Claim: Ben Affleck began his career as a child.

Benjamin Geza Affleck-Boldt -LRB- born August 15 , 1972 -RRB- is an American actor and filmmaker . His accolades include two Academy Awards , three Golden Globe Awards , two BAFTA Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards . He began his career as a child and starred in the PBS educational series The Voyage of the Mimi -LRB- 1984 , 1988 -RRB- . He later appeared in the independent coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused -LRB- 1993 -RRB- and various Kevin Smith films including Chasing Amy -LRB- 1997 -RRB- and Dogma -LRB- 1999 -RRB- . Affleck gained wider recognition when he and childhood friend Matt Damon won the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting -LRB- 1997 -RRB- . He then established himself as a leading man in studio films including the disaster drama Armageddon -LRB- 1998 -RRB- , the romantic comedy Forces of Nature -LRB- 1999 -RRB- , the war drama Pearl Harbor -LRB- 2001 -RRB- and the thriller Changing Lanes -LRB- 2002 -RRB- .   After a career downturn , during which he appeared in Daredevil and Gigli -LRB- both 2003 -RRB- , Affleck received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the noir biopic Hollywoodland -LRB- 2006 -RRB- . His directorial debut , Gone Baby Gone -LRB- 2007 -RRB- , which he also co-wrote , was well received . He then directed , co-wrote , and starred in the crime drama The Town -LRB- 2010 -RRB- . For the political thriller Argo -LRB- 2012 -RRB- , which he directed and starred in , Affleck won the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Director , and the Golden Globe , BAFTA , and Academy Award for Best Picture . He starred in the psychological thriller Gone Girl -LRB- 2014 -RRB- . In 2016 , Affleck began playing Batman in the DC Extended Universe , starred in the action thriller The Accountant , and directed , wrote and acted in the gangster drama Live by Night .   Affleck is the co-founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative , a grantmaking and advocacy-based nonprofit organization . He is also a stalwart member of the Democratic Party . Affleck and Damon are co-owners of the production company Pearl Street Films . His younger brother is actor Casey Affleck , with whom he has worked on several films including Good Will Hunting and Gone Baby Gone . Affleck married actress Jennifer Garner in 2005 ; they have three children together . The couple announced their separation in 2015 and filed for divorce in early 2017 .