Editing Ben Affleck (section)

===1981–1997: Child acting and ''Good Will Hunting''===
{{Anchor|1984–97: Child actor and ''Good Will Hunting''}}
Affleck acted professionally throughout his childhood but, in his own words, "not in the sense that I had a mom that wanted to take me to Hollywood or a family that wanted to make money from me ... I kind of chanced into something."<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web|last=Riley |first=Jenelle |url=http://www.backstage.com/interview/ben-affleck-knows-his-way-around-the-town/ |title=Ben Affleck Knows His Way Around the 'Town' |work=[[Backstage (magazine)|Backstage]] |date=December 23, 2010 |access-date=August 27, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223717/http://www.backstage.com/interview/ben-affleck-knows-his-way-around-the-town/ |archive-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> He first appeared, at the age of seven, in an independent film, ''[[The Dark End of the Street (1981 film)|The Dark End of the Street]]'' (1981), directed by a family friend.<ref>{{Cite book |last1= Sherman |first1=Paul |publisher=Black Bars Publishing |url= https://archive.org/details/bigscreenbostonf00paul |title=Big Screen Boston: From Mystery Street to The Departed and Beyond |isbn=978-0977639748 |access-date=April 11, 2017 |date=May 1, 2008 |url-access=registration}}</ref> His biggest success as a child actor was as the star of the [[PBS]] children's series ''[[The Voyage of the Mimi]]'' (1984) and ''[[The Second Voyage of the Mimi]]'' (1988), produced for sixth-grade science classes. Affleck worked "sporadically" on ''Mimi'' from the age of eight to fifteen in both Massachusetts and Mexico.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> As a teenager, he appeared in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[after school special]] ''Wanted: A Perfect Man'' (1986),<ref>{{Cite news|title=Profiles of Ex-Couple Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez |url= http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0401/24/cnnitm.00.html |work= CNN.com |access-date=April 12, 2017 |date=January 24, 2004 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305012628/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0401/24/cnnitm.00.html |archive-date=March 5, 2016}}</ref> the television film ''Hands of a Stranger'' (1987),<ref name= "ReferenceA"/> and a 1989 [[Burger King]] commercial.<ref name= "cbsnews1"/>

After high school, Affleck moved briefly to New York in search of acting work.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Later, while studying at Occidental College in Los Angeles, Affleck directed [[I Killed My Lesbian Wife, Hung Her on a Meat Hook, and Now I Have a Three-Picture Deal at Disney|student films]].<ref name="kinja1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-ben-afflecks-directorial-debut-i-killed-my-lesbian-wife-ung-er-on-a-eathook-ow-i-have-a-three-picture-deal-with-disney-short-film-20130218 |last1=Davis |first1=Edward |title=Watch: Ben Affleck's Directorial Debut 'I Killed My Lesbian Wife, Ηung Ηer On A Μeathook & Νow I Have A Three-Picture Deal With Disney' [Short Film] |date=February 18, 2013 |work=[[IndieWire]] |access-date=August 27, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714230519/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-ben-afflecks-directorial-debut-i-killed-my-lesbian-wife-ung-er-on-a-eathook-ow-i-have-a-three-picture-deal-with-disney-short-film-20130218 |archive-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> As an actor, he had a series of "knock-around parts, one to the next".<ref name="ReferenceA"/> He played [[Patrick Duffy]]'s son in the television film ''[[Daddy (1991 film)|Daddy]]'' (1991), made an uncredited appearance as a basketball player in the ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' film (1992), and had a supporting role as a prep school student in ''[[School Ties]]'' (1992).<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20471622_20008007_20005834,00.html |title=School Ties, Ben Affleck |date=January 14, 2007 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008013245/http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0%2C%2C20471622_20008007_20005834%2C00.html |archive-date=October 8, 2014 |access-date=April 12, 2017}}</ref> He played a high school quarterback in the [[NBC]] television series ''[[Against the Grain (TV series)|Against the Grain]]'' (1993), and a steroid-abusing high school football player in ''[[Lifestories: Families in Crisis|''Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story'']]'' (1994). Affleck's most notable role during this period was as a high school bully in [[Richard Linklater]]'s cult classic ''[[Dazed and Confused (film)|Dazed and Confused]]'' (1993).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Stern |first=Marlow |date=September 24, 2013 |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/24/dazed-and-confused-20th-anniversary-20-craziest-facts-about-the-cult-classic.html |title='Dazed and Confused' 20th Anniversary: 20 Craziest Facts About the Cult Classic |work=The Daily Beast |access-date=June 29, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714161914/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/24/dazed-and-confused-20th-anniversary-20-craziest-facts-about-the-cult-classic.html |archive-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> Linklater wanted a likable actor for the villainous role, and, while Affleck was "big and imposing", he was "so smart and full of life ... I just liked him."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Stern |first=Marlow |date=September 24, 2013 |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/24/dazed-and-confused-director-richard-linklater-on-its-20th-anniversary.html |title='Dazed and Confused' Director Richard Linklater on Its 20th Anniversary |newspaper=The Daily Beast |access-date=August 27, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006102349/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/24/dazed-and-confused-director-richard-linklater-on-its-20th-anniversary.html |archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maxim.com/movies/oral-history-dazed-and-confused |title=An Oral History of 'Dazed and Confused' |work=[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]] |last1=Spitz |first1=Marc |date=December 27, 2013 |access-date=August 27, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224131129/http://www.maxim.com/movies/oral-history-dazed-and-confused |archive-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> Affleck later said Linklater was instrumental in demystifying the filmmaking process for him.<ref name="kinja1"/>

Affleck's first starring film role was as an aimless art student in the college drama ''[[Glory Daze (film)|Glory Daze]]'' (1995), with Stephen Holden of ''The New York Times'' remarking that his "affably mopey performance finds just the right balance between obnoxious and sad sack".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Holden |first=Stephen |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/27/movies/a-major-in-parties-and-a-minor-in-art.html |title=A Major in Parties and a Minor in Art |work=The New York Times |date=September 27, 1996 |access-date=August 27, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726131824/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/27/movies/a-major-in-parties-and-a-minor-in-art.html |archive-date=July 26, 2014}}</ref> He then played a bully in filmmaker [[Kevin Smith]]'s comedy ''[[Mallrats]]'' (1995) and became friends with Smith during the filming. Affleck had begun to worry that he would be relegated to a career of "throwing people into their lockers",<ref name="ReferenceA"/> but Smith wrote him a lead role in the romantic comedy ''[[Chasing Amy]]'' (1997).<ref name="viewaskew1"/><ref name="ReferenceA"/> The film was Affleck's breakthrough.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> [[Janet Maslin]] of ''The New York Times'' praised Affleck's "wonderful ease" playing the role, combining "suave good looks with cool comic timing".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9401E4D9153DF937A35757C0A961958260 |title=Chasing Amy (1997) |work=The New York Times |date=April 4, 1997 |first=Janet |last=Maslin |access-date=October 7, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006073730/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9401E4D9153DF937A35757C0A961958260 |archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> Owen Gleiberman of ''Entertainment Weekly'' described it as a "wholesome and quick-witted" performance.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287334,00.html |title=Movie Review: 'Chasing Amy' (1997) |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=April 4, 1997 |first=Owen |last=Gleiberman |access-date=October 7, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006131149/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C287334%2C00.html |archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> When Affleck starred as a recently returned Korean War veteran in the coming-of-age drama ''[[Going All the Way]]'' (1997), Todd McCarthy of ''Variety'' found him "excellent",<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/going-all-the-way-1117432751/ |title=Review: Going All the Way |first=Todd |last=McCarthy |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=January 30, 1997 |access-date=March 27, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226055251/http://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/going-all-the-way-1117432751/ |archive-date=December 26, 2014}}</ref> while Janet Maslin of ''The New York Times'' noted that his "flair for comic self-doubt made a strong impression."<ref>{{Cite news|first=Janet |last=Maslin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/27/movies/independent-films-have-their-sundance-night.html |title=Independent Films Have Their Sundance Night |work=The New York Times |date=January 27, 1997 |access-date=August 27, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006175841/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/27/movies/independent-films-have-their-sundance-night.html |archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref>

[[File:CampDavid.jpg|thumb|left|Affleck and Matt Damon attend a [[Camp David]] screening of ''Good Will Hunting'' with President [[Bill Clinton]] in January 1998.|alt= Bill Clinton, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon sit on two sofas while looking towards a television screen]]
The success of 1997's ''[[Good Will Hunting]]'', which Affleck co-wrote and acted in, marked a turning point in his career. The screenplay originated in 1992 when Damon wrote a 40-page script for a playwriting class at Harvard University.<ref name="bostonmag-history">{{Cite news|url=http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2013/01/good-will-hunting-oral-history/ |title=Good Will Hunting: An Oral History |first=Janelle |last=Nanos |work=Boston Magazine |date=January 2013 |access-date=June 5, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715034905/http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2013/01/good-will-hunting-oral-history/ |archive-date=July 15, 2014}}</ref> He asked Affleck to act out the scenes with him in front of the class and, when Damon later moved into Affleck's Los Angeles apartment, they began working on the script in earnest.<ref name="interviewmagazine1"/> The film, which they wrote mainly during improvisation sessions, was set partly in their hometown of Cambridge and drew from their own experiences.<ref name="bostonmag-history" /><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Shone|first1=Tom|title=The Double Life of Matt Damon|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-double-life-of-matt-damon-9mspqql8h8j|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=August 16, 2017|date=February 26, 2011|language=en|archive-date=October 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005071754/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-double-life-of-matt-damon-9mspqql8h8j|url-status=live}}</ref> The screenplay was borne of their desire to create "an acting reel" for themselves.<ref name=keegan>{{cite web |last1=Keegan |first1=Rebecca |title=Ben Affleck on 'Air,' New CEO Gig and Those Memes: "I Am Who I Am" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/ben-affleck-air-production-company-grammys-memes-justice-league-1235353301/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 16, 2023 |date=March 16, 2023 |archive-date=March 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316152828/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/ben-affleck-air-production-company-grammys-memes-justice-league-1235353301/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They sold the screenplay to [[Castle Rock Entertainment|Castle Rock]] in 1994 when Affleck was 22 years old. During the development process, they received notes from industry figures, including [[Rob Reiner]] and [[William Goldman]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4720603/Good-Will-Hunting-the-truth.html |last=Goldman |first=William |title=Good Will Hunting: the Truth |work=The Telegraph |date=May 2, 2000 |access-date=March 27, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151342/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4720603/Good-Will-Hunting-the-truth.html |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> Following a lengthy dispute with Castle Rock about a suitable director, Affleck and Damon persuaded [[Miramax]] to purchase the screenplay.<ref name="highbeam1"/> The two friends moved back to Boston for a year before the film finally went into production, directed by [[Gus Van Sant]], and co-starring Damon, Affleck, [[Minnie Driver]], and [[Robin Williams]].<ref name="bostonmag-history" />

On its release, Janet Maslin of ''The New York Times'' praised the "smart and touching screenplay",<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C00EFD7123DF936A35751C1A961958260 |title=Good Will Hunting: Logarithms and Biorhythms Test a Young Janitor |first=Janet |last=Maslin |work=The New York Times |date=December 5, 1997 |access-date=March 27, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214110201/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C00EFD7123DF936A35751C1A961958260 |archive-date=December 14, 2014}}</ref> while Emanuel Levy of ''Variety'' found it "funny, nonchalant, moving and angry".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/good-will-hunting-3-1200452429/ |title=Review: Good Will Hunting |first=Emanuel |last=Levy |work=Variety |date=November 30, 1997 |access-date=March 27, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226120724/http://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/good-will-hunting-3-1200452429/ |archive-date=December 26, 2014 }}</ref> Jay Carr of ''The Boston Globe'' wrote that Affleck brought "a beautifully nuanced tenderness" to his role as the working-class friend of Damon's mathematical prodigy character.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Carr |first1=Jay |title='Will' Has its Way |url=http://cache.boston.com/globe/living/moviereviews/carr_reviews/Good_Will_Hunting.htm |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |access-date=April 12, 2017 |date=December 25, 1997 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410143401/http://cache.boston.com/globe/living/moviereviews/carr_reviews/Good_Will_Hunting.htm |archive-date=April 10, 2016}}</ref> Affleck and Damon eventually won the [[Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay|Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay]].<ref name="kinja1" /> Affleck has described this period of his life as "dreamlike": "It was like one of those scenes in an old movie when a newspaper comes spinning out of the black on to the screen. You know, '$100 Million Box Office! Awards!{{'"}}<ref name=Parade /> He remains the youngest writer (at age 25) ever to win an Oscar for screenwriting.<ref name="bostonmag-history" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/awards-and-festivals/film-awards/what-makes-a-great-script-reviewing-the-nominees-for-best-original-screenplay/article28927744/|title=What Makes a Great Script? The Oscar Nominees for Best Original Screenplay|last=Malla|first=Pasha|date=February 26, 2016|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|access-date=July 22, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160227114743/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/awards-and-festivals/film-awards/what-makes-a-great-script-reviewing-the-nominees-for-best-original-screenplay/article28927744/|archive-date=February 27, 2016}}</ref>