Guide Note

Ben Affleck is an Academy Award-winning writer and actor. He had a supporting role in Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote, but was soon offered major starring roles in Armageddon and Pearl Harbor.

Fast Facts

1. Birth name: Benjamin Géza Affleck
2. Date of Birth: August 15, 1972
3. Birthplace: Berkeley, California
4. Notable Role: "Chuckie Sullivan" in Good Will Hunting
5. Won an Academy Award in 1998 for co-writing Good Will Hunting
6. Height: 6'2"
7. Spouse: Jennifer Garner
8. Former girlfriends: Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez

As a friend of filmmaker Kevin Smith, Affleck appeared in sizable roles in Mallrats and Chasing Amy in the 1990s. Clerks is the only Smith film not to feature Affleck. After the release of Good Will Hunting, Affleck solidified his stature as a leading Hollywood actor with roles in Forces of Nature, The Sum of All Fears and Daredevil. After a string of critically panned films, Affleck was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 2006's Hollywoodland, where he portrays former Superman actor George Reeves.

Affleck was a frequent guest on Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown and won the California State Poker Championship in 2004.

As a political activist, Affleck has routinely supported democratic candidates for president, and has been featured on The O'Reilly Factor. He supported John Kerry during his 2004 presidential campaign, but has not endorsed a candidate for the 2008 election.