The final chord: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have separated

Childhood

Benjamin Affleck, who was born in 1972 in the Californian town of Berkeley, had Irish-Scottish roots. His mother, Christina Ann Boldt, taught at school, and his father, Timothy Byers Affleck, performed in one of the Boston theaters in his youth. Affleck Sr.'s acting career died in its infancy, but while working on the stage, the man managed to make friends with Dustin Hoffman and Blaine Danner (Gwyneth Paltrow's mother).

Ben Affleck as a child

After leaving the theater, Timothy changed many professions: he was a cleaner, a social worker, a bartender, an auto mechanic, but, having never found a place he liked in Boston, he moved to California, where he became a pharmaceutical representative.

Ben Affleck's parents: Tim and Chris

When Ben was 3, his brother Case was born, who later also became an actor. The family later moved from California to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Affleck brothers

In 1981, Ben Affleck made his film debut – the 8-year-old boy got a cameo role in the social drama “The Dark End of the Street,” filmed in Berkeley. According to the actor’s own words, he disappeared into the film by accident because a family friend was filming it. “And not at all because my mother was obsessed with the idea of ​​making me a child actor and turning me into a source of income,” Ben said.

In 1984, Ben's parents divorced due to his father's problems with alcohol. Christina Ann got a job at one of the Cambridge schools, and the Afflecks began to settle in a new place.

Timothy continued to drink and eventually found himself without a livelihood and joined the ranks of the homeless in Massachusetts Cambridge. In the late 80s, Timothy was lucky - he was admitted to a rehabilitation center and overcame his alcohol addiction, although to do this he had to stay there for the next 12 years.

Ben Affleck with his mother and younger brother

Ben's mother was an intelligent woman with very liberal views. Local bohemians gathered in their house; she regularly took Ben and Casey to the theaters and introduced her sons to classical literature. Tightening her belt, she saved up money for a video camera so the boys could make home movies. She took the boys to auditions for commercials, although she hoped that as adults they would choose the noble profession of teaching.

Through one of her friends who worked as a casting director on television, my mother found 12-year-old Benjamin a role in the educational series “Mimi’s Voyage.” Participation in the low-budget program was enough to make the teenager literally fall ill with acting. His mother introduced him to a friend, David Wheeler, an acting teacher. The man enjoyed working with Ben, considering him “a very gifted and inquisitive child.”

Ben Affleck in the TV series "Mimi's Voyage" - his first serious role

The boy periodically starred in “Mimi’s Voyage” until he was 15 years old, sometimes filming took place in Mexico.

Ben Affleck during his school years

early years

Jennifer Anne Garner was born on April 17, 1972 in Houston, Texas, USA. Her mother, Patricia Ann English, is a teacher, and her father is Billy Jack Garner, a chemical engineer. Jennifer has two sisters, an older and a younger one - Mellisa Garner-Wylie and Suzanne Garner-Carpenter.

At the age of three, Garner began taking ballet lessons, which she studied throughout her childhood. Although she, in her own words, liked to dance, she never thought about becoming a classical ballerina[1]. When Jennifer was four years old, her father's work for Union Carbide moved the family to Charleston, West Virginia, where Garner lived until she went to college.[2]

Garner graduated from George Washington School in Charleston in 1990 and attended Denison University to study chemistry. But, realizing that acting on stage was of greater interest to her, she changed her specialization to acting. Garner graduated from the university in 1994 and was planning to continue her acting studies at Yale University, but after visiting New York in 1995, she decided to try herself in the theater.

Meet Matt Damon

In Cambridge, Ben Affleck became friends with Matt Damon - they lived a couple of blocks from each other, went to the same school, albeit in different classes (Matt was a couple of years older), and attended the school theater club. Damon recalled that their acting teacher Jerry Spasa always assigned Ben the longest roles and important monologues.

Affleck and Damon's friendship has stood the test of time

Matt often visited the Afflecks' house, where free morals reigned: Ben freely brought friends home, drank beer and smoked weed.

During one of their joint get-togethers, the bosom friends firmly decided to become professional actors and often attended auditions. But they couldn’t get anything other than participation in the crowd of mediocre films (“The Perfect Guy Wanted,” “Hands of a Stranger”).

Young Ben Affleck in the movie "Perfect Boy Wanted"

In 1989, Ben Affleck appeared on television in an advertisement for the fast food chain Burger King. By that time, the young man had already turned 17 years old - it was time to think about his future profession. He entered the University of Vermont, and the reason for choosing the educational institution was very prosaic: Affleck had unrequited love for a girl who was not even a student at the University of Vermont, but studied at a school nearby.

It is not surprising that Ben did not study at the university for a long time, leaving his alma mater after the first semester and went to Hollywood with his best friend Matt.

In Hollywood

Affleck's mother was horrified - the center of global film production seemed to her like a vicious circle of hell. The woman believed that her son, who was prone to riotous living, would certainly spend the rest of his days in some rehabilitation center.

She was partly right - the actors, barely in their thirties, rented a house in the very heart of the city, threw parties, spent the little money they earned on alcohol and soft drugs, and in between revelries dropped in for auditions.

Affleck and Damon conquer Hollywood

Hollywood forced young people to undergo a severe test of character - at first, castings ended only with participation in the crowd. In 1992, the comrades were approved for the main roles in the drama “School Ties.” The film about the plight of schoolchildren belonging to different social castes gave a ticket to the world of big cinema not only to Affleck and Damon, but also to a whole galaxy of future movie stars: Chris O'Donnell, Brandon Fraser and Amy Locane.

Future stars. Still from the film “School Ties”

Having received a fee for their first major role (each of the friends earned 40 thousand dollars), Ben and Matt went to great lengths: they rented a cottage on the Pacific Ocean and, first of all, threw a party for 800 people. Friends began to waste money left and right, for example, Affleck spent some of the money on a short film project called “I Killed My Lesbian Wife, Hung Her on a Meat Hook, and Now I Have a Three-Film Contract with Disney.”

When the funds ran out, it was discovered that the young people had a huge tax debt - 15 thousand dollars. I had to move out of the fashionable area and rent a house in the secluded place of Eagle Rock.

Affleck and Damon's Eagle Rock home

At this time, Ben Affleck made a second attempt to obtain higher education and entered the liberal arts Occidental College in Los Angeles. For some time, the young actor quite successfully combined study and filming; During that period, he received a cameo role in the series “Buffy” and was invited to the filming of the film “Dazed and Confused,” during which he sang well with Matthew McConaughey.

Ben Affleck in the movie "Dazed and Confused"

One day, a writing teacher gave Affleck's group homework - to write a short story on a free topic. Ben and Matt spent several evenings creating a 20-page story, but the mentor just laughed in the student’s face, saying that no one would read such nonsense in their life. Angry, Affleck withdrew his college documents.

Ben Affleck received his higher education only in 2013

Ben Affleck movies on TV

Career blossoming

In 1995, the young acting tandem was noticed by aspiring director and screenwriter Kevin Smith. The guys took a liking to him during the filming of the film “Loafers”, and although the film did not become outstanding, since then the Affleck-Damon duo has appeared in almost every Smith comedy: “Chasing Amy”, “Dogma”, “Jay and Silent” Bob", "Jersey Girl".

Affleck and Damon in the movie Dogma

Smith co-produced the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, which brought Affleck and Damon incredible popularity. The main role of Will, a janitor boy with a phenomenal IQ, was played by Matt, and Hunting's best friend was none other than Ben Affleck. The plot was based on the same 20-page story that the Occidental College teacher rejected with a laugh.

Good Will Hunting was based on a script by Affleck and Damon

The film's rental was 22 times higher than the amount spent on its creation. In 1998, the successful film received two Oscars: for best screenplay and for best supporting actor (this statuette went to Robin Williams); that same year, the film's script received a Golden Globe, and the friends were awarded an honorary award from the National Board of Review for their special contribution to cinema.

A wide variety of offers rained down on the young actor, from the tragicomedy “Shakespeare in Love,” where Affleck’s character witnessed the love triangle of the heroes Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes and Colin Firth, to the disaster film “Armageddon.” On the set of Michael Bay's film, the actor was immediately surrounded by the Hollywood elite: his co-stars were Bruce Willis, Steve Buscemi and Billy Bob Thornton, and the beautiful Liv Tyler became the "film lover" of Affleck's hero.

Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis in the movie "Armageddon"

In 2001, the historical drama “Pearl Harbor” premiered, instantly becoming a leader in the world box office. This time Affleck shared the triumph with Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale.

"Pearl Harbor" - Affleck as Lieutenant McQuoley

In 2003, Affleck starred in the film adaptation of the Daredevil comic book, which he adored from early childhood. The film collected a good amount at the box office and received good reviews from critics, but the films that followed it, “Gigli” and “Surviving Christmas,” practically failed. His duet with Jennifer Lopez in “Gigli” was called the worst acting tandem in the history of cinema.

Affleck and Lopez's film romance was not liked by critics

However, Affleck’s popularity was not affected even by two failures in a row. In 2006, he and Adrien Brody were cast in the lead roles in the film The Death of Superman (originally Hollywoodland). This biographical film, dedicated to the mysterious death of artist George Reeves, won many awards; Ben received the honorary Volpi Cup and Golden Globe awards.

Ben Affleck is superman!

In 2009, Affleck took part in the crime thriller Smoking Aces, joining the epic about the confrontation between the FBI and the mafia with a supporting role (Jack Dupree). The leading actor in the project was Ryan Reynolds, who played special agent Richard Messner.

After Aces, Affleck slowed down the pace of his acting, devoting most of his free time to his own projects, where he acted as a director and screenwriter.

Producer, director and main actor of "Operation Argo" - Ben Affleck

One of these projects was the political thriller “Operation Argo,” the script of which was based on real events. The plot is based on the story of the rescue of American diplomats from captivity after the seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979. Brad Pitt was considered for the main role of CIA agent Tony Mendez, but due to his busy schedule he was unable to find time for such a large-scale project, and Ben had to combine directing duties with acting. But Bryan Cranston managed to leave the set of the series “Breaking Bad” and play Mendes’ boss Jack O’Donnell.

Affleck and Cranston became CIA agents

Despite the fact that many accused Affleck of being overly free in his interpretation of historical facts, in 2013 his third directorial experience received three Oscars, including a statuette for the main nomination for Best Picture.

In 2009, the world saw him in the role of the lover of the charming Jennifer Aniston in the comedy “Promising does not mean marrying.” And in 2014, viewers were fascinated by the development of the plot of the detective thriller “Gone Girl,” where Affleck’s character had to solve a string of intricate mysteries in order to find his missing wife, brilliantly played by Rosamund Pike.

Ben Affleck in the movie Gone Girl

In 2020, a large-scale blockbuster with his participation was released: “Batman vs. Superman.” Affleck played Batman and his alter ego Bruce Wayne in the November 2020 sequel Justice League. In the same role, he appeared in the film “Suicide Squad” with Margot Robbie, which allowed viewers to look into another camp of the confrontation between good and evil. Both films were received lukewarmly, especially by DC Comics fans.

Ben Affleck – Batman – Bruce Wayne

Photos and footage: Ben Affleck

Personal life of Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck's first love was Cheyenne Rothman, the same girl for whom the future actor entered the hated University of Vermont. However, his beloved did not appreciate such a loud act, and approved Ben for the role of her boyfriend. Ten years later, Affleck called her refusal "the biggest disappointment of my life."

Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow seemed like the perfect couple

In 1997, Affleck began an affair with Gwyneth Paltrow, who had just broken off her relationship with Brad Pitt. For a long time they were considered the most exemplary couple in Hollywood; On Gwyneth's 24th birthday, Affleck presented her with diamond earrings and agreed to star with his friend in the uncharacteristic project “Shakespeare in Love” - a film that became fatal for their relationship.

Affleck and Paltrow's romance is in jeopardy

Not only did Paltrow refuse to double in sex scenes with Joseph Fiennes, she constantly admired her colleague in front of Ben: “Fiennes is such a great guy, such a good actor!” One day after filming, Ben caught Gwyneth and Joseph in a passionate embrace. Although the actress passionately convinced Ben that it was just a rehearsal, the relationship came to an end.

Paltrow performed bed scenes without a stunt double

Over the next 4 years, Ben Affleck's intimate relationships became one of the most discussed mysteries in Hollywood. There were rumors about affairs between Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock and former “enemy of James Bond” - Dutch actress Famke Janssen, but Affleck himself never commented on such statements.

Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock

In 2002, on the set of the film Gigli, he began an affair with Jennifer Lopez. Things moved inexorably towards the wedding, Ben even got the nickname “Mr. Lopez”. He purchased an engagement ring with a rare pink diamond, and the newspapers were already preparing to savor the details of the ceremony, but 4 days before the wedding, Lopez's press agent notified the media: Affleck and J.Lo had separated. Subsequently, Ben admitted that the affair with the singer exhausted him so much that he barely had any strength left for filming.

In public, JLo and Affleck have always kept a low profile

Shortly after the breakup, Affleck appeared in public with his former co-star in the films “Pearl Harbor” and “Daredevil,” Jennifer Garner.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner

In 2005, the couple secretly married in the Caribbean, and in December of the same year, Violet Anne Affleck was born. The marriage to Garner gave Ben two more children, the youngest daughter Seraphina Rose Elizabeth and the boy Samuel.

Ben Affleck with his wife and children

In 2020, the day after their tenth wedding anniversary, Affleck and Garner announced the start of divorce proceedings. The exact reason for the breakup remained a mystery, but an insider who wished to remain anonymous said that the reason lies in Ben’s infidelities on his wife, which he was tired of hiding, and his alcoholism. Even a family psychologist couldn’t save the stars’ relationship; at some point, his angry wife kicked Affleck out of the house, and he was forced to wander around hotels in search of accommodation for the night.

The children of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are a charming trio

The divorce process dragged on for quite a long time - three years. Jennifer hoped that her husband would come to his senses, undergo treatment for alcoholism and stop going to the left. But hopes were in vain. The divorce was officially finalized in 2020. The former spouses shared custody of the children equally.

Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus

In 2020, Ben began dating actress Lindsay Shookus (although the couple was rumored to be together since 2020). The couple broke up when Affleck was spotted dating Shauna Sexton.

Ben Affleck and Shauna Sexton

In November 2020, Ben Affleck was found on a dating app, a paid analogue of Tinder for VIPs. In his profile, he wrote that he was looking for an ordinary girl, not a star. After that, the actor deleted all photos from his profile and made it private.

Ben admitted that he still loves Jennifer