Ben Affleck’s Style Evolution
Ben Affleck was born Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt on August 15, 1972, in Berkeley, California. The award-winning actor and director moved to Massachusetts with his family at age three. Ben’s mother,…
Ben Affleck attends the Los Angeles premiere of Amazon Studio’s “The Tender Bar” at TCL Chinese Theatre on December 12, 2021 in Hollywood, California.
Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesBen Affleck was born Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt on August 15, 1972, in Berkeley, California. The award-winning actor and director moved to Massachusetts with his family at age three. Ben's mother, Christopher Anne, was an elementary school teacher. His father, Timothy Byers, was a man of many trades. He worked sporadically as a carpenter, auto mechanic, bookie, electrician, bartender, and janitor at his wife's Alma mater, Harvard. In the mid-1960s, Timothy was an actor and stage manager with the Theater Company of Boston.
Ben's Difficult Childhood
However, during Ben's childhood, his father was dealing with a severe alcoholism problem. He would later struggle with alcohol himself, going to rehab a few times for it and using it as a coping mechanism during his divorce from Jennifer Garner. Ben's parents divorced when he was 12 years old. He later recalled their marriage as being "so bad" and feeling that it was a "relief" that it was over. After being homeless for two years, it took two more years before his father went to rehab in California; he lived at the facility for twelve years to maintain his sobriety and worked there as an addiction counselor.
Ben and his younger brother Casey Affleck regularly attended theater performances with their mother. The two brothers auditioned for roles in local commercials and film productions because of their mother's connection with a casting director in the area. At age seven, Ben landed his first professional acting role in The Dark End of the Street (1981). For the next few years, Ben would go back and forth from Mexico and Massachusetts to film the PBS educational children's television program, The Voyage of the Mimi. He learned to speak Spanish while living in the country for a year straight at 13. Ben shocked fans he's fluent in Spanish when he did an interview promoting Air in April.
Ben met his longtime friend Matt Damon when they went to school together. They've known each other since Ben was eight years old. Though Damon is two years older, they shared "identical interests" of wanting to pursue acting careers. So, they'd travel to New York together for auditions and even open a joint bank account together. By 1993, Ben appeared in the cult classic Dazed and Confused. After befriending and working with Kevin Smith on a few projects, the Clerks filmmaker cast him in his breakthrough role, 1997's Chasing Amy. Then, he reunited with Matt Damon for the role that really put him on the map, Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote and starred in. With 87 acting credits, 33 credits as a producer, nine as a director, and seven as a writer, Affleck has cemented his name in Hollywood forever.
RELATED: Jennifer Lopez Pays Tribute To ‘Daddy’ Ben Affleck Via Thirst Trap
Take a look below at Ben Affleck through the years. He may have gotten older, but his facial expressions have remained true iconic Ben.
1998
Getty Images26-year-old Ben can pass for current-day Ben! Man, he does not seem to change much, 25 years later. Here, he attended the premiere of his romantic drama, starring alongside his girlfriend at the time, Gwyneth Paltrow.
1999
James Peterson/Online USA, Inc.The following year, he shaved that heinous goatee that he seems to love so much. While attending the Garden of Eden fundraiser for Al Gore's 2000 Presidency campaign, Ben looks really sharp and clean-shaven.
2000
George De Sota/NewsmakersOne thing Ben doesn't seem to have mastered is smiling naturally. Or maybe this is natural for the guy, but he looks like when you tell a kid to smile and they force it.
2001
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesBen brought back the scuzzy-looking goatee just in time for the Teen Choice Awards in 2001. He won the surfboard for Choice Movie Actor for his role in 'Pearl Harbor.'
2002
Mel Bouzad/Getty ImagesTrying to look like the effortlessly cool boyfriend when he first started dating Jennifer Lopez in 2002 was a good look for Ben. Showing off some choice Old Navy white briefs, he waits for his popstar girl on the set of her music video.
2003
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesThough the couple got engaged in November 2002, they postponed their wedding due to "the excessive media attention." Their film, 'Gigli,' also bombed at the box office and critically prior to their announcement.
2004
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesBy 2004, Bennifer split up, and J-Lo went on to marry Marc Anthony, whom she shares twins Max and Emme with. Judging by the cigarette hanging off his ear and ragged look, Ben doesn't look to be having a great year. He did, however, begin dating Jennifer Garner by the summer.
2005
Kevin Winter/Getty Images2005 was a much better year for Ben, as we can see here being playful with his pal Matt Damon at the premiere of 'The Brothers Grimm.' A few months prior, Affleck and Garner tied the knot. They welcomed their first-born, daughter Violet that December.
2006
Bryan Bedder/Getty ImagesIn 2006, Ben appeared in four movies: 'Clerks II,' 'Hollwoodland,' 'Smokin' Aces,' and 'Man About Town.' After a career downturn, Affleck made a comeback in the 'Hollywoodland' biopic, receiving an award and nominations for the role as Superman actor George Reeves.
2007
Carlos Alvarez/Getty ImagesIn 2007, Affleck made his feature film directorial debut with 'Gone Baby Gone.' The crime drama starred his brother Casey Affleck as a private investigator, and it did well.
2008
Claire Greenway/Getty ImagesBy 2008, Ben and Jen announced that summer that they were expecting their second child. Ben didn't have any projects lined up this year.
2009
Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesThis 2009 haircut is both bad and good on Ben, but those stringy pieces hanging on his forehead are just not it. In January, he welcomed his second daughter with Garner, Seraphina Rose.
2010
Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesWith the grays noticeably speckled in his hair, Ben looked fantastic while attending the Venice Film Festival in 2010. This was the year 'The Town' came out, which he starred in and wrote.
2011
John Shearer/Getty Images for Hollywood Film AwardsIf this isn't a mid-life crisis, we don't know what is. Ben's coconut head shaped haircut along with a full beard was not doing anything for him other than scream for a haircut while at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala.
2012
Mark Davis/Getty ImagesLooking cleaned up and much better the following year just in time for 'Argo,' which he produced and starred in, Ben also welcomed his first son. Samuel Garner was born in February of that year.
2013
Frederick M. Brown/Getty ImagesLooking VERY gray in his hair and beard, Affleck won tons of awards for 'Argo.' Maybe it's just him hitting 40, or the stress of the success of the film? He also starred in crime-thriller 'Runner Runner' alongside Justin Timberlake, Gemma Arterton, and Anthony Mackie.
2014
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images2014 was another huge year for Ben's career, and arguably the hugest year with the release of psychological thriller 'Gone Girl.' Director David Fincher said of Affleck at the time, "What many people don’t know is that he’s crazy smart, but since he doesn’t want that to get awkward, he downplays it," adding that he "learned how to skate on charm."
2015
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for WGAwBen looks pretty giddy while attending the Writers Guild Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles. A few months later, he and Garner publicly announced their separation, with Affleck continuing to live in a guesthouse at the family home for a few years.
2016
Chris Jackson/Getty ImagesIn 2016, Ben took on the role of Batman in DC's 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,' then again for a cameo in 'Suicide Squad' later that year. People were initially against Ben taking on the role, but after the 'Batman v Superman' film came out, the reception among critics and fans went well.
2017
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty ImagesWhile attending the '"Live by Night' premiere, Ben looked dapper in his three-piece suit and streak of grey in his hair. By this time, he and Garner jointly filed for divorce, later calling it "the biggest regret of my life." They have joint physical and legal custody of the three children that they share.
2019
Noam Galai/Getty ImagesBen dated 'Saturday Night Live' producer Lindsay Shookus following his split from Garner. They broke up in 2018 only to briefly date again in early 2019. He also starred in the action film 'Triple Frontier' alongside Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, and Pedro Pascal.
2020
Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesBen then dated his 'Deep Water' co-star, Ana de Armas for a year. The actor starred in two films in 2020: basketball drama 'The Way Back' and the mystery film 'The Last Thing He Wanted' alongside Anne Hathaway.
2021
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images20 years after he first met Jennifer Lopez, the couple began dating again after years of remaining in contact. He had a supporting role in 'The Last Duel' with frequent collaborator Matt Damon, then starred in the George Clooney-directed film, 'The Tender Bar.'
2022
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesBen looks genuinely happy, despite him not smiling in this photo, but he and J-Lo got engaged and married in 2022. 'Deep Water' was released after delays due to Covid, but the erotic thriller ultimately was a flop.
2023
Jon Kopaloff/Getty ImagesSince his reuniting with J-Lo, the couple attended film premieres in support of each other's careers. Affleck's 'Air' come out, acting alongside Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, and Jason Bateman. He reprised his role as Batman for a cameo in DC's 'The Flash.'
