Jennifer Garner stunned fans this week after revealing she once bit off a piece of a co-star’s ear during a violent on-set fight scene. The actress revisited the moment while discussing the second season of her Apple TV series, “The Last Thing He Told Me,” during a panel appearance at Apple TV Press Day.
While reflecting on her long working relationship with actor and stunt performer Sala Baker, Garner explained that the unplanned injury happened years earlier while filming the 2007 action thriller “The Kingdom.” The revelation came as she spoke about reuniting with Baker for another physically intense sequence on her current show.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, she shared how the pair dove straight back into their old dynamic.
Garner Recalls a Brutal Encounter on Set
“Can I just say that the performer, Sal, the last time I fought him was in ‘The Kingdom,’” Garner said. “Pete Berg, who was the director, told him to try to kill me. We did not have a lot of choreography, and he told me to do anything I could to survive. He did, and I did, and I ended up scrambling onto his back. I bit his ear, and we have a picture of him missing a chunk of ear because we were not kidding.”
The comment immediately took the audience by surprise, especially after she added that she bit Baker’s ear “like Mike Tyson” during the chaotic moment. The comparison referenced boxing legend Mike Tyson’s notorious 1997 match in which he bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear.
Revisiting Their On-Screen Combat
At the time, “The Kingdom” followed an FBI team investigating a deadly terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia. Garner played forensic specialist Janet Mayes, while Baker appeared in the cast as a kidnapper. The high-intensity scenes required full physical commitment, and according to Garner, neither actor held back.
When the two reunited to film “The Last Thing He Told Me,” Garner said the energy was exactly the same.
“We went for it in a way that the crew, this was maybe our first or second day of shooting, were like, ‘Can you be careful with her?'” Garner recalled.
“I was like, ‘No, no, no, no, he’s not going to be careful. I’m not going to be careful. Just back out of the way. I have a score to settle here.’ And Sal was with us the entire season. So, prepare yourselves.”
Cast Reactions and Panel Shock
Her co-star, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, paused the panel when he realized he had heard her correctly.
“Can we just go over that again? You bit a piece of his ear off?” Coster-Waldau asked Garner.
Garner confirmed it, prompting visible disbelief from the room. The panelists and audience were even more startled when she explained how aggressively they attacked their scenes together.
Coster-Waldau looked out at the crowd and asked, “Why are you all looking as if this is a great thing? What is wrong with you people?”
Garner, smiling at the playful chaos in the room, responded lightly.
“Don’t make me mad. I seem nice. I’ve warned you before,” she told Coster-Waldau. “Oh my god, no, I love you.”
What Fans Can Expect in Season Two
The discussion then shifted to what the second season of “The Last Thing He Told Me” will bring. The series, based on Laura Dave’s bestselling novel, follows a woman named Hannah Hall whose life unravels when her husband disappears, leaving behind only a mysterious note.
As in the first season, Garner stars alongside Coster-Waldau and Angourie Rice. New cast additions include Rita Wilson and Judy Greer. With the previous season ending on a dramatic cliffhanger, fans pressed Garner for clues about what lies ahead.
She hinted at the show’s direction while discussing what draws audiences to stories where characters are capable and decisive.
“Have you guys heard of this term competency porn?” she asked. “Like, just we’re so hungry for grown-ups to be competent and smart and have integrity and do what they’re supposed to do … that we really fall for shows like [HBO medical drama] ‘The Pitt,’ where Noah Wyle is just so in charge, and all those nurses are incredible.
“In this case, Hannah does that for me,” she continued. “She has prepared everything for every eventuality, all to keep Bailey safe. And, so, watching as the penny drops and Hannah really realizes the kind of danger they’re in, watching those actions fall into place and watching her take one step after the other and include Bailey in this grand escape is, to me, really, really gratifying.”
