American actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck began his career as a child, appearing in several television shows, including the PBS educational program The Voyage of the Mimi (1984). [1] He played an antisemite in the sports film School Ties (1992) and featured as a regular on the television drama Against the Grain (1993). [2] [3] He gained attention for playing the supporting part of a high-school senior in Richard Linklater's cult film Dazed and Confused (1993), after which he had his first leading role in Rich Wilkes's comedy Glory Daze (1995). [3] [4] In 1997, Affleck played a comics artist in Smith's art-house success Chasing Amy . He co-wrote the script and starred with Matt Damon in Gus Van Sant's drama film Good Will Hunting , for which they won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. [5] [6]
Affleck emerged a star with Michael Bay's top-grossing science fiction film Armageddon (1998). [7] [8] In 2000, Affleck co-formed a production company named LivePlanet, which produced Project Greenlight (2001–05, 2015), a television series that provides training to first-time filmmakers. [9] [10] [11] Affleck starred in Bay's war film Pearl Harbor (2001), which despite negative reviews was a box office hit. [12] [13] His career subsequently went through a period of decline when he starred in a series of critical and commercial failures, including Gigli (2003). [14] [15] He made a comeback with the biopic Hollywoodland (2006), in which his portrayal of George Reeves earned him a Golden Globe nomination. [14] [16]
In 2007, Affleck made his feature film directorial debut with Gone Baby Gone , a thriller based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, which was critically praised. [17] [18] He went on to act in and direct two acclaimed features for Warner Bros. —the crime drama The Town (2010) and the thriller Argo (2012). [19] The latter, about the 1979 Iran hostage crisis in which he played the intelligence agent Tony Mendez, won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Affleck won the Golden Globe and BAFTA for Best Director. [lower-alpha 1] [16] [20] [21] In 2014, Affleck played a man accused of murdering his wife in David Fincher's thriller Gone Girl . [22] Two years later, he starred as Batman in the superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), which grossed $873 million to rank as his highest-grossing release; he reprised the role in a few installments set in the DC Extended Universe. [8] [23] He subsequently gained praise for playing a recovering alcoholic in the sports drama The Way Back (2020), Peter II, Count of Alençon in the period film The Last Duel (2021), and a caring father-figure in the drama The Tender Bar (2021). [24] [25] Affleck returned to direction with the acclaimed sports drama Air (2023), in which he also portrayed Phil Knight. [26]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | The Dark End of the Street | Tommy | [27] [28] | |
1989 | Field of Dreams | Extra | Uncredited | [29] |
1992 | School Ties | Chesty Smith | [30] | |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Basketball Player 10 | Uncredited | [31] | |
1993 | I Killed My Lesbian Wife, Hung Her on a Meat Hook, and Now I Have a Three-Picture Deal at Disney | — | Short film; director only | [32] |
Dazed and Confused | Fred O'Bannion | [4] | ||
1995 | Mallrats | Shannon Hamilton | [33] | |
Glory Daze | Jack Freeman | [34] | ||
1997 | Chasing Amy | Holden McNeil | [35] | |
Going All the Way | Gunner Casselman | [36] | ||
Good Will Hunting | Chuckie Sullivan | Also writer | [37] | |
1998 | Shakespeare in Love | Ned Alleyn | [38] | |
Phantoms | Sheriff Bryce Hammond | [39] | ||
Armageddon | A. J. Frost | [40] | ||
1999 | Dogma | Bartleby | [41] | |
Forces of Nature | Ben Holmes | [42] | ||
200 Cigarettes | Bartender | [43] | ||
2000 | Bounce | Buddy Amaral | [44] | |
Reindeer Games | Rudy Duncan | [45] | ||
Boiler Room | Jim Young | [46] | ||
Joseph: King of Dreams | Joseph (voice) | [47] | ||
2001 | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Himself / Holden McNeil | [48] | |
Daddy and Them | Lawrence Bowen | [49] | ||
Pearl Harbor | Rafe McCawley | [50] | ||
2002 | Stolen Summer | — | Producer only | [51] |
Changing Lanes | Gavin Banek | [52] | ||
The Sum of All Fears | Jack Ryan | [53] | ||
The Third Wheel | Michael | Also executive producer | [54] | |
Speakeasy | — | Executive producer only | [55] | |
2003 | The Battle of Shaker Heights | [56] | ||
Daredevil | Matt Murdock / Daredevil | [57] | ||
Gigli | Larry Gigli | [58] | ||
Paycheck | Michael Jennings | [59] | ||
2004 | Surviving Christmas | Drew Latham | [60] | |
Jersey Girl | Ollie Trinke | [61] | ||
2005 | Elektra | Matt Murdock / Daredevil | Director's cut only | [62] |
Feast | — | Executive producer only | [63] | |
2006 | Man About Town | Jack Giamoro | [64] | |
Clerks II | Gawking Guy | Cameo | [65] | |
Hollywoodland | George Reeves | [66] | ||
Smokin' Aces | Jack Dupree | [67] | ||
2007 | Gone Baby Gone | — | Director and writer only | [68] |
2008 | Gimme Shelter | Documentary; director only | [69] | |
2009 | He's Just Not That Into You | Neil | [70] | |
State of Play | Stephen Collins | [71] | ||
Extract | Dean | [72] | ||
2010 | The Town | Douglas "Doug" MacRay | Also director and writer | [73] |
2011 | The Company Men | Bobby Walker | [74] | |
2012 | Argo | Tony Mendez | Also director and producer | [75] |
To the Wonder | Neil | [76] | ||
2013 | Runner Runner | Ivan Block | [77] | |
2014 | Gone Girl | Nick Dunne | [78] | |
2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Bruce Wayne / Batman | [79] | |
Suicide Squad | Uncredited | [80] | ||
The Accountant | Christian Wolff | [81] [82] | ||
Live by Night | Joe Coughlin | Also director, writer and producer | [83] | |
2017 | Bending the Arc | — | Documentary; executive producer only | [84] |
Justice League | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Also executive producer | [85] | |
2019 | Triple Frontier | Tom "Redfly" Davis | [86] | |
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot | Holden McNeil | Cameo | [87] | |
2020 | The Last Thing He Wanted | Treat Morrison | [88] | |
The Way Back | Jack Cunningham | [89] | ||
2021 | Zack Snyder's Justice League | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Director's cut of Justice League; also executive producer | [90] |
The Last Duel | Count Pierre d'Alençon | Also writer and producer | [91] | |
The Tender Bar | Uncle Charlie | [92] | ||
2022 | Deep Water | Vic Van Allen | [93] | |
Jennifer Lopez: Halftime | Himself | Documentary | [94] | |
Clerks III | Boston John | Cameo | [95] | |
2023 | Air | Phil Knight | Also director and producer | [96] |
Hypnotic | Daniel Rourke | [97] | ||
The Flash | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Uncredited | [98] [99] | |
2024 | This Is Me... Now: A Love Story | Rex Stone / Biker | [100] [101] | |
Small Things like These | — | Executive producer only | [102] | |
Kiss the Future | — | Documentary; producer only | [103] | |
The Greatest Love Story Never Told | Himself | Documentary | [104] | |
The Instigators | — | Producer only | [105] | |
Unstoppable | — | Producer only | [106] | |
2025 | The Accountant 2 † | Christian Wolff | Filming; also producer | [107] |
TBA | Kiss of the Spider Woman † | — | Post-production; producer only | [108] |
† | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | The Voyage of the Mimi | C.T. Granville | 6 episodes | [109] |
1986 | ABC Afterschool Special | Danny Coleman | Episode: "Wanted: The Perfect Guy" | [110] |
1987 | Hands of a Stranger | Billy Hearn | Television film | [111] |
1988 | The Second Voyage of the Mimi | C.T. Granville | 12 episodes | [112] |
1991 | Daddy | Ben Watson | Television film | [113] |
1993 | The Torkelsons | Kevin Johnson | Episode: "Is That All There Is?" | [114] |
Against the Grain | Joe Willie Clemons | 8 episodes | [115] | |
1994 | Lifestories: Families in Crisis | Aaron Henry | Episode: "A Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story" | [116] |
2000–2013 | Saturday Night Live | Himself | 7 episodes | [1] |
2001–2005 & 2015 | Project Greenlight | Also executive producer | [10] [117] | |
2002 | Push, Nevada | — | Executive producer and writer only | [118] |
2009 | Reporter | Documentary; executive producer only | [119] | |
Curb Your Enthusiasm | Customer | Episode: "Officer Krupke" | [120] | |
2015 | The Leisure Class | — | Television film; executive producer only | [121] |
2016 | The Runner | Executive producer only | [122] | |
Incorporated | Executive producer only | [123] | ||
2019–2022 | City on a Hill | Executive producer only | [124] | |
2024 | We Were the Lucky Ones | Executive producer only | [125] | |
The Roast of Tom Brady | Himself | Netflix comedy special | [126] | |
Year | Title | Role | Performer | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | "Jenny from the Block" | Himself | Jennifer Lopez | [127] |
2020 | "Antes Que El Mundo Se Acabe" | Residente | [128] | |
2022 | "Marry Me (Ballad)" | Jennifer Lopez, Maluma | [129] |
Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. It stars Robin Williams, Damon, Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård and Minnie Driver. The film tells the story of janitor Will Hunting, whose mathematical genius is discovered by a professor at MIT.
Benjamin Géza Affleck is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educational series The Voyage of the Mimi (1984–1988). He later appeared in the independent comedy Dazed and Confused (1993) and several Kevin Smith comedies, including Chasing Amy (1997).
Matthew Paige Damon is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among Forbes' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received various awards and nominations, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for three British Academy Film Awards and seven Primetime Emmy Awards.
Casey Affleck is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award. The younger brother of actor Ben Affleck, he began his career as a child actor, appearing in the PBS television film Lemon Sky (1988). He later appeared in three Gus Van Sant films: To Die For (1995), Good Will Hunting (1997), Gerry (2002), and in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's film series (2001–2007). His first leading role was in Steve Buscemi's independent comedy-drama Lonesome Jim (2006).
John Burke Krasinski is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his role as Jim Halpert on the NBC sitcom The Office (2005–2013), where he was also a producer and occasional director. He directed, co-wrote and co-starred in the 2018 horror film A Quiet Place, for which Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He has since written and directed the sequel A Quiet Place Part II (2020).
The Bourne franchise consists of action-thriller installments based on the character Jason Bourne, created by author Robert Ludlum. The franchise includes five films and a spin-off television series. The overall plot centers around Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin suffering from dissociative amnesia, portrayed by Matt Damon.
The Town is a 2010 American crime thriller film co-written and directed by Ben Affleck, adapted from Chuck Hogan's 2004 novel Prince of Thieves. The film stars Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Titus Welliver, Pete Postlethwaite, Chris Cooper and Slaine. Its plot follows a Boston bank robber who begins to develop romantic feelings for a victim of one of his previous robberies, while he and his crew set out to get one final score by robbing Fenway Park.
Pearl Street Films was an American film and television production company based at Warner Bros. Studios.
American actor Matt Damon made his film debut with a small role in Mystic Pizza (1988), after which he played several supporting roles. His first leading role was in the legal drama film The Rainmaker (1997). His breakthrough came later that year when he played the title role of an unrecognized genius in Good Will Hunting, which he also co-wrote with Ben Affleck. They won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Damon was nominated for Best Actor. He followed it by playing the title roles of a soldier in Steven Spielberg's war drama Saving Private Ryan (1998) and of the criminal Tom Ripley in the thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), both of which gained critical and commercial success. Damon and Sean Bailey worked on the television series Project Greenlight since 2000, helping newcomers make their first film.
Live by Night is a 2016 American crime drama film written, directed, produced by and starring Ben Affleck. Based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, the film follows an ambitious Ybor City bootlegger (Affleck) who becomes a notorious gangster. The film also stars Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Messina, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldaña, and Chris Cooper.
The Accountant is a 2016 American action thriller film directed by Gavin O'Connor, written by Bill Dubuque and starring Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J. K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Jeffrey Tambor, and John Lithgow. The storyline follows Christian Wolff, a certified public accountant with autism who makes his living (un-)'cooking the books' of criminal and terrorist organizations around the world that are experiencing internal embezzlement.
Manchester by the Sea is a 2016 American drama film written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan that stars Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, and Lucas Hedges. Revolving around the themes of depression, guilt, grief, responsibility, dysfunctional families, and post-traumatic stress disorder, the plot follows a depressed and grief-stricken man who becomes the legal guardian of his teenage nephew after the death of his brother.
The Leisure Class is a 2015 black comedy farce television film by HBO Films about a man who is trying to marry into a wealthy family and his unpredictable brother. The film was directed by Project Greenlight season four contest winner, Jason Mann, written by Mann and Project Greenlight season one winner Pete Jones, and produced by Effie T. Brown and Marc Jouburt. It is based on a 2012 short film produced and co-written by Mann that premiered at the 2013 Raindance Film Festival. Season 4 of Project Greenlight aired on HBO as a documentary series chronicling the selection of Mann and the production of the film. The film premiered in Los Angeles in August 2015 and aired on HBO on November 2, 2015 to universal negative reception with a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Last Duel is a 2021 historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, based on the 2004 book The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager. Set in medieval France, the film stars Damon as Jean de Carrouges, a knight who challenges his former friend, squire Jacques le Gris, to a judicial duel after Jean's wife, Marguerite, accuses Jacques of raping her. The events leading up to the duel are divided into three distinct chapters, reflecting the contradictory perspectives of the three main characters. Affleck also stars in a supporting role as Count Pierre d'Alençon.
Air is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film directed by Ben Affleck and written by Alex Convery. The film is based on true events about the origin of Air Jordan, a basketball shoeline, of which a Nike employee seeks to strike a business deal with rookie player Michael Jordan. It stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis.
Artists Equity is an American production company founded by actors and filmmakers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in November 2022.
The Instigators is a 2024 American heist comedy film directed by Doug Liman and written by Chuck Maclean and Casey Affleck. The film stars Affleck and Matt Damon, with a supporting cast that includes Hong Chau, Michael Stuhlbarg, Paul Walter Hauser, Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina, Toby Jones, Jack Harlow, and Ron Perlman.
The following is a list of unproduced Ben Affleck projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American filmmaker Ben Affleck has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell in development hell, were officially canceled, were in development limbo or would see life under a different production team.