Jennifer Garner just stunned fans with a throwback photo that proved just how strong her genes are. The 53-year-old actress posted a baby photo to her 17.2 million Instagram followers, and she looked just like her oldest daughter, Violet.
The photo is an adorable throwback of Jennifer as a toddler. She had barely any hair, and wore a plaid blue and pink dress with a peter pan collar. Little Jennifer smiled sweetly while staring to the right of the camera.
The 13 Going on 30 star received dozens of comments from her famous friends and fans gushing about just how cute she was as a kid. Jessica Capshaw wrote: "I love that face!!" And Rita Wilson commented: "Joyful even as a toddler."
And while we agree with those reactions, HELLO! couldn't help but notice just how much Violet resembles her famous mom, both now and as a toddler. Violet was born on December 1, 2005 to Jennifer and her then husband, Ben Affleck.
While the parents worked to keep Violet's life private, there were more than a few photos of Violet as a kid, tagging alongside her parents to events and on errands. And the resemblance to her mom could not be missed.
Sure, unlike Jennifer, Violet had blonde hair as a kid, her smile and almond shaped eyes were just like her mothers. As Violet has grown, she only looks more like Jennifer. The 20-year-old inherited her mother's warm hair, defined facial features, and love of wearing spectacles.
The only difference between the two is Violet's height, in which she clearly takes after her father, who has a towering stature standing at 6ft3in. In May 2025, Violet joined her mom on a grocery run and stood head and shoulders above her.
Violet and her mask
In recent years, it is rare to see Violet out and about without her mask. She has previously spoken out against the mask bans in Los Angeles. The teenager delivered a speech at the L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting back in July 2024.
Violet advocated for mask availability and high-quality free testing. "I contracted a post-viral condition in 2019," she shared during her speech at L.A.'s Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration. "I'm OK now, but I saw first-hand that medicine does not always have answers to the consequences of even minor viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown that into sharper relief."
How has Violet's public image developed compared to Jennifer's?
While both her parents are public figures, Violet lives a much more private life. She is a sophomore at Yale University, where she is active in their public health program. In May 2025, Violet published an essay in the Yale Global Health Review, in which she analyzed how the climate crisis parallels the response to COVID.
Of her oldest, with whom she shares so many similarities, Jennifer told Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos on Live with Kelly and Mark: "She's a self-starter. I'm proud of her no matter what."