Jennifer and Michael first met on the set of Alias in 2001, though they didn't start dating until two years later. Their relationship only lasted until 2004, and the two both remained on the show — playing lovers Sydney and Michael — until its finale in 2006.
In 2005, Michael told USA Today that their breakup was "benign" and that he and Jennifer decided they were "better off as friends." They were so close that Jennifer even told Michael about her engagement to Ben Affleck before the rest of the world found out. "On the surface, it could have been a recipe for disaster," he said of their on-set relationship following their breakup. "But Jennifer and I were best friends first, during, and after."