Ben Affleck Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Ben Affleck’s Net Worth?

American actor, screenwriter, producer, and director Ben Affleck boasts a net worth of $150 million. His rise to international fame began with “Good Will Hunting,” a film he co-wrote alongside childhood friend Matt Damon. For their screenplay, they were awarded an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. In addition, Ben won a Best Picture Academy Award for “Argo.” Over the years, he has earned hundreds of millions in salary throughout his career. Interestingly, one of his highest base salary paychecks (excluding backend bonuses) came from the film “Paycheck” in 2003, for which he received $15 million.

Major Paydays

Since the early stages of his career, Ben Affleck has been securing hefty paychecks as a leading man. He and Matt Damon earned $300,000 for their screenplay on “Good Will Hunting.” The film “Reindeer Games” netted him $6 million, whereas “Pearl Harbor” earned him only $250,000. For both “Changing Lanes” and “The Sum of All Fears,” he made a neat $10 million each. Despite their lack of success, “Daredevil” and “Gigli” provided Affleck with $11.5 million and $12.5 million, respectively.

Dunkin Donuts Super Bowl Salary

In 2023, Ben made headlines for appearing in a Dunkin’ Donuts Super Bowl commercial, for which he was compensated $10 million for just 30 seconds. The commercial garnered over 7 billion media impressions and resulted in the biggest single-day sales for the company the day following the Super Bowl. Affleck was not just the star of the ad but also contributed to its concept; furthermore, the commercial was produced and directed by the production company he co-founded with Matt Damon, Artists Equity.

Early Life

Born on August 15, 1972, in Berkeley, California, Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt is the son of Chris and Tim Affleck. Ben’s mother worked as a schoolteacher, while his father, an aspiring playwright, held various jobs such as an electrician, janitor, carpenter, and bookie. The family relocated to Falmouth, Massachusetts when Ben was three; this is also where his younger brother, Casey Affleck, was born. They ultimately settled in Cambridge, where their parents later divorced.

His family played a significant role in the arts within Cambridge. From a young age, Ben and his brother attended theater performances and had exposure to individuals involved in the arts. Although his mother encouraged Ben to pursue acting, she never pressured him to turn it into a career; instead, she envisioned him becoming a teacher.

At the young age of eight, Ben Affleck met Matt Damon, who was two years his senior. The two bonded instantly and formed a lifelong friendship. They attended acting classes together and would eventually embark on their Hollywood journeys side by side.

Early Career

Ben’s first professional acting role emerged at the age of seven in a local independent film. From age 8 to 15, he starred in the PBS children’s series “Voyage of the Mimi” and its sequel, “Second Voyage of the Mimi,” working both in Cambridge and in Mexico. He later appeared in the ABC after-school special “Wanted: A Perfect Man” as well as in a television movie.

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“Hands of a Stranger” at ages 14 and 15, respectively.

After completing his studies at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in 1990, Ben took on small roles in various films, such as Daddy (1991), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), and School Ties (1992). Due to his imposing size, he was frequently cast in the roles of bullies or jocks. He played a football player in both the NBC series “Against the Grain” and the HBO drama “Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story.” Ben later landed a role as a high school bully in the iconic Richard Linklater film “Dazed and Confused,” and also had a supporting role in the 1995 drama “School Ties.”

Good Will Hunting

The film that truly propelled Affleck’s career was “Good Will Hunting,” a project he co-wrote and starred in alongside his close friend Matt Damon. The script began as a 40-page paper for Damon’s playwriting class at Harvard University; subsequently, while living together in Los Angeles, they collaborated to transform it into a full screenplay. Frustrated with the minor supporting and background roles available to them at that time, they sought to create a project that would allow them to make significant decisions creatively.

Affleck and Damon presented the completed script to their agent, who pitched it to several studios. Castle Rock accepted it in 1994, but they were unwilling to grant Ben and Matt the creative control they desired. They then took the screenplay to Miramax, where they received greater creative freedom.

Upon its release in 1997, “Good Will Hunting” received widespread critical acclaim for both its screenplay and performances. Affleck and Damon became instant stars, quickly landing more substantial roles owing to their impressive performances in the film.

Collaboration with Matt Damon

From a young age, childhood friends Ben and Matt recognized their ambition to pursue acting, leading them to collaborate towards that goal. In the early stages of their careers, they shared a bank account where all earnings from their acting ventures were pooled. This fund was utilized for train or plane tickets to auditions.

In 1998, the duo established a production company named Pearl Street Films. Later, they founded another production company called LivePlanet. One of LivePlanet’s major successes was the documentary TV series “Project Greenlight,” which aimed to provide a platform for emerging filmmakers to direct their debut feature films. Currently, they jointly own Artists Equity, their independent production company with a focus on equitable profit-sharing with all contributors. Affleck is the CEO and plans to work solely with this company in his filmmaking endeavors.

Collaboration with Kevin Smith

Ben has collaborated numerous times with director Kevin Smith. Their friendship and professional relationship commenced in 1995 when he took on a supporting role in Smith’s film “Mallrats.” Following that, Smith crafted a leading role for Affleck in his subsequent movie, “Chasing Amy.” Since that time, Ben has appeared in every View Askewniverse production.

Films produced by Kevin Smith include titles such as “Dogma,” “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Clerks II,” and “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.”

A Rising Star

After achieving success with “Good Will Hunting,” Affleck was in a position to select more prominent and impactful roles. A significant early achievement was “Armageddon,” where he portrayed a blue-collar worker sent to space to prevent an asteroid from colliding with Earth. The film’s remarkable success at the box office solidified Ben’s reputation as an emerging leading actor.

Following that, he starred in other successful films, including “Shakespeare in Love,” “Pearl Harbor,” “The Sum of All Fears,” and “Changing Lanes.” Not every project was a hit; several of Affleck’s movies performed poorly commercially. “Daredevil” (2003) was a notable disappointment, which the actor later cited as the only film he regretted working on.

Ben took on the role of Batman in several films starting with 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and he is expected to make a cameo reprisal in 2023’s “The Flash.” He received acclaim for his portrayal of a recovering alcoholic in the 2020 sports drama “The Way Back,” which resonated with him personally. During the film’s pre-production in 2018, Ben experienced a relapse, and the film was shot soon after he completed rehab, with a sober coach accompanying him on set. Additionally, Ben Affleck played Phil Knight in 2023’s “Air.”

Personal Life

Affleck has had romantic ties to several prominent figures in Hollywood. His high-profile relationship with singer Jennifer Lopez from 2002 to 2004 made him a favorite in tabloids. “Bennifer” became a media sensation, with paparazzi tracking their every move. Although both had prior media exposure, Ben was less accustomed to such an intense level of attention and scrutiny. In 2002, Affleck and Lopez got engaged, but they postponed their planned wedding in 2003 due to overwhelming media pressure, ultimately breaking up the following year.

In 2005, Ben married Jennifer Garner, and they had three children together. However, they announced their separation in 2015, finalizing their divorce in late 2018.

Ben sought treatment for alcoholism in 2001 and returned for further therapy in 2017.

He experienced another public slip-up in 2019 after maintaining a year of sobriety, yet he remained determined not to let this setback hinder his progress. Following a twelve-step program, he continues to address his anxiety and depression.

In July 2022, Ben and Jennifer Lopez celebrated their marriage in Las Vegas, Nevada, but she initiated divorce proceedings in August 2024.

Directing

Early in his career, Ben developed an interest in directing, absorbing knowledge from the directors with whom he collaborated. His directorial debut occurred in 2007 with the film “Gone Baby Gone.” Subsequently, he wrote, produced, and directed “The Town” in 2010. “Argo,” released in 2012, saw him producing, directing, and acting, achieving tremendous commercial and critical acclaim. Furthermore, in 2023’s “Air,” he portrayed Phil Knight while serving as director and producer of the film, marking the initial release from Affleck and Damon’s production company, Artists Equity.

Awards and Honors

Ben Affleck has garnered Academy Awards for “Good Will Hunting” (best original screenplay, shared with Matt Damon) and “Argo” (best picture), along with numerous BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards, predominantly for these two films.

Charity and Philanthropy

A strong advocate for various causes, Ben Affleck has supported organizations such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Eastern Congo Initiative, the A-T Children’s Project, and Feeding America.

Real Estate

In 2009, Jen and Ben invested $17.55 million in a property located in LA’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood, purchasing it from producer Brian Grazer. Jennifer remained in this residence until late 2018, when they sold the mansion to Maroon 5’s Adam Levine for $32 million:

After three years of residency, Adam Levine and his wife, Behati Prinsloo, listed the property for $57.5 million. In the same month, Jennifer purchased another house in Brentwood Park, Los Angeles, for $8 million.

In April 2018, Ben acquired a mansion in Pacific Palisades for $19 million. This 13,450 square-foot house, constructed in 2017, features seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms along with an expansive lawn and pool area in the backyard. He listed this property for sale in August 2022 at $29.995 million and sold it within two weeks for the full asking price.

In early 2023, Affleck and Lopez withdrew from escrow on a $64 million mansion in Pacific Palisades and reportedly decided against a $34 million Hamptons-style home in the same area. Earlier, they had made an offer on a $50 million mansion in Bel-Air but subsequently retracted it. In June 2023, the couple finalized the purchase of a $61 million mansion in Beverly Hills. Amidst separation rumors in July 2024, Ben bought a $20.5 million mansion in the Palisades, taking out a $10 million mortgage for the property, which is adjacent to Diane Keaton’s long-time estate.