Jennifer Garner’s famous ex, Michael Vartan, is completely unrecognizable after quitting Hollywood

It has been eight years since Michael Vartan quit Hollywood, and he’s now sporting a very different look.

The once clean-cut actor stepped out in Los Angeles with a grey beard and glasses recently and fans would be forgiven for not recognizing him. 

Michael — who dated his Alias co-star Jennifer Garner for a year — looked a long way from his former red carpet days, as he dressed down in sweats for a trip to the grocery store.

He hid under a Los Angeles Kings baseball cap while he ran errands in LA and appeared casual and carefree. 

While the 57-year-old never officially retired from acting, his last role was in 2018 when he appeared in an episode of God Friended Me.

Career challenges

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He also spoke about how challenging he found his roller-coaster career in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2017.

“This business is much harder than I thought it would be, to be honest with you,” he confessed. “I got Alias when I was 31 or 32. By the fifth season, naturally I felt established in the business – ‘This is going to be my life. I’m going to go from show to show. Maybe I get lucky and get another Alias down the road.’

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“The moment you think you’ve arrived, even if it’s not at the top of the mountain, you realize very quickly that nothing is a given. You have to get it.”

Heartthrob

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Michael starred in numerous rom-coms including alongside Jennifer Lopez in Monster-In-Law and in Never Been Kissed with Drew Barrymore.

His most notable role was in spy show, Alias, in which he played CIA field agent Michael Vaughn who handled newly recruited spy Sydney Bristow, played by Jennifer Garner.

Jennifer Garner romance

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They were love interests on and off screen. The pair dated from 2003 to 2004, just before she met and married Ben Affleck.

While their romance didn’t pan out, they have remained friends and on Michael’s 53rd birthday, Jennifer paid tribute to him on Instagram when she posted a photo of them on the set of Alias and wrote: “I can’t remember why I was Bavarian, but I do know today is your birthday. Hope it’s a great one, Michael!”

Michael was married to real estate agent Lauren Skaar from 2011 to 2014, but she filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences as the reason. They had no children together.