Ben Affleck Turns 50: From ‘Gone Girl’ to ‘Justice League’, His 15 Best Performances

variety.com:

Clayton Davis A promising actor then a tabloid punchline and now an accomplished, Oscar-winning filmmaker, Ben Affleck has run the gamut of labels in Hollywood.With the nostalgia of “Bennifer” roaring back in the past year, there’s some comfort in knowing the industry still believes the talented actor, director, writer and producer is worthy of attention.To celebrate Ben Affleck’s 50 years around the sun, Variety ranks his 15 best film performances of his career.Unfairly written off as the “other guy” next to childhood best friend Matt Damon at first, Affleck has more than proven himself to be one of our most capable and talented artists.

Having already reflected on Affleck’s position following the releases of Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel” and George Clooney’s “The Tender Bar” in the Variety piece titled, “The Miseducation of Ben Affleck,” it’s clear that the California native, later turned Massachusetts staple, isn’t going anywhere.Looking through his career, you must divide it into multiple chapters.

The Affleck legacy begins with his stint as a childhood actor, landing roles in Burger King commercials and the PBS children’s series “The Voyage of the Mimi” in 1984.While studying and directing student films at Occidental College in Los Angeles, he began making the rounds in ‘90s classics such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1992), “School Ties” (1992) and “Mallrats” (1995).

However, the big break came when Affleck and Damon wrote the drama “Good Will Hunting” (1997), directed by Gus Van Sant. The film grossed over $225 million at the box office, making the pair household names.