Ben Affleck

Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. He began his career as a child actor before earning wide recognition for co-writing and starring in Good Will Hunting (1997). He subsequently established himself as a leading man in Hollywood studio films and later achieved critical success as a director. Outside of film, Affleck co-founded the Eastern Congo Initiative and co-owns the production company Artists Equity.

Affleck was born in Berkeley, California, to Christopher Anne Boldt, an elementary school teacher, and Timothy Byers Affleck, an aspiring playwright who worked various sporadic jobs. His family moved to Massachusetts when he was three, living in Falmouth before settling in Cambridge. Raised in a politically active household alongside his brother, Casey, Affleck regularly attended theater performances and made home movies. He attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin high school, where he acted in theater productions and became close friends with Matt Damon. He later briefly studied at the University of Vermont and Occidental College.

Affleck began acting professionally at age seven in the independent film The Dark End of the Street (1981) and starred in the PBS educational series The Voyage of the Mimi (1984–1988). As a young actor, he appeared in projects such as School Ties (1992), Dazed and Confused (1993), and Glory Daze (1995). He formed a lasting collaboration with filmmaker Kevin Smith, appearing in Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), and Dogma (1999). His major career breakthrough came with Good Will Hunting (1997), which he co-wrote with Damon. The screenplay won them the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, making Affleck the youngest recipient in that category at age 25.

Following his breakthrough, Affleck emerged as a studio leading man in the disaster film Armageddon (1998). He subsequently starred in films including Shakespeare in Love (1998), Forces of Nature (1999), Reindeer Games (2000), Pearl Harbor (2001), and The Sum of All Fears (2002). After a career downturn, he achieved a critical comeback by portraying George Reeves in the biopic Hollywoodland (2006), winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actor.

Affleck made his directorial debut with Gone Baby Gone (2007), which he also co-wrote. He then directed and starred in the crime drama The Town (2010) and the political thriller Argo (2012). For Argo, he won the BAFTA Award for Best Director, as well as the BAFTA and Academy Award for Best Picture. He went on to star in the psychological thriller Gone Girl (2014), portrayed Batman in the DC Extended Universe (2016–2023), and starred in The Accountant (2016) and The Way Back (2020). He also took on supporting roles in The Last Duel (2021), The Tender Bar (2021), and Air (2023), which he directed.

In addition to his entertainment career, Affleck is a supporter of the Democratic Party. He co-founded the Eastern Congo Initiative, a grantmaking and advocacy nonprofit organization. In business, he was a co-owner of Pearl Street Films and co-owns Artists Equity with Damon.