Jennifer Garner Says Mark Ruffalo Almost Quit13 Going on 30After Rehearsing ‘Thriller’ Scene: ‘Not for Me’

Mar. 15, 2025

13 Going on 30fans almost missed out onJennifer GarnerandMark Ruffalo’s iconic “Thriller” dance scene!On Thursday, thePoor Thingsactor, 56, was the recipient of a star on theHollywood Walk of Famein Los Angeles.During the ceremony, his friend and formerThe Adam Projectcostar, 51, spoke at the podium in his honor and reminded those in attendance that the world was almost robbed of a pop culture moment 20 years ago.While speaking at the event, she wondered if Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Keira Knightley — all of whom have also played Ruffalo’s onscreen romantic interests onscreen — agree with her that Ruffalo owes his “rom-com success to the scruffy hair, the untucked cute button down, both of which became like the norm for cute guys everywhere for the next 20 years.“Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner.Frazer Harrison/Getty“I wonder if these esteemed ladies enjoyed Mark’s anxiety as much as I did,” Garner continued. “I wonder if he tried to drop out of their films, like he did out of ours after the first rehearsal of the ‘Thriller’ dance where Mark went from kind of shocked that we actually had to do this, to antsy, to deathly quiet, to ‘Bro, this is not for me.’“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.In13 Going on 30, Garner played the adult version of Jenna Rink, a teen who wakes up to find herself a 30-year-old magazine editor in 2004. Jenna finds herself at a party that no one seems to be enjoying — that is until she requests the DJ booth cueMichael Jackson’s “Thriller.”Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo.Tracy Bennett/Columbia Tri Star/Kobal/ShutterstockGarner’s character recruits a reluctant Matt “Matty” Flamhaff (Ruffalo) to do the choreography featured in Jackson’s 1983 music video, thus saving the party.The pair jokingly recreated the moment on Thursday.Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner.Matt Baron/BEI/ShutterstockThe ceremony was not the first time Garner revealed that Ruffalo wanted no part of the routine. In March 2021, Garner toldtheSkimmthat he almost drew the line at that dance scene.“We started to learn the dance. Our first rehearsal, I think it was Mark andJudy [Greer]and me, and Judy and I were both dancers growing up and poor Mark didn’t know that. And he came in and he hated the rehearsal process so much he almost dropped out,“she said.Columbia Tri Star/Kobal/ShutterstockTheAvengersactor also commented via Instagram on PEOPLE’s coverage of the conversation.“It didn’t help that it took me 3 hours to learn what Jen mastered in about 20 minutes!” he joked at the time.Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo.Michael Loccisano/WireImageGarner, who was a last-minute fill-in speaker to replace Laura Dern and Don Cheadle Thursday, could not have been more proud to have worked with and grown close to her costar.“To work with you, Mark, is to love you, I don’t care what anyone says,” Garner said, adding that it was “a privilege” to know him.Ruffalo is the 2,772nd person to receive a star on the famed street, according to a press release.Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, actors Barry Keoghan andLili Reinhart, andAvengersdirector Joss Whedon were among his peers who attended the event.

13 Going on 30fans almost missed out onJennifer GarnerandMark Ruffalo’s iconic “Thriller” dance scene!

On Thursday, thePoor Thingsactor, 56, was the recipient of a star on theHollywood Walk of Famein Los Angeles.

During the ceremony, his friend and formerThe Adam Projectcostar, 51, spoke at the podium in his honor and reminded those in attendance that the world was almost robbed of a pop culture moment 20 years ago.

While speaking at the event, she wondered if Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Keira Knightley — all of whom have also played Ruffalo’s onscreen romantic interests onscreen — agree with her that Ruffalo owes his “rom-com success to the scruffy hair, the untucked cute button down, both of which became like the norm for cute guys everywhere for the next 20 years.”

Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner.Frazer Harrison/Getty

Frazer Harrison/Getty

“I wonder if these esteemed ladies enjoyed Mark’s anxiety as much as I did,” Garner continued. “I wonder if he tried to drop out of their films, like he did out of ours after the first rehearsal of the ‘Thriller’ dance where Mark went from kind of shocked that we actually had to do this, to antsy, to deathly quiet, to ‘Bro, this is not for me.’”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In13 Going on 30, Garner played the adult version of Jenna Rink, a teen who wakes up to find herself a 30-year-old magazine editor in 2004. Jenna finds herself at a party that no one seems to be enjoying — that is until she requests the DJ booth cueMichael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo.Tracy Bennett/Columbia Tri Star/Kobal/Shutterstock

Tracy Bennett/Columbia Tri Star/Kobal/Shutterstock

Garner’s character recruits a reluctant Matt “Matty” Flamhaff (Ruffalo) to do the choreography featured in Jackson’s 1983 music video, thus saving the party.

The pair jokingly recreated the moment on Thursday.

Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner.Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

The ceremony was not the first time Garner revealed that Ruffalo wanted no part of the routine. In March 2021, Garner toldtheSkimmthat he almost drew the line at that dance scene.

“We started to learn the dance. Our first rehearsal, I think it was Mark andJudy [Greer]and me, and Judy and I were both dancers growing up and poor Mark didn’t know that. And he came in and he hated the rehearsal process so much he almost dropped out,“she said.

Columbia Tri Star/Kobal/Shutterstock

TheAvengersactor also commented via Instagram on PEOPLE’s coverage of the conversation.

“It didn’t help that it took me 3 hours to learn what Jen mastered in about 20 minutes!” he joked at the time.

Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo.Michael Loccisano/WireImage

Michael Loccisano/WireImage

Garner, who was a last-minute fill-in speaker to replace Laura Dern and Don Cheadle Thursday, could not have been more proud to have worked with and grown close to her costar.

“To work with you, Mark, is to love you, I don’t care what anyone says,” Garner said, adding that it was “a privilege” to know him.

Ruffalo is the 2,772nd person to receive a star on the famed street, according to a press release.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, actors Barry Keoghan andLili Reinhart, andAvengersdirector Joss Whedon were among his peers who attended the event.

source: people.com