Elizabeth Banks and Jennifer Garner once worked at the same restaurant on the Upper West Side before they hit it big in showbiz, and Banks says that Garner was such a kind person that even though she didn’t know her well, she knew of her thanks to her reputation for being nice.

“Jennifer Garner, it turns out, was so f—ing nice, that literally, I didn’t even know her, but I knew of her. Everyone was like, ‘Did you hear about the hostess who got that f—ing awesome TV show Alias, and we were like, ‘F—! Yeah she’s cool! She’s so f—ing nice! She deserves that gig! She deserves! She’s cool!” Banks said at the Elle Women In Hollywood celebration earlier this week.

Garner was a hostess when she landed the Alias role, while Banks worked as a waitress. The Pitch Perfect star paid tribute to the actress during the event, saying that Garner’s success inspired her to keep going in what many actors will say is a tough business.

“I might not always be a waitress! It might work out!” Banks told herself at the time.

Banks, whose credits include The 40-Year Old Virgin, Kevin Smith’s Zack And Miri Make A Porno, and The Hunger Games franchise, says it’s definitely not easy to be a female in Hollywood and that’s why she’s grateful for the encouragement she’s been offered from other actresses.

“I want to call a little bit of bulls–t on being a woman in Hollywood. Like, I think it’s really hard actually to be a woman in Hollywood. I think it requires a lot of encouragement along the way,” she said.

Jennifer Lawrence was on hand during the evening to honor Banks herself, calling her “gifted”.

“I have had the pleasure of working with this gifted actress for the past few years on the unfortunate box office flop, The Hunger Games,” the 24-year-old actress quipped. “I constantly marvel at the versatility of Elizabeth. She’s a chameleon escaping into every role she plays. Whatever the movie, her performances are always honest and heartfelt. As audience members, we know the women she plays are very real and that’s why directors want to constantly work with her.”