At a Glance
- Jennifer Garner lobbied hard to play Hannah Hall after another actress exited the Apple TV project
- Laura Dave lost her first novel manuscript after spilling water on her computer 20 years ago
- The First Time I Saw Him, sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me, released on Jan. 6
- Why it matters: The behind-the-scenes story shows how persistence and timing turned a bestselling book into a star-driven streaming hit
Jennifer Garner and author Laura Dave reunited in Brentwood, California, on Jan. 15 for a promotional event celebrating Dave’s new novel, The First Time I Saw Him. The evening doubled as a reflection on their intertwined creative journeys that began when Garner fought to headline the screen version of Dave’s 2021 smash, The Last Thing He Told Me.
From 13 Odd Jobs to Bestseller List
Dave told the crowd she left graduate school two decades ago feeling unstoppable. She had 200-plus pages of a novel and interest from two agents. One clumsy water spill later, the entire file vanished.
“So that first year that I was back in New York, I had 13 jobs, literally,” she said. Her gigs ranged from marketing swimwear for Speedo to tutoring private-school students. The hustle continued until 2006, when Simon & Schuster published her debut, London Is the Best City in America. Several novels followed, but mainstream fame arrived with 2021’s The Last Thing He Told Me, a Reese’s Book Club pick that spent weeks on bestseller lists.
A Star’s Campaign to Land Hannah Hall
Garner, 53, recalled discovering the book before any cameras rolled. She felt an instant, almost possessive connection to Hannah Hall, the protagonist who pieces together why her husband vanished.
“I almost couldn’t bear it because someone was already cast to play Hannah Hall,” she said. “I haven’t had the feeling of ‘I need to play a role’ that badly for a really, really long time.”
When the originally attached actor exited, Garner sprang into action. She penned letters that quoted passages from the novel, pleading with producers to consider her. Her urgency paid off; the room erupted in support the moment her name surfaced.
“Someone’s like, ‘Jennifer Garner wants to do it’ and I don’t know who stood up faster,” Dave said. “Everyone wanted that. What a miracle, and how lucky we are.”
Screen Partnership With Oscar-Winner Husband
The small-screen adaptation, which premiered in 2023, comes from Dave and her husband, Oscar-winning screenwriter Josh Singer. The pair co-created the series and serve as executive producers. Angourie Rice appears alongside Garner as Bailey, Hannah’s stepdaughter.
Season two, premiering Feb. 20 on Apple TV, follows the storyline laid out in The First Time I Saw Him. The sequel novel hit shelves on Jan. 6 from Scribner, giving fans a chance to read ahead or watch fresh.
Key Takeaways
- Laura Dave’s path to literary success included losing an entire manuscript and juggling more than a dozen side jobs
- Jennifer Garner’s determination to play Hannah Hall illustrates how actor attachment can reshape a project’s trajectory
- The partnership between Dave and Singer extends from their home to the writers’ room, cementing a family business built on bestsellers
- Readers and viewers can experience the continuing story through both the new novel and the upcoming streaming season within a five-week window
