Christa B. Allen is officially 30...and flirty...and, well, you know the rest!
On Thursday, Nov. 11, the actress well-known for playing Jennifer Garner's younger self in the beloved 2004 rom-com 13 Going on 30 officially celebrated her own 30th birthday. And from the looks of her birthday celebrations so far—chronicled on social media, of course—Allen is certainly thriving. The actress, who also starred on Revenge, got dressed up in a glittering gold gown and headed out for a special dinner on Wednesday night at Shoku in Los Angeles to ring in her milestone birthday with loved ones.
Of course, it didn't take long for fans to notice the special occasion as they have flooded Allen's social media accounts with well wishes. Since starring in the movie at the actual age of 13, Allen has fully embraced her 13 Going on 30 roots online, often sharing throwback content and amassing more than 1 million followers on TikTok in the process.
On Halloween in 2020, she posted one of her most-viewed videos to date: a re-creation of big-time magazine editor Jenna Rink's getting-ready scene, complete with a basically identical version of the signature multi-colored cocktail dress.
In homage to the movie, Allen has also been posting installments of a short web series in which she is visited by her younger self just in time to turn 30.
Now, in honor of the special occasion, it only seems right that we play some Whitney Houston, open a fresh box of Razzles and revisit where all of the stars in Jenna Rink's world are today. All you have to do is keep scrolling!
In the 2004 movie, Garner starred as the thirty, flirty and thriving Jenna Rink, who tries to navigate life as an adult after making a wish to be older at her 13th birthday party. In addition to Garner's role on Alias, her character in 13 Going on 30 is a fan favorite.
After wrapping Alias in 2006, she went on to star in a number of movies such as Juno, Dallas Buyers Club, Men, Women & Children, Miracles from Heaven, Love, Simon and Peppermint. Garner has made her return to TV in the 2018 HBO series Camping.
Ahead of 13 Going on 30's 15th anniversary in 2019, Garner appeared on Good Morning America, where she was asked about a possible movie sequel. In response, Garner joked, "What like 15 Going on 50? Let's simmer down and then let's leave well enough alone."
In addition to being an actress, Garner is the co-founder of Once Upon a Farm. She's also mom to kids Violet, 15, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, 9, who she shares with Ben Affleck.
Did you know Brie Larson was in 13 Going on 30? That's right, she was a Six Chick! Larson, who was just starting her career when the film premiered in 2004, would also star in the beloved teen movie Sleepover that same year. Since then, she's skyrocketed to superstardom, starring in the TV series United States of Tara from 2009 to 2011 and movies like 21 Jumpstreet and Trainwreck.
In 2016, Larson won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in the film Room. The actress currently stars as Captain Marvel in the Avengers franchise.
Speaking of Avengers, Mark Ruffalo is another 13 Going on 30 cast member who stars in the movie franchise. Ruffalo and Larson both appear in Avengers: Endgame.
In 13 Going on 30, Ruffalo played the adult version of Matt Flamhaff, the best friend and love interest of Jenna. Ruffalo starred in a number of romantic movies around the same time as 13 Going on 30, making audiences swoon in films like Rumor Has It... with Jennifer Aniston and Just Like Heaven with Reese Witherspoon. Since then, Ruffalo has been nominated for three Oscars for his work in The Kids Are All Right, Foxcatcher and Spotlight. He nabbed a 2020 Emmy and a 2021 Golden Globe for his role in I Know This Much Is True.
He's been married to Sunrise Coigney since 2000 and the duo share three kids together.
Remember Ashley Benson in the movie? She was also a Six Chick with Brie Larson! In 2004, the same year the film premiered, Benson began her role as Abby Deveraux in Days of Our Lives. In 2010, she shot to fame when she was cast as Hanna Marin in the beloved series Pretty Little Liars. Since the show's finale in 2017, Benson has starred in the movie Her Smell alongside Elisabeth Moss.
Greer appeared as Garner's frenemy Lucy Wyman in the cult favorite. While they were at odds on the big screen, Garner revealed that she and Greer are still "really good friends" today.
She's since became known for her iconic characters in The Wedding Planner and 27 Dresses. Her impressively long resume includes films like 2011's The Descendants, 2013's Carrie and 2015's Jurassic World.
Andy Serkis appeared as Jenna's boss at her dream magazine, Poise. Over the years, Serkis became known for his motion capture roles in The Lord of the Rings franchise. In 2011, he co-founded a motion-capture production company called The Imaginarium. The studio was used for the creation of 2018's Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle.
Christa B. Allen's role in 13 Going on 30 was one of her first credited acting gigs. Following her role in the film, Allen would go on to land parts in episodes of shows like Wizards of Waverly Place and Grey's Anatomy. In 2009, Allen appeared as a teenage Jennifer Garner in the movie Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. From 2011 to 2015, Allen starred in the hit ABC drama series Revenge. She recently appeared in the TV movies When Vows Break and Dying for a Baby.
In November, she officially turned 30 and we officially felt old.