Are Jennifer Garner and Julia Garner related? Parents, siblings and all we know about Fantastic Four actress playing Silver Surfer

Julia Garner has been making headlines since she made her debut as the Silver Surfer in the new trailer for the upcoming Marvel film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, released on April 17, 2025.

Fans are wondering if she is related to Jennifer Garner since they both share the same surname. The answer is no, they are not related but have many similarities, per Distractify. Both of them have starred in high-profile television series and films.

The Emmy-winning actress gained popularity after starring in Ozark from 2017 to 2022. She later appeared in Netflix’s Inventing Anna and The Royal Hotel. Whereas the Golden Globe-winning actress is known for films like 13 Going On 30, Elektra, Dallas Buyers Club and more.

They were raised by mothers who worked as teachers, which fostered a love towards the arts and learning from a young age, Distractify stated. Besides being a talented actress, both share an MCU connection as well.

Jennifer Garner portrayed Elektra in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), she previously embodied Elektra Natchios in Daredevil (2003) and Elektra (2005). While Julia Garner will be seen as Silver Surfer in the 2025 remake of Fantastic Four. Her recent casting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has intrigued her fans to know more about her personal life.

What do we know about Julia Garner’s family?

Julia Garner was born on February 1, 1994, in the Bronx, New York City, USA. She has made her mark among audiences as Netflix’s Ozark‘s best-loved character, Ruth Langmore.

Her mother, Tami Gingold, is a therapist. She also worked as a comedian in Israel decades ago, per a report in Distractify. She featured on the Israeli Saturday Night Live, per Hey Alma.

IMDb stated that she briefly worked as an actress and is known for her roles in The 17th Bride (1985), House Committee Rivalry (1986) and Morning Star (1980).

Her father, Thomas Garner, is reportedly a painter and an arts teacher from Shaker Heights, Ohio. Her older sister, Anna Garner, is also an artist. As per IMDb, she taught English as a Second Language in a New York City high school.

She called her grandma Savta, the Hebrew word for grandmother.

While growing up, she was shy as a teenager and decided to take acting classes to overcome her shyness. In an interview with Hey Alma, she revealed,

“I took acting classes for a hobby because I was very shy. I was 15 and I wanted to keep myself busy. I really liked how it felt.”

She added:

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“Not that I’m ugly, but I’m not Hollywood-standard beautiful or that simple beauty. I was kind of weird looking, different looking. Especially at 16, I had weird curly hair and I had a gap tooth. I still have my gap tooth. I still look the same. So, I get cult members. I get pregnant Mormon girls. I get cannibals. I got a girl who was in love with a KGB secret agent who wore weird glasses. And even now, I’ve got Ruth.”

Garner made her debut at the age of 17 in Martha Marcy May Marlene in 2011 as a cult member. She has been married to Mark Foster since 2019. Foster is the frontman of the band Foster the People, per People magazine.

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