Jennifer Garner details ’emotional’ audition that led her to ‘cry’ in ‘bathroom’

Jennifer Garner is talking candidly about the most “emotional” Felicity audition, which had her sobbing in the bathroom.

The star of 13 Going on 30 just locked back at her audition for what “must have been the breakup scene.” Hannah Bibb is the ex-girlfriend of Noel Crane (Scott Foley), and she made a guest appearance in the J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves-created series.

“I remember the audition. I remember going into the bathroom after because the scene was so emotional and I needed to cry,” she said on The Ringer’s Dear Felicity podcast. “I needed to hide in the bathroom stall and finish the cry that I started in the audition because it was such a powerful scene.”

In response to Garner’s assertion that Abrams forced her to re-audition for the part later, podcast host and former Felicity star Greg Grunberg joked, “That makes sense to me because you’re not very good. I totally get it. I mean, notes, notes — you know what? Let me give her a block of notes to take home.”

The Alias alum responded, “I do need that, though. I’ve always loved a ton of feedback. I love that about working with J.J. and with Matt. They are helpful and they are true directors. They aren’t just like, ‘Okay, that seems fine. You have another one in you?’ They have an idea, and they’re helping guide you to the best version of whatever you show up with.”

“That was true in the audition process as well,” Garner added. “After the first read, then I really was invested and was like, ‘Oh gosh, I really wanna do this.’”

In the drama series’ first and fourth seasons, which aired from 1998 to 2002, Garner portrayed Hannah Bibb.