Growing up, Affleck appeared on TV shows and in an after-school special. He later had uncredited roles in “Field of Dreams” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” the movie that inspired the series. (Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)
Affleck teamed up with his childhood buddy Damon to write a screenplay. With a bit of input from Hollywood heavies like Rob Reiner and William Goldman, the script got a makeover and eventually became “Good Will Hunting.” Both Damon and Affleck scored Oscars for best original screenplay. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Affleck’s roots in Berkeley, Calif., may have inspired his political prowess. He campaigned for John Kerry in 2004 and was a pundit on “Hardball” and “Real Time With Bill Maher.” (Scott McCloskey / Associated Press)
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Affleck spent the ‘90s appearing in cult classics like “Dazed and Confused,” “Mallrats” and “Chasing Amy” and formed a relationship with writer-director Kevin Smith. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Ben Affleck joins the super hero ranks and will play Batman/Bruce Wayne in 2016’s “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Here, he is next to Henry Cavill, who will play Superman. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
