Ben Affleck is a famous American actor, screenwriter, producer, and director with a net worth of about $150 million. He became widely known for “Good Will Hunting,” a movie he co-wrote with his childhood friend Matt Damon. Their work on the film earned them an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Ben also won a Best Picture Oscar for “Argo.” Over his career, he has earned hundreds of millions of dollars. One of his highest acting salaries was $15 million for the 2003 movie “Paycheck.”
Big Paydays
Ben Affleck has been making a lot of money as a leading actor from the start of his career. He and Matt Damon earned $300,000 each for writing the screenplay of “Good Will Hunting.” In “Reindeer Games,” he made $6 million, but “Pearl Harbor” didn’t do as well, paying him only $250,000.
For “Changing Lanes” and “The Sum of All Fears,” he made a strong $10 million each. Even though “Daredevil” and “Gigli” weren’t big hits, Ben still made $11.5 million and $12.5 million from those films, respectively.
Dunkin Donuts Super Bowl Commercial Salary
Ben stood out in a Dunkin’ Donuts ad during the Super Bowl in 2023. He earned $10 million for just 30 seconds of screen time, and the ad ended up getting more than 7 billion media views. It even led to the company’s highest sales ever, the day after the game.
But Ben didn’t just appear in the ad; he was involved in creating the idea, and the production company he co-owns with Matt Damon, Artists Equity, handled the production and direction of the commercial.
He earned $300,000 for writing the “Good Will Hunting” script. Since then, he has earned hundreds of millions from acting. At his peak, he was making $15-20 million per film, plus bonuses. In 2018, he spent $18 million on a house in LA.
Ben Affleck (Credits: Getty Images)Early Life
Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt was born on August 15, 1972, in Berkeley, California, to Chris and Tim Affleck. His mom worked as a schoolteacher, and his dad took on various jobs like playwriting, electrician, janitor, carpenter, and bookie to help support the family.
When Ben was three years old, they moved to Falmouth, Massachusetts, where his younger brother, Casey Affleck, was born. Eventually, they moved to Cambridge, where his parents got divorced.
Growing up, Ben’s family was involved in the arts scene in Cambridge. He and Casey often went to theater performances and spent time with creative people. His mom was friends with a local casting agent who helped them get auditions. She encouraged Ben to try acting, but she never pushed him to make it his career; her dream was for him to become a teacher.
At the age of eight, Ben met Matt Damon, who was two years older than him. They became friends right away and started acting classes together, beginning their Hollywood careers side by side.
Early Career
Ben got his first acting job in a local independent film when he was seven years old. From the age of 8 to 15, he starred in the PBS kids’ series “Voyage of the Mimi” and its sequel, which was filmed in both Cambridge and Mexico. He also appeared in the ABC after-school special “Wanted: A Perfect Man” and the TV movie “Hands of a Stranger” when he was 14 and 15, respectively.
After finishing high school at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in 1990, Ben took on small roles in various films like “Daddy” (1991), “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1992), and “School Ties” (1992). Because of his big build, he was often cast as the bully or the jock.
He played a football player in both the NBC series “Against the Grain” and the HBO drama “Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story.” Ben also became known for playing a high school bully in the famous Richard Linklater film “Dazed and Confused.”
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (Credits: Getty Images)“Good Will Hunting”
The film that really started Ben Affleck’s career was “Good Will Hunting,” which he co-wrote and starred in with his close friend Matt Damon. The idea began as a 40-page project for Matt’s playwriting class at Harvard. Later, when they were living together in L.A., they worked together to expand it into a full screenplay. Both Ben and Matt were tired of being stuck in small roles, so they wanted to create something where they had control.
They gave the completed script to their agent, who pitched it to several studios. Castle Rock picked it up in 1994, but they weren’t willing to give Ben and Matt the creative control they wanted. So, they took the script to Miramax, where they finally got the freedom they were looking for.
When “Good Will Hunting” was released in 1997, it was a big success. The film received great reviews for both the script and the performances. Because of their impressive work in the film, Ben and Matt became famous and quickly landed larger roles.
Work with Matt Damon
Ben and Matt have been best friends since they were young, and both dreamed of becoming actors. They teamed up to make that dream come true. When they first started acting, they opened a shared bank account to put together their earnings from different jobs. They used the money to buy train or plane tickets for auditions.
In 1998, they started their own production company, Pearl Street Films. Later, they created another company called LivePlanet. LivePlanet’s biggest success was the documentary series “Project Greenlight,” which helped aspiring filmmakers get a chance to direct their first feature film. Today, they co-own Artists Equity, an independent production company focused on sharing profits with everyone involved. Ben is the CEO and plans to focus solely on filmmaking through this company.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck (Credits: Getty Images)Work with Kevin Smith
Ben and director Kevin Smith have worked together many times. Their friendship started in 1995 when Ben played a supporting role in Kevin’s film “Mallrats.” After that, Kevin created a main role for Ben in his next movie, “Chasing Amy.” From then on, Ben appeared in every View Askewniverse movie directed by Kevin Smith, including “Dogma,” “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Clerks II,” and “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.”
Rise To Stardom
After “Good Will Hunting” became a big hit, Ben Affleck had the chance to choose some great roles. One of his early successes was “Armageddon,” where he played an ordinary guy sent into space to save Earth from an asteroid. The movie was a huge box office success and marked the start of Ben’s career as a leading actor.
He followed that with other successful films like “Shakespeare in Love,” “Pearl Harbor,” “The Sum of All Fears,” and “Changing Lanes.” However, not every movie was a success. Some of Ben’s projects didn’t do well. One of the most disappointing films for him was “Daredevil” (2003), which he later said was the one movie he regretted doing.
Ben took on the role of Batman starting with 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and was set to make a cameo in 2023’s “The Flash.” He earned a lot of praise for his role as a recovering alcoholic in the 2020 sports drama “The Way Back,” a role that was very personal for him. He had a relapse during the film’s pre-production in 2018, and they filmed soon after he finished rehab, with a sober coach supporting him. In 2023, he also played Phil Knight in “Air.”
Personal Life
Ben Affleck has been linked to several famous people in Hollywood over the years. He had a highly publicized relationship with singer Jennifer Lopez from 2002 to 2004, which made him a tabloid sensation almost overnight. The media became obsessed with “Bennifer,” and paparazzi followed them everywhere.
While both had been in the public eye before, Ben wasn’t prepared for that level of attention. They got engaged in 2002, but their wedding planned for 2003 was postponed due to the overwhelming media attention. They eventually broke up the following year.
Ben Affleck (Credits: Getty Images)In 2005, Ben married Jennifer Garner, and they had three children together. However, they announced their separation in 2015 and finalized their divorce by the end of 2018.
Ben sought help for alcoholism in 2001 and went back to rehab in 2017 and again in 2018. In 2019, he faced a public setback after being sober for a year, but he promised to keep working on his recovery. He’s committed to a twelve-step program and is actively managing his anxiety and depression.
In July 2022, Ben and Jennifer Lopez got married in Las Vegas, but she filed for divorce in August 2024.
Directing
Ben started directing early in his career, learning from the directors he worked with. His first film as a director, “Gone Baby Gone,” was released in 2007. He then took on writing, producing, and directing for “The Town” in 2010.
He made a big impact with “Argo” in 2012, where he was the producer, director, and star, and it became a huge success both at the box office and with critics. In 2023, he played Phil Knight in “Air,” a film he directed and produced, which also marked the first project from his and Matt Damon’s production company, Artists Equity.
Awards and Honors
Ben has won Academy Awards for “Good Will Hunting” (Best Original Screenplay, shared with Matt Damon) and “Argo” (Best Picture). He has also earned multiple BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards, mainly for those two films.
Charity and Philanthropy
Ben Affleck is passionate about giving back and supports several causes, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Eastern Congo Initiative, the A-T Children’s Project, and Feeding America.
Real Estate
In 2009, Ben and Jennifer Garner bought a house in LA’s Pacific Palisades for $17.55 million. The home had previously belonged to producer Brian Grazer. Jennifer lived there until late 2018 when she and Ben sold the mansion to Adam Levine from Maroon 5 for $32 million.
After living there for three years, Adam Levine and his wife, Behati Prinsloo, put the house on the market for $57.5 million. That same month, Jennifer bought a new property in Brentwood Park, Los Angeles, for $8 million.
Ben Affleck (Credits: Getty Images)In April 2018, Ben bought a $19 million mansion in Pacific Palisades. This 13,450-square-foot house, built in 2017, has seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a large lawn, and a pool in the backyard. He listed it for sale in August 2022 for $29.995 million and sold it in just two weeks for the full asking price.
By early 2023, Affleck and Lopez decided not to go through with a $64 million mansion deal in Pacific Palisades. They also reportedly backed out of buying a $34 million Hamptons-style home in the same area. The year before, they had made an offer on a $50 million Bel-Air mansion but changed their minds.
In June 2023, it was reported that the couple finalized the purchase of a $61 million mansion in Beverly Hills. Then, in July 2024, amid rumors of a split, Ben bought a $20.5 million mansion in the Palisades, taking out a $10 million mortgage for it. This new house is located next to Diane Keaton’s long-time estate.
Ben Affleck’s journey from a young actor to a well-known filmmaker shows his great talent and determination. With a net worth of $150 million, he has found success in both acting and directing, creating iconic films like “Good Will Hunting” and “Argo.” His business ventures, including the launch of Artists Equity, show his entrepreneurial spirit.
Despite facing challenges in his personal life, Affleck continues to succeed, inspiring many with his dedication to his work, charity, and personal growth. Ben’s ongoing success shows that hard work and passion really do pay off.