<body><div>1 / 12<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2gjZqd_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2gjZqd_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="871" >Ben AffleckBen Affleck was born August 15, 1972 in Berkeley, California. While he didn't have the easiest childhood having to witness his father succumb to alcoholism, a disorder Ben has also struggled with in his adult years, Ben always dreamed of becoming an actor and would get his start at the age of seven on PBS series The Voyage of Mimi. 2 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2qtRCw_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2qtRCw_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="386" ></figure>'Dazed and Confused'Ben Affleck would continue to make appearances on Mimi throughout his childhood and teen years as well as other small parts in commercials and TV series. As a student at Occidental College in LA, Ben would also gain his first experiences in directing student films. The most important role of Ben's budding career would come in 1995 with cult classic Dazed and Confused. The actor credits director, Richard Linklater in helping him to better understand the film-making process! 3 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4eYXFe_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4eYXFe_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="875" ><figcaption>(© imago images/ ZUMA Press)</figcaption></figure>'Good Will Hunting'Ben Affleck's career would only go uphill from there! Going on to star in Glory Daze (1995) and Mallrats (1995), Ben's big breakthrough would come in 1997's romantic comedy Chasing Amy. Critics had nothing but praise for the newcomer and his career would really take a turn after co-writing and starring in drama Good Will Hunting with his longtime friend Matt Damon!4 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=13agkP_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=13agkP_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="386" ><figcaption>(© imago images/ Everett Collection)</figcaption></figure>'Armageddon'After the praise that resulted from longtime in the making Good Will Hunting, Ben Affleck would prove to be unstoppable. However, establishing himself as a leading man would take some work. Originally dismissed by director Michael Bay as too geeky, producer Jerry Bruckheimer would finally convince Bay to let Ben take on the part of leading man "A.J. Frost". The decision would be a wise one and the film was a huge box-office success, thrusting Ben into the spotlight! 5 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0qnh2l_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0qnh2l_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="849" ><figcaption>(© imago images/ Prod.DB)</figcaption></figure>'Pearl Harbor'Armageddon would lead to a number of big roles for Ben Affleck including in 1999's religious satire film Dogma and reuniting with director Michael bay for critically acclaimed war drama Pearl Harbor (2001). 6 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=32UdZc_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=32UdZc_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="846" ><figcaption>(© imago images/ Prod.DB)</figcaption></figure>'The Sum of All Fears'In addition to releasing films like The Sum of All Fears (2002) and Changing Lanes (2002), in the early 2000s, Ben Affleck would also focus more on establishing himself in television and film production. Having founded their own studio, Pearl Street Films, in 1998, Ben and Matt Damon would open yet another production company in 2000 called LivePlanet. The dynamic-duo would find success with documentary Project Greenlight which would be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award three times! 7 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2MnaUY_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2MnaUY_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="446" ><figcaption>(© imago images/ United Archives)</figcaption></figure>'Hollywoodland'Ben Affleck's movie career would take a downturn between 2003-2005 due to a series of flops and excessive media coverage when his relationship with Jennifer Lopez went public. However, he would make a career comeback in 2005 after marrying actress Jennifer Garner, fathering his first child, and the release of 2006's critically acclaimed biopic Hollywoodland. 8 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3uG7fM_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3uG7fM_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="869" ><figcaption>(© imago images/ Prod.DB)</figcaption></figure>'The Town'In 2007, Ben Affleck would make his directorial debut with crime drama Gone Baby Gone, and really begin to emerge as a well-regarded director. With the success of Gone Baby Gone, Warner Bros. decided they wanted to work with the talented actor and director, and the newfound relationship would pave the way for the release of surprise box-office hit The Town (2010). 9 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4TQ0rL_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4TQ0rL_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="242" ><figcaption>(© imago images/ Prod.DB)</figcaption></figure>'Argo'Officially signing a deal between Warner Bros. and Affleck's and Damon's production company, Pearl Street Films, Ben would waste no time in starting to work on his next hit, 2012's historical thriller Argo. Argo would win the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and BAFTA Award for Best Picture, with Affleck taking home another three awards for Best Director! 10 / 12<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1UmhwV_0uzOfltc00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1UmhwV_0uzOfltc00" width="580" height="767" ><figcaption>(© imago images/ Prod.DB)</figcaption></figure>'Gone Girl'In recent years, as Ben Affleck has built his directorial resume, he continues to also star in other director's hit films. Some of our favorites of the past decade include psychological thriller Gone Girl (2014) and action thriller The Accountant (2016). </div></body>

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Ben Affleck's Impressive Career Through the Years

Ben Affleck was born August 15, 1972 in Berkeley, California. While he didn't have the easiest childhood having to witness his father succumb to alcoholism, a disorder Ben has also struggled with in his adult years, Ben always dreamed of becoming an actor and would get his start at the age of seven on PBS series The Voyage of Mimi.