Jennifer Garner's 2 Sisters: All About Melissa and Susannah

Jennifer Garner says she’s lucky to have grown up as the middle child between Melissa and Susannah

Jennifer Garner doesn’t pay attention to stereotypes, especially when it comes to being a middle child between her sisters, Melissa Lynn Garner and Susannah Kay Garner.

The three Garner siblings grew up in West Virginia with their dad William John Garner and mom Patricia English Garner, who were strict but let their kids be independent when expressing themselves and finding fulfilling hobbies.

"We let the girls do their own thing," Patricia told Southern Living. "I have one daughter who has an MBA, one who is a CPA and one who is an actress."

This made for a happy childhood, where the sisters loved one another fiercely and now continue to play important roles in their lives. While Melissa and Susannah are more private, Jennifer enjoys celebrating her siblings on Instagram through heartwarming family photos and anecdotes. In fact, she counts their close bond as the most impactful one in her life.

“Being the middle sister of these three girls is the relationship that defines me more than anything else. More than being my kids’ mother ... I’m first and foremost the middle Garner girl,” she told Southern Living in the same interview.

Here's everything to know about Jennifer Garner's sisters — Melissa and Susannah — and their relationship with their actress sibling.

They grew up in West Virginia

After William and Patricia married in 1965, they started a family with the birth of their first child, daughter Melissa, on Feb. 5, 1969. Several years later, the couple welcomed Jennifer on April 17, 1972, followed by Susannah on Jan. 24, 1975.

Since her time in Hollywood, Jennifer has reflected on her humble upbringing in Charleston, West Virginia, alongside her sisters, where her dad was a chemical engineer and her mom was an English teacher. While raising their family, William and Patricia instilled in their daughters the importance of community, including at their local place of worship.

In a 2023 interview with Allure, Jennifer recalled attending “a lovely church in the United Methodist Church" and the experience left such a lasting impression on her that she still thinks about being a minister one day.

A particular memory that stands out is “this one beautiful sermon” her family always referenced about letting go of pain and Jennifer likes quoting it with her siblings.

“So many times, my sisters and I have said, ‘You need to put that in the river,’ “ the actress shared, explaining how “our minister talked about taking something hard that had happened and ... the power of letting go. Don’t carry it. Just let it go.”

Jennifer credits her success to Melissa's “bigger-than-life” personality

Although Jennifer grew up nestled between Melissa and Susannah, her older sister made a major impact on her. While the Alias star has expressed being a proud middle child, she still had to figure out a way to stand out within her family, and Melissa was the person she looked toward for inspiration.

“If I’m totally honest, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the fact that I have this bigger-than-life, incredible older sister,” the actress told the The Independent of her in 2009. “She’s beautiful, and she was valedictorian, got a 1600 on her SATs and was the head majorette."

Jennifer continued, “I was just the middle kid, kind of looking for attention. So that’s what drove me, I think, to do things she wasn’t doing.”

That said, the 13 Going on 30 alum still sees her older sister as her biggest protector. In a sweet Instagram birthday tribute, she explained how much she values Melissa’s role in her life.

“Happy birthday to my big sister, Melissa. The world still looks safer sitting next to you,” she captioned the 2019 post.

Jennifer admires Susannah

While Susannah lives out of the public eye, Jennifer has praised her fierce presence in her life, which she has felt since their childhood. According to the Daredevil star, even though she was the older sister, Susannah quickly learned to stand on her own two feet.

"Susannah— remember when I was your protector and knew more than you? Yeah, that didn’t last long. Happy birthday, my favorite baby sister. I love you," Jennifer captioned a photo of them on Instagram.

During her conversation with Kerry Washington for Street You Grew Up On, the actress opened up about sharing a room with her siblings and revealed insight into Susannah's personality.

“My little sister’s a badass,” Jennifer said.

Jennifer is a proud middle child

Whether Jennifer realized how her sisters influenced her perspective on life when she was younger or not, she is thankful to have been surrounded by Melissa and Susannah. Over the years, the Juno cast member has celebrated being the middle child, and she's expressed how it's continued to resonate with her.

“The best thing that ever happened to me was growing up between my sisters,” she captioned an Instagram post on National Middle Child Day in 2022.

In 2018, she shared a sweet collage — showing pictures of them as kids as well as a more recent photo — as a tribute to her two sisters on National Sibling Day.

“First and foremost, always and forever, I am the middle Garner Girl,” she wrote. “How lucky am I to have such sisters.”

Jennifer loves sharing throwback pictures of her sisters

While Jennifer’s sisters remain mostly out of the spotlight, she never misses an opportunity to dig up old childhood pictures to take a trip down memory lane. The Last Thing He Told Me star likes praising her siblings with heartfelt family photos on Instagram, and sometimes she even quips about their collective looks.

In one snap she posted in October 2021, the sisters pose for a portrait — with their blunt bangs and prominent ears ripe for Jennifer to joke about.

“Discussion points: 1. Garner girls + bangs = lifelong struggle. 2. Ears. 3. Growing out a bowl cut is never easy. 4. When mom is in a quilting phase. Thank you. (♥️ I love my sisters ♥️),” she captioned it.

They’re not always silly pictures, though: She gave fans a real treat in December 2017 with a sweet shot of three of them dressed up for Christmas “sometime deep in the 1970’s.” She also pointed out how their mom, Patricia, made their clothes.

Melissa and Susannah are proud of Jennifer

It was a true family occasion when Jennifer was honored with a star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame in August 2018. Along with her kids — Violet, Seraphina and Samuel, whom she shares with ex-husband Ben Affleck — the event also brought out the entire Garner family.

Melissa and Susannah were both there with their kids, Jennifer’s nephews and niece, as well as the actress' parents. During her acceptance speech, she gave her family a sweet shout-out, telling them that “all of you here are the most special people in the world to me.”

Jennifer also joked about her niece and nephew not going to class to attend the ceremony.

“A special shoutout to my niece and nephew, who are missing their first days of school, to be here today because, in the Garner family, fame matters more than education," she jested. "Obviously, that’s not true. They’re equal."

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