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‘13 Going on 30’ With Bill Simmons and Juliet Litman

September 29, 2026 · 13 Going on 30 (2004) · Comedy · Fantasy · Romance · 2:08:19 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 52:59Mentions Hillary Swank was almost cast in the lead role (instead of Jennifer Garner)

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 53:04Jenna waking up as an adult (age 30) - the scene where she wakes up in bed with the hockey player, checks out her body, doesn't recognize a cell phone, and then walks into the Poise magazine office as editor
Juliet Litman▶ 53:32Agrees with the Jenna-wakes-up-as-30-year-old scene, noting it's Jennifer Garner's 'mission statement' for her physical/facial acting, comparable to Tom Hanks waking up in Big

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:34The exterior shots of New York City overall, showing a happy, sunny, crime-free, pre-9/11-feeling New York (and specifically the 61 5th Ave apartment building in Greenwich Village)

Great Shot Gordo Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:55The shot of the Brooklyn Bridge in the background
Juliet Litman▶ 1:20:06Agrees with Bill, noting they show both sides of the bridge shot - the Manhattan side at the beginning (eating Razzles) and the Brooklyn side later (at the playground)

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Juliet Litman▶ 1:20:55Throwing the shrimp at the party (Razzles/shrimp moment) as best use of food or drink

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:16Prefers the original title '13 Going on 30' over 'Suddenly 30', though he says 'Suddenly 30' is pretty good
Juliet Litman▶ 1:21:49Likes 'Suddenly 30' (the Australian title), also jokes '30 and Flirty and Thriving' as a porn parody title

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:31:34'Vienna' by Billy Joel was the most underrated great pop song for almost 30 years (1977-2004) and belongs among the best pop songs of all time, on par with 'Wonderwall,' 'Hey Jude,' and 'I Will Always Love You.'
Juliet Litman▶ 1:30:2013 Going on 30 is not a rom-com — it's actually a teen movie, since the romance is secondary and the story is really about a 13-year-old figuring out who she wants to be.

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:56Arlene, the assistant character, over other options like young Tom Tom, the frizzy editor at Sparkle, or Chris Grandy driving the cab; also jokingly notes Tim Curry as Gollum
Juliet Litman▶ 1:35:29Kristen Wilson (Kirsten Warren), who plays Trish the frizzy editor-in-chief of Sparkle

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:36:01Arlene the assistant (mentioned also considering Young Tom, the frizzy editor Sparkle, and Chris Grandy driving the cab, but settled on Arlene as the clear pick)

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:40:17Jennifer Garner's Apex Mountain is 13 Going on 30 as an actress (makes ~$100M, dating Ben Affleck around this time), though notes she's more famous now due to Capital One ads and business ventures.
Bill Simmons▶ 1:41:46Mark Ruffalo's career now consists of 'beloved Hollywood lady' type razzle-dazzle roles, with this movie being the most prominent example.
Bill Simmons▶ 1:42:55Madonna's 'Crazy for You' apex was Vision Quest (mid-80s), not 13 Going on 30.
Bill Simmons▶ 1:43:16Sam Ball (actor who played Alex Carlson) hitting Apex Mountain with this role, given his name changes suggest career struggles afterward.
Bill Simmons▶ 1:44:08Judy Greer's Apex Mountain is unclear/tough call; suggests she could get more spotlight in a Five Day Weekend season two.
Bill Simmons▶ 1:45:37The song 'Vienna' had its Apex Mountain moment in this movie, finally getting the acclaim it deserved after 27 years.
Bill Simmons▶ 1:46:03Comparing eras of actresses who could have played the lead (Goldie Hawn 1977, Julia Roberts 1991, Emma Stone 2011, Zendaya 2026) - picks Emma Stone as best fit.
Juliet Litman▶ 1:40:33Notes Jennifer Garner is 'richer now' via Capital One and business ventures, questioning if 13 Going on 30 was truly her acting apex, but agrees with Bill overall.
Juliet Litman▶ 1:42:05For magazine rom-coms, 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' is the bigger Apex Mountain film compared to 13 Going on 30, citing Kate Hudson and Eva Mendes (Hitch) as top performers in the 'career woman' genre.
Juliet Litman▶ 1:43:30Agrees Sam Ball's career trajectory (name changes) suggests this was his peak/apex.
Juliet Litman▶ 1:43:48For 'feeling good about New York City' movies, picks Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 as being in the running alongside 13 Going on 30.
Juliet Litman▶ 1:44:17Judy Greer's true acting apex might be The Descendants, not this film, though she's a reliable presence throughout her career.
Juliet Litman▶ 1:45:20For 'rom-com characters cruelly breaking up a wedding,' picks Julia Roberts in My Best Friend's Wedding as the definitive answer.
Juliet Litman▶ 1:46:14Agrees Emma Stone would have crushed the 13 Going on 30 role, citing her physicality and relatable-yet-attractive quality.

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:56:21Remake - announced Netflix remake (March 2026) directed by Brett Haley starring Emily Bader and Logan Lerman, with Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer cameoing; gives it 30% chance of being good, 70% disappointing, 100% his wife/daughter will love it. Also jokes it should've been a streamer YA series exploring her senior year and the aftermath of the switch.
Juliet Litman▶ 1:57:16Agrees the remake should have been a limited streamer series to give more time to the story; notes it would need to be raunchier/more sexual like other Amazon YA shows to fit that format; says she'll give the actual remake a shot, encouraged by Jennifer Garner's producer involvement.

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:59:04Would like Kirk Cousins/Kirk Curb Street to appear during the magazine pitch scene (director's commentary style)
Juliet Litman▶ 1:58:54No one needed - cast is already small and works well (only about 4-6 characters total)

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 2:00:24Who won the Poise vs. Sparkle magazine battle in the 2000s: neither — Us Weekly knocked both out
Juliet Litman▶ 2:00:12Wonders why she's named Tom Tom, and what the first issue of Sparkle overseen by Judy Judy Gray would look like

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 2:02:48Jennifer Garner won the movie - 'she wins at so many things'
Craig Horlbeck▶ 2:03:22Did not give a distinct 'who won' pick, but praised Jennifer Garner's performance extensively (subtle physical acting, drinking the pina colada, etc.), implicitly agreeing she won the movie

Movies Referenced (67)

Mean Girls (2004)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Craig Horlbeck▶ 11:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Freaky Friday (2003)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 6:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Lot Like Love (2005)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 15:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taken (2008)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 3:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clueless (1995)

3 mentions · Craig Horlbeck, Bill Simmons▶ 2:05:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Collateral (2004)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 31:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spider-Man (2002)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 1:43:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Notebook (2004)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Proposal (2009)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:36:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Wedding Planner (2001)

3 mentions · Juliet Litman▶ 35:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Collins (2015)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 26:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Daredevil (2003)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 26:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (3)

Ben Affleck

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 23:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gary Winick

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Charlotte's Web▶ 44:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Yorgos Lanthimos

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dogtooth▶ 1:46:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (39)

Jennifer Garner

17 mentions · Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Daredevil, 13 Going on 30▶ 2:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Judy Greer

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman · Known for 13 Going on 30, Jurassic World, Ant-Man▶ 2:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Jackson

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman▶ 57:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kathy Baker

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman · Known for Cold Mountain▶ 1:07:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rachel McAdams

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Notebook, Mean Girls, Red Eye▶ 8:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Billy Joel

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Game Night, A League of Their Own▶ 5:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brie Larson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Room, Captain Marvel, Short Term 12▶ 1:13:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dudley Moore

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Spacey

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for L.A. Confidential, The Usual Suspects, American Beauty▶ 8:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mark Ruffalo

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Spotlight, The Kids Are All Right, The Avengers▶ 2:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Vartan

2 mentions · Juliet Litman · Known for Never Been Kissed▶ 28:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rudy Giuliani

2 mentions · Juliet Litman · Known for Anger Management▶ 1:04:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Cathy Yuspa

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for 13 Going on 30▶ 44:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Josh Schwartz

1 mentions · Juliet Litman▶ 44:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nick Hornby

1 mentions · Juliet Litman · Known for Wild, An Education▶ 1:11:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗