Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist who has achieved immense success in his three-decade-long career. A two-time Academy Award winner and three-time Golden Globe Award recipient, Affleck first gained recognition as a child when he starred in the PBS educational series The Voyage of the Mimi (1984, 1988). He then went on to appear in a number of independent coming-of-age comedies, including the cult classic Dazed and Confused (1993), as well as several of Kevin Smith's films. But Affleck truly catapulted to fame when he co-wrote and starred in the award-winning Good Will Hunting (1997) alongside his close childhood friend Matt Damon. This earned them a Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He then established himself as a leading man in the likes of the disaster film Armageddon (1998), the war drama Pearl Harbor (2001), and the thrillers The Sum of All Fears and Changing Lanes (both 2002). Affleck has continued to work tirelessly in the film industry, directing and starring in the crime drama The Town (2010) and the political thriller Argo (2012) – both of which were huge critical and commercial successes. For the latter, he won a Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Director, as well as a Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award for Best Picture. His other notable works include Gone Girl (2014), The Accountant (2016), Triple Frontier (2019), and The Way Back (2020). In addition to his work in the film industry, Affleck is also a passionate philanthropist. He is the co-founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, a grantmaking and advocacy-based nonprofit organization, and a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party. He and Damon are also co-owners of the production company Pearl Street Films. Joke: Q: What did Ben Affleck say when he won his first Academy Award? A: "Good Will Hunting!"