From high kicks to meet-cutes: Jessica Alba joins Netflix’s 13 Going on 30 reboot

If you ever wondered whether Jessica Alba can pull off the iconic 'Thriller' dance routine, well, Netflix might be about to give us an answer – and no, I'm not making that up. The actress – best known for Fantastic Four, a few seasons of playing a tough lead in action flicks, and apparently now for being everywhere at once – is joining the cast of Netflix's 13 Going on 30 reboot. That is, if you trust Deadline, who seem pretty certain even though Netflix officially won't say a word about it yet.

The reboot has actually been in the works for a while, kicking off proper production in Los Angeles last month. This isn’t just a cash-in either: Jennifer Garner, who played Jenna Rink in the original, is back on board as an executive producer. If you were ever a fan of that early-noughties rom-com – and honestly, who wasn’t at least a little bit? – there’s plenty of nostalgia in play here. Brett Haley, who last did People We Meet on Vacation, is directing, and the screenplay's coming from Hannah Marks (she did Mark, Mary & Some Other People).

'13 Going on 30': The Makeover

Bit of a recap for the tiny minority who missed the original: back in 2004, Columbia Pictures put out 13 Going on 30, starring Jennifer Garner as Jenna Rink. Jenna’s an awkward teenager who makes a wild birthday wish, then wakes up the next morning in her thirties with a job, a flat, and instantly better hair. She had Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, and Andy Serkis making life complicated and/or amusing for her. No one has confirmed if any of them pop up this time around, so don’t start expecting Ruffalo cameos just yet.

The New Cast, So Far

• Jessica Alba (unconfirmed by Netflix, very much confirmed by Deadline)
• Emily Bader, Logan Lerman, Adeline Rudolph (all properly announced)
• Jennifer Garner (executive producing, no word on a cameo)

The rest of the original gang – Ruffalo, Greer, Serkis – aren’t mentioned. No sniff of a storyline twist, though if Alba turns out to be auditioning for the next 'Thriller' flash mob, I might actually have to watch it for research.

Alba's Hectic Schedule

If this feels like a left turn for Jessica Alba, fair enough – she was last seen leading the 2024 action thriller Trigger Warning. In that film, she was special forces commando Parker, going back home only to get tangled up with the kind of violent people you only find in small-town action scripts. The film didn't exactly create Oscar buzz, but Alba is hardly slacking for work. She's currently filming The Mark with Rena Owen, Jessica McNamee, and Tom Hopper, split between Queensland and Salt Lake City. Hopper plays a single dad who gets mistaken for a world-class assassin by a spy – naturally, mayhem and political conspiracy follow.

And she’s not pausing for breath. Alba’s also set to share scenes with some pretty big names in Maserati: The Brothers – yes, that Maserati. Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Andy Garcia, and Michele Morrone are all on the call sheet. The film will trace the Maserati siblings from their car-building beginnings in 1914 through to the point when everyone was feuding with Ferrari and Lamborghini. Bobby Moresco is behind the camera for this one.

'Who do you think Jessica Alba will play in Netflix's 13 Going on 30 reboot? Are you a fan of the original rom-com starring Jennifer Garner? Let us know in the comments section below.'