What’s better than being 30 and flirty and thriving? Having an entire generation of fans cheering you on when you reach that milestone, including one very famous former co-star. Just ask Christa Allen, who played the younger counterpart of Jennifer Garner’s Jenna Rink in 13 Going on 30. After celebrating hitting the big three-oh with a viral moment, Garner herself made sure to share her reaction — and, of course, wish her a happy birthday.
For countless Millennials, 13 Going on 30 is a classic film. It blends comedy and romance in a surprisingly complex coming-of-age story, and it’s one that still holds up more than 15 years after it was first released. When Ariana Grande went full Jenna Rink on The Voice recently, fans immediately understood the reference. And when Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner reunited again in search of Razzles earlier this year, the nostalgia took us all by storm.
So it’s no surprise that when Christa Allen recreated one of the movie’s most iconic moments to commemorate her own birthday, it quickly spread across the internet. Allen received overwhelming support from fans, who took breaks from their “what do you mean she’s 30 already”-fueled existential crises to share her Instagram videos documenting her 30th birthday festivities. But she may not have been expecting Jennifer Garner herself to share a clip of her video on her own Instagram stories, along with a sweet message of her own:
The actress even took her well wishes a step further, sending her co-star a birthday greeting via video, which appeared in a post that Christa Allen shared featuring other birthday wishes. Take a look at her surprise message here:
In 13 Going on 30, the two actresses never actually shared the screen together. So it’s heartwarming to know they can still connect over their iconic role together so many years later. Plus, the Yes Day star’s amazed reaction at her colleague turning 30 is so relatable. One of the things that made the 2004 comedy so special was how convincing both actresses were in playing the same character. The seamless transition between their performances made the movie’s premise feel surprisingly believable. So seeing the two finally share the screen together, even for a moment, didn’t just inspire overwhelming nostalgia, it made for a fun and touching full circle moment for fans.
These days, Christa Allen is still best known for playing Jenna Rink, a fact she has fully owned, but she’s still forging her career in Hollywood — and her 13 Going on 30 throwbacks could be killer additions to her reel. Jennifer Garner’s life has changed a lot since she led a whole party in Michael Jackson’s Thriller. She’s going on 50, still as fabulous as ever, and has a teenager of her own and another daughter who’s now going on 13 herself. We’ll see her next in The Adam Project, a sci-fi thriller from Netflix co-starring Ruffalo. Maybe our nostalgia is just getting started.