After almost 20 years, Jennifer Garner reprised her role as Elektra in the film “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

The actress appeared in the movie alongside the titular characters played by Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

The 52-year-old actress wasn’t originally meant to be in the film, but when director Shawn Levy and star Ryan Reynolds approached her about the idea, she agreed to it.

Thus began her journey of intense workouts to get back to what she calls “Marvel fit.”

Jennifer Garner’s Intense Training As Elektra In Deadpool & Wolverine

Jennifer’s inclusion in the most recent Marvel film came as a surprise – even to herself. In a recent Instagram caption, she recalled how the idea came to be when Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds had a lightbulb moment together:

“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.”

Then it was off to the races to prepare for fight scene training. Jennifer noted that, other than trying to convince her kids’ friends that she was secretly a ninja, she hadn’t picked up Elekra’s swords in near decades.

Jennifer has since opened up about the extreme workouts she underwent in order to play Elektra in the latest Marvel installment. In clips shared on her social media, Jennifer can be seen doing everything from swimming, running, weight training, boxing, trampolining, and, of course, training with her sais, Elektra’s iconic three-pronged daggers.

If it sounds like daunting training, that’s because it was, and Jennifer noted that it took an entire team to help her prepare. Among those assisting her was her longtime stunt double, Shauna Duggins, with whom she trained closely, as well as her trainer Beth Nicely. Jennifer credited both women in the caption of her Instagram post that showed her “becoming Elektra” once again.

The list of coaches doesn’t stop there. Jennifer also gave shoutouts to her boxing coach, Flvco Pichardo, and Peloton instructor Becs Gentry. Her caption also noted that her rigorous workouts often contained multiple sessions in one day, pushing her to the limit to prepare for such an active and demanding role.

Jennifer’s appearance as Elektra in “Deadpool & Wolverine” is not the only surprise cameo in the film. Among other unexpected appearances are Channing Tatum as Gambit and Wesley Snipes as Blade. Even Henry Cavill has a quick scene where he appears as the Wolverine variant “Cavillerine,” a non-canonical character who is featured more as a joke.

Jennifer Garner’s History As Elektra

The first time Jennifer appeared as Elektra was back in 2003 for the movie “Daredevil,” which starred her now ex-husband Ben Affleck. The next time she reprised the role was in 2005, for her own movie, simply titled “Elektra.”

That was the last time Jennifer had donned the superhero gear, and coming back to the character almost 20 years later is what she called “an impossible dream [that] became reality.” She also poked fun at herself for the gap between films, saying she’d had a “#SuperHeroSummer” and that they’d been “laughing at [their] sore old bodies.”

Jennifer Garner’s Complicated Divorce From Daredevil

Among other jokes around the film was one that came at Ben Affleck’s expense. When Elektra first appears in the film, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadool makes a comment offering his condolences for the loss of Elekra’s old love, Daredevil (originally portrayed by Ben Affleck). Elektra responds nonchalantly, “It’s fine,” perhaps nodding to her recent divorce from Ben in real life.

What does Ben think of this barb? Director Shawn Levy noted that the actors were allowed to improvise lots of lines on set, but that jokes about others were always run by them first. For this line in particular, Levy explained that he vetted it with Jennifer, though not with Ben himself. “It was all in a playful spirit that everyone felt good about,” Levy reassured fans.

Though Ben’s character Daredevil does not appear in “Deadpool & Wolverine,” his original character is shown in footage during the credits, a montage of previous Marvel films throughout the years. Perhaps his absence from the film is for the best, as Jennifer and Ben’s split (and his subsequent marriage to Jennifer Lopez), have proven to be contentious at times.

Jennifer and Ben first became friendly on the sets for the movies “Pearl Harbor” and “Daredevil” in the early 2000s, the two finally tying the knot back in 2005. The couple would go on to have three children together – Violet, Seraphine, and Samuel – but they ultimately went their separate ways in 2015. After more than ten years together, the two officially finalized their divorce in 2018.

Part of what played into the couple’s split was Ben’s struggle with substance abuse. He revealed that, around the time of their separation, he had sought treatment for alcohol addiction with Jennifer’s support. This marked his second time entering rehab after an initial stint in 2001, and he would go on to check in for a third time in 2018.

Since then, Ben and Jennifer have been seen co-parenting their three children, and the two can often be seen together even though they have been divorced for some time now. Jennifer has since moved on with a new boyfriend, John Miller, a businessman and an attorney who works as the CEO of CaliBurger.

For his part, Ben has made his way back to an old flame, rekindling with his ex Jennifer Lopez, whom he originally dated before he started to date Jennifer Garner back in the early 2000s. Ben and JLo started dating for a second time in 2021 and took things a step further, marrying in Las Vegas in 2022.

Only recently, it’s been rumored that Ben and JLo might also be heading for divorce, the whispers of which have been floating around for some months now. Among other rumors surrounding the couple is one that Ben’s sobriety might be at risk, with some even speculating that he’d completely relapsed.

Even after their breakup, though, Jennifer has remained incredibly supportive of Ben, noting that she feels responsible for him and always will, especially since the two share children together. Jennifer has always been extremely classy and refused to speak disparagingly of either Ben or JLo, with sources close to her saying that she genuinely hopes Ben’s new marriage works out.

Given these remarks, it’s no surprise that fans consider Jennifer to be a superhero both on-screen and off. She remains a beloved celebrity who seems to prioritize her family and their well-being over her own fame and fortune, something that fans continue to applaud her for.