Jennifer Garner Admits Being Shocked When First Told She Was Pretty

ABC/Randy Holmes(NEW YORK) — Jennifer Garner moved to New York City from Charleston, West Virginia in the early 1990s, but in the March edition of Southern Living magazine, she insists she didn’t leave her Southern values behind, especially when it comes to her appearance.

In particular, the 42-year-old actress tells the magazine she learned that looks aren’t everything. “What my mom did that I valued so much was to not place beauty high on the list of priorities,” she recalls.

In fact, Garner admits it was “a shock” when her classmates at Denison University in Granville, Ohio told her she was pretty.

Even when she’s walking the red carpet, Jennifer likes to keep things simple. “Although I adore it on others, you won’t see me wearing many one-shoulder, asymmetrical, cool things. I can’t feel like I’m wearing a costume.”

Garner says she wouldn’t trade growing up in West Virginia for anything. “I feel so fortunate to have grown up in a place where people look out for each other,” the actress says. “Community is the one thing people crave most, and it’s hard to come by. I grew up with such an excess of it that now wherever I go, the first thing I do is build my group.”

Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.