Where are all the words? Jennifer Garner said that she took her son, 6-year-old Samuel, to see the American Ballet Theatre perform The Nutcracker … and that he was confused by the whole production!
The actress, 46, shared the funny anecdote during her speech at ABT’s holiday benefit in Beverly Hills on Monday, December 17. “He looked over and he said, ‘Mom, I don’t know if I get this movie. I’m not really getting the plot. They are not talking,’” she told guests, adding that she’s determined for Samuel to grow up to be an ABT fan.
Garner, who took ballet lessons as a child, is a longtime fan of the New York City-based company. “It is my lifelong dream to be up here celebrating the American Ballet Theater,” she said in her speech. “And lucky for you, I will not be dancing tonight. But that’s my holiday gift.”
On Instagram, the Alias alum shared a video of herself helping the dancers and crew members get ready — acting as stage manager, fixing hair and makeup, inspecting the costumes, decorating the dressing rooms and waving a giant foam finger from the seats.
“Thank you to all of the @abtofficial dancers and crew for letting me play along — I was in heaven being with all of you,” she wrote in the caption, tagging the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, and ABT leads Misty Copeland and Blaine Hoven. “Even more — I loved every minute of #ABTNutcracker @segerstromarts. @mistyonpointe was the dreamiest Clara. Alabama’s finest, @mbhoven, was the most regal prince.”
She continued: “The mice made me laugh, the snowflakes made me dream, the bees made me tired. … If you want to feel holiday happiness: find and see your local Nutcracker!”
In addition to Samuel, Garner shares two daughters — Violet, 13, and Seraphina, 9 — with Ben Affleck, whom she divorced in 2018.
With reporting by Nicole Pajer
