Whatever you think of the Daredevil movie with Ben Affleck, there’s no disputing that Jennifer Garner is a badass in it. Even if you hadn’t seen the physical work she was capable of as the star of Alias, watching her show off her skills as Elektra Natchios was impressive. She was really able to display her efforts with the sai training scene, which is one of the most standout moments of the film.
But no fight scene or physical stunt is as easy as it looks, especially if you’re doing it correctly. And when you’re working with sais, which are pointed weapons used in martial arts that resemble a hand fork, you have to be prepared for anything to happen… and quickly react if it does. While revisiting some of the most memorable moments from her career with Vanity Fair, Jennifer Garner recalled a scary moment from that specific night:
I just remember that we shot so long that they covered the windows in the morning to keep it night, and we shot until 1:00 in the afternoon, and the sais pressed against your hand. And, by the time we finished, when we stopped for a minute, my hands swelled up so quickly that the rings that I was wearing started cutting through into my skin. And I truly started to panic, and a grip came and like, cut my rings off really quickly.
For someone adept at stunts but not a seasoned professional, it must have been a terrifying moment to realize that you’ve pushed yourself so hard that you might have a serious physical injury if you don’t act immediately. Thankfully, the actress had a crew member step up to help her out before things got worse.
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Another super defining aspect of that Elektra scene in the film is the smash hit Evanescence song, “Bring Me To Life,” that plays over it. Having first appeared in the film and on the soundtrack and later becoming the band’s debut single from their first studio album, Garner isn’t surprised that she’s become associated with the tune. She said:
When I hear Evanescence, I 100% imagine that initial starting on the floor and coming up. I feel like I might’ve come up with that way into the scene because it’s just a dance move, isn’t it? But that is — I just remember hearing it probably a million and a half times that night.
The 13 Going on 30 star was also quick to shout out her stunt double, Shauna Duggins, who she worked alongside of on Daredevil and Elektra. Diggins used 20 years of ballet training to help pull off such a memorable moment, and had has since evolved into a stunt coordinator and second unit director. Garner reprised her role as Elektra in Deadpool & Wolverine, to the joy of fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order. That movie reignited her love-hate relationship with the character’s signature weapons. “These stupid sais and I have really been through it,” the mom of three declared.
For the moment, Garner has hung up her sais to play a woman unable to move forward after a devastating loss who decides to host a weekend away with three friends in The Five Star Weekend. But I would definitely be down to see Garner play Elektra again in upcoming Marvel movies. Even if that’s not the case, some of the best Garner movies and shows have put the actress into epic action, and I’d be happy to watch her utilize her particular set of skills in any of them. Until then, you can stream both Daredevil and Alias with a Disney+ subscription.