Jen Garner Says She Was not Mocking Iowans by Playing a Republican Butter Carver

Jen Garner and Ty Burrell in 'Butter.' (Weinstein Co.)

With the GOP debates attracting the media’s attention, film producer Harvey Weinstein recently decided to jump on the bandwagon by officially inviting Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann to join him in co-hosting the upcoming Iowa premiere of his politic satire “Butter.”

“I would, of course, be more than happy to fly in the other leading members of the Tea Party movement to make an entire day of it. We could take some math classes in the morning to help balance the budget, brush up on the Constitution in the afternoon, play some ping-pong,” Weinstein said in the statement to Bachmann. “But at night we can all go hand-in-hand to the premiere of 'Butter,' a fun and important film where we'll share some popcorn and laughs.”

(Bachmann did not respond to a request for comment regarding Weinstein’s invitation.)

HOT SHOTS: Jen Garner

Set in Iowa, “Butter” features Jennifer Garner as uptight Midwestern housewife Laura Picker, who will stop at nothing to reclaim her husband’s esteemed title as the town’s butter-carving champion. However, her win is threatened by a young, African-American adopted girl with a talent for sculpting.

“Some people seem to think this competition is about who is the most disadvantaged,” the Pickler character says in her speech before the competition results are announced. “I’m sorry that I was born white and tall and pretty.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Garner’s role appears to be deeply inspired by Sarah Palin and/or Michele Bachmann, and Weinstein’s Bachmann invitation was simply a thinly-veiled dig at tea partiers and Republicans.

But Garner herself told FOX411’s Pop Tarts that she never intended to poke fun at anyone, and hopes that Iowans don't have any hard feelings.

“I don’t know if I would want to watch it with a politician, but I would like to watch it in Iowa and see if they are still friends with me after because we made it with such respect," she said. "And I come from a small town, so I just want to make sure that they enjoy it and have as much fun with it as we intend for them to have."

Garner said she enjoyed her rare opportunity to spend months surrounded by, well, butter.

“I love movies where you’re immersed in a world you know nothing about and you see that they’re universal. I was all for butter carving,” she added. “I used butter in the icing for a cake today so no (not sick of it yet!) I go through a lot of butter.”

Deidre Behar contributed to this report.