Ben Affleck, a prominent figure in Hollywood, boasts a net worth of $150 million. His rise to fame began with the 1997 hit Good Will Hunting, a film he co-wrote with childhood friend Matt Damon. Their screenplay won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, solidifying Ben’s place in the entertainment industry. Later, Ben also earned an Academy Award for Best Picture for his directorial work in Argo. Over his illustrious career, Affleck has accumulated hundreds of millions of dollars from acting and directing roles, with one of his highest paychecks being the $15 million he earned for Paycheck in 2003.
Major Paydays
Throughout his career, Ben Affleck has commanded impressive paychecks. Early on, he and Matt Damon earned $300,000 for their screenplay of Good Will Hunting. As a leading man, he continued to rake in substantial earnings. For Reindeer Games, he made $6 million, and for Pearl Harbor, he earned $250,000. For movies like Changing Lanes and The Sum of All Fears, Affleck pocketed $10 million each. Even when movies like Daredevil and Gigli didn’t perform well, he still secured paydays of $11.5 million and $12.5 million, respectively.
Dunkin Donuts Super Bowl Salary
In 2023, Ben Affleck appeared in a memorable Super Bowl commercial for Dunkin’ Donuts, where he earned a remarkable $10 million for a 30-second spot. The commercial was a major success, generating over 7 billion media impressions and boosting the company’s sales to a historic high. Affleck didn’t just star in the ad—he helped conceptualize it. His production company, Artists Equity (co-founded with Matt Damon), played a role in both the production and direction of the commercial.
Key Facts
- Ben earned $300,000 for writing Good Will Hunting.
- Over the years, he has earned hundreds of millions through his acting career.
- At his peak, Ben earned between $15 million to $20 million per movie, including backend profits.
- In 2018, he bought a property in Los Angeles for $18 million.
Early Life
Born Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt on August 15, 1972, in Berkeley, California, Ben’s upbringing was shaped by a creative environment. His mother, a schoolteacher, and his father, an aspiring playwright with a variety of jobs, introduced Ben to the arts. At three years old, the family relocated to Falmouth, Massachusetts, where Ben’s brother, Casey, was born. They eventually settled in Cambridge, where his parents divorced.
Growing up in a creative community in Cambridge, Ben and Casey Affleck were exposed to theater and the arts. Ben’s mother was friends with a local casting agent, which led to both brothers taking part in auditions. Though she encouraged Ben’s interest in acting, she did not push him toward it as a career, wanting him to pursue teaching.
At age eight, Ben met Matt Damon, who was two years older. The two clicked immediately, becoming close friends. Their shared passion for acting led them to take acting classes together, setting the stage for their future collaboration in Hollywood.
Early Career
Ben’s professional acting career began at seven when he appeared in an independent film. Throughout his childhood and teenage years, he continued acting in PBS shows, including Voyage of the Mimi and Second Voyage of the Mimi, both filmed in Cambridge and Mexico. By the time he was 14, Ben starred in the ABC special Wanted: A Perfect Man and the TV movie Hands of a Stranger. After high school, Ben played minor roles in films such as Daddy (1991), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), and School Ties (1992).
As he entered adulthood, Ben found himself often cast as a bully or a jock, a role he played in both Against the Grain and Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story. He also appeared as a high school bully in the cult classic Dazed and Confused.
Good Will Hunting
The pivotal moment in Ben Affleck’s career came with Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote with Matt Damon. The script started as a 40-page assignment in Damon’s playwriting class at Harvard University. Ben and Matt later expanded it into a full screenplay, frustrated by their limited roles up to that point. They sought creative control and sent the script to several studios. While Castle Rock initially showed interest, it was Miramax that ultimately gave them the freedom they desired.
Released in 1997, Good Will Hunting was a massive success, both critically and commercially. The film’s strong performances and stellar screenplay led to both Ben and Matt becoming overnight stars, with bigger roles following soon after.
Collaboration with Matt Damon
From their early acting days, Ben and Matt worked together to pursue their careers in Hollywood. The two even shared a bank account to cover expenses such as auditions and travel. In 1998, they founded their first production company, Pearl Street Films, and later created LivePlanet, which produced the documentary series Project Greenlight. The show offered young filmmakers a chance to direct their first feature film.
Today, they co-own the production company Artists Equity, focusing on empowering filmmakers and sharing profits with all involved. Ben serves as CEO, with plans to work exclusively with the company on his filmmaking projects.
A Rising Star
After Good Will Hunting, Ben Affleck’s career took off. One of his major hits was Armageddon, where he starred as a blue-collar man sent to space to save Earth from an asteroid. The film’s massive success confirmed Ben’s place as a leading man. More successful films followed, such as Shakespeare in Love, Pearl Harbor, and The Sum of All Fears. While Ben enjoyed success, not all his films were hits. Daredevil (2003), for example, was a box-office disappointment.
Ben took on the role of Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and reprised it in The Flash (2023). His portrayal of a recovering alcoholic in The Way Back (2020) earned praise, particularly given Ben’s struggles with addiction at the time. In 2023, he starred as Phil Knight in Air, which he also directed and produced.
Directing
Ben’s directing career began in 2007 with Gone Baby Gone. He went on to direct, write, and produce The Town (2010) and Argo (2012), the latter of which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2023, Ben starred in and directed Air, the first release under his and Matt Damon’s production company, Artists Equity.
Real Estate
Affleck’s real estate ventures have been substantial. In 2009, he and Jennifer Garner purchased a $17.55 million home in Pacific Palisades, which was sold in 2018 to Adam Levine for $32 million. Ben also owns a $19 million mansion in Pacific Palisades, which he sold in 2022 for $30 million. In 2023, he and Lopez bought a $61 million Beverly Hills mansion and later a $20.5 million Palisades home.
