Jennifer Garner Pushed So Hard Filming ‘Daredevil’ That Her Rings Started Cutting Through Her Skin

Jennifer Garner has revisited one of the most memorable — and most painful — nights of her filming career, revealing that a physically grueling shoot on the set of Daredevil pushed her body to a genuinely alarming limit that required an immediate intervention from a crew member.

While reflecting on career highlights with Vanity Fair, Garner recalled in detail what happened during the extended overnight shoot that produced Elektra Natchios’ iconic sai training sequence in the 2003 film, according to CinemaBlend. The crew had been working through the night for so long that by the time the morning arrived, they had covered the windows to maintain the illusion of darkness — and filming continued until well into the afternoon.

The Moment She Started to Panic

Garner described the physical toll that hours of intense sai work had taken on her hands. The weapons pressed repeatedly against her palms throughout the extended shoot, and when the production finally paused, the accumulated strain became visible immediately. Her hands swelled so rapidly that the rings she was wearing stopped fitting correctly — and then began pressing into her skin.

She described the moment she realized what was happening as one where genuine panic set in. A crew member — a grip — moved quickly and cut the rings off before the situation worsened. Without that fast response, the outcome could have been significantly more serious.

For someone who had developed considerable physical skills through her years on Alias but wasn’t a full professional stuntperson, the experience of pushing her body that far and watching it react that dramatically in real time was understandably frightening.

The Song She’ll Never Forget

Beyond the physical ordeal, Garner also reflected on the Evanescence track “Bring Me to Life” — which plays over the sequence and became inseparable from both the film and her portrayal of Elektra. She noted that hearing the song immediately transports her back to that specific scene, and that by the end of that marathon night of filming she had likely heard it close to a million and a half times.

She suggested the idea of beginning the scene from the floor and rising upward may have originated with her — describing it as essentially a dance movement rather than a stunt call, which fits given her background.

The Stunt Double Behind the Scenes

Garner was also quick to acknowledge her stunt double Shauna Duggins, who brought 20 years of ballet training to the collaboration on both Daredevil and its spinoff Elektra. Duggins has since built a significant career of her own as a stunt coordinator and second unit director.

Garner reprised her role as Elektra in Deadpool & Wolverine, which reignited her complicated relationship with the character’s weapons — describing her and the sais as having genuinely “been through it” together over the years.

Both Daredevil and Alias are currently available to stream on Disney+.