Jennifer Garner vs. Hilary Swank
Battle of the Lovely If Lantern-Jawed Ladies

Let us state right now that we were very, very glad when Hilary Swank won the Best Actress Oscar in 2000, because it seemed like one of those rare, rare moments when the Academy really got it right. Not only because her performance in Boys Don't Cry was truly transcendent, but there was the added bonus of getting to see Annette "Hollywood Royalty" Bening have to sit on her hands and grin that funny, tight grin of hers.

That said, we fear it's lights out for Hilary Swank.

Maybe we're wrong. We hope we're wrong. But when we were watching this year's Golden Globes, there was a moment that struck us as oddly familiar. You know, that moment when the unheralded, underestimated young actress was the surprise winner in a category in which she was up against some serious heavyweights, and looked radiant and wonderful and overwhelmed as she accepted her statue. That moment that you could almost hear the sound of Hollywood opening its collective arms to grasp her and clutch her to its pillowy bosom (if the opening of arms made a sound, which we don't think it does, usually, unless you're quite old). Essentially, that moment that marked the coming-out of Jennifer Garner, a.k.a. Hilary Swank 2.0.

Swank, of course, had her own coming-out at the Golden Globes two years earlier. (The Oscar didn't hurt either.) Of course, we're not suggesting that Garner's work on Alias is comparable to Swank's sublime turn in Boys Don't Cry. But we gotta say: Jennifer Garner just outSwanks Hilary Swank. She's Hilary Swank, with zero percent financing and no money down. She's Hilary Swank fully loaded.

Not only do Garner and Swank look similar (both beautiful, despite/because of notable strong jaws), but they feel similar -- it's pretty easy to imagine Garner playing any of Swank's post-Boys roles. (Or, for that matter, imagining Swank high-kicking through an episode of Alias.) But Garner has the advantage of...well, not having played Hilary Swank's post-Boys roles, unlike, say, Hilary Swank. Garner instead feels new and fresh and on the rise, like good, bakery-fresh bread.

Like we said: loved Ms. Swank in Boys Don't Cry. Loved her. Wish her well. But first she forgets to thank her husband, then The Affair of the Necklace, now this. Throw in the fact that Noel from Felicity pretty much has it hands down over Chad "Weepy" Lowe (which one do you want to see in reaction shots during awards ceremonies for the next ten years?), and we've got to figure that Garner takes this one on points.

Advantage: Garner.