Affleck, Ben << AF lehk >> (1972-…), is a popular American motion-picture actor, screenwriter, and director. Affleck shared an Academy Award for best original screenplay with Matt Damon for the drama Good Will Hunting (1997). Both Affleck and Damon also appeared in the film. Affleck also starred in and directed the critically acclaimed political thriller Argo (2012). In that film, Affleck portrayed a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative who poses as a Canadian film producer. The producer is involved in an elaborate plan to free six Americans who had found refuge in the Canadian embassy in Iran during the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. The film was based on a true story. Argo won the Oscar as best picture.
Benjamin Géza Affleck was born on Aug. 15, 1972, in Berkeley, California. He grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Affleck began acting as a child in television commercials. He also had small parts in TV series and made-for-television movies and starred in a children’s science series on PBS. He made his motion-picture acting debut in the drama The Dark End of the Street (1981). Affleck’s first notable film role was in the comedy Dazed and Confused (1993). He directed a comedy short in that same year. Affleck later gained notice after appearing in a number of comedies by the American director Kevin Smith, beginning with Mallrats (1995) and Chasing Amy (1997), and including Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Jersey Girl (2004), and Clerks II (2006).
Affleck made his feature-length directorial debut in the early 2000’s. He directed and co-wrote the crime drama Gone Baby Gone (2007) and directed, co-wrote, and acted in the thriller The Town (2010). Both feature films won critical acclaim. He also directed, co-wrote, and acted in the crime drama Live by Night (2016).
Affleck’s other notable films include Armageddon and Shakespeare in Love (both 1998); 200 Cigarettes (1999); Bounce (2000); Pearl Harbor (2001); Changing Lanes and The Sum of All Fears (both 2002); Daredevil (2003); Smokin’ Aces and Hollywoodland (both 2006); Extract, He’s Just Not That Into You, and State of Play (all 2009); The Company Men (2010); To the Wonder (2012); Runner Runner (2013); Gone Girl (2014); and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), in which he played the superhero Batman. He played Batman again in Suicide Squad (2016) and in Justice League (2017).
Affleck was married to the American actress Jennifer Garner from 2005 to 2018. In 2022, he married the American singer Jennifer Lopez. Affleck’s younger brother, Casey Affleck, is also an actor.
