Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy on the pair’s previous movie The Adam Project, her casting wasn’t all that much of a surprise, either.

Garner’s appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine marked the first time she’s played in character in 19 years, since the ill-fated Elektra solo film in 2005. She also famously played the character alongside Ben Affleck in 2004’s Daredevil.

While Elektra the movie — 11% on Rotten Tomatoes — was obviously a mistake, casting Garner as the character certainly was not, as she basically looks just like she did two decades ago and is still kicking as much butt as she did then, too.

Warning: The rest of this article will contain MASSIVE spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.

With Marvel Studios’ self-imposed “spoiler embargo” lifting on Monday, the stars of Deadpool & Wolverine — such as Reynolds, Jackman, Channing Tatum, and Chris Evans — have taken to social media to share heartfelt messages about their performances.

“This Jen Garner person. She has a black belt in kindness but has inside her: an unblinking hurricane of vengeance,” Reynolds raved about Garner on social media.

“I’ve worked with Jen twice now. She brings a completely different scope of skills to each movie but can’t hide one detail: I don’t care how talented someone is… you can’t hide humanity. She’s not only one of my favorite performers, she’s one of my favorite people. I love her and I will now and always, owe her one. Five. What a baller.”

As for Garner, in addition to her own sincere caption, she shared a video of herself training to play the part, showing how much work the 52-year-old actress put into getting in shape.

“I remember the moment Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds had the idea for Elektra Natchios to show up in Deadpool 3 — we were on the set of The Adam Project and 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 wrote.

“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; I was fit, but not Marvel fit,” she continued.

“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. Shooting the fight was so fun, being there all together—truly like a dream. I’m proud of my friends and grateful to be up there with them. Thank you doesn’t cut it, guys, but it’s a good placeholder until I figure out what does.”

Of all the L’s that Ben Affleck has taken this year in his personal life, mainly Jennifer Lopez-related, one of the most difficult ones has to be seeing how Garner looked in Deadpool & Wolverine — which also made a joke at Affleck’s expense, too.