Ben Affleck was one of the most recognized and followed stars of the 2000s, but his career and personal life have seemingly fallen apart in recent years. Despite mounting a comeback in the 2010s with hit films, he has struggled significantly in the last few years with relationships and addiction.
Ben Affleck’s Rise to Stardom
Ben Affleck quickly rose to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s with roles in Good Will Hunting, Armageddon, and Pearl Harbor. However, his stardom didn’t last long because, by the mid-2000s, he was struggling to find success. He starred in numerous commercial and critical failures, and few people wanted to work with him.
Adding to the frustration was Affleck’s emerging relationship with actress Jennifer Garner. The power couple was often featured on the cover of tabloids and continuously in the media. Some people attribute the fatigue with Affleck as an actor to the constant coverage of him and Lopez.
After a period of declining popularity as an actor, Affleck entered the director’s chair, where he found renewed success. He went on to star in, produce, and direct Argo, Air, and Live by Night, amongst others.
However, Affleck’s most noteworthy role from the past decade was playing the Caped Crusader in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Ben Affleck Noted Breakup With Garner Is One of His Biggest Failures
Over the last few years, Ben Affleck has gone from being back on top to another downward spiral that he is still trying to escape.
The actor struggled with alcohol addiction for many years and even discussed it publicly on several occasions. He has also gone to rehab numerous times, with a well-known trip in 2017. The following year, Affleck relapsed, which started him on a shocking downfall.
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Once known as a “power couple,” Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck split in 2015 but finalized their divorce in 2018. In recent interviews, he has noted that his breakup with Garner is one of his biggest failures.
Things only got worse for Ben Affleck in the coming years as he lost his acting and directing role in Batman. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped movie ticket sales just as his film The Way Back entered theaters. The movie loosely mirrored some of Affleck’s struggles with alcoholism, but it did not see the expected commercial success.
A Short Rebound for Ben Affleck
Despite numerous shortfalls over the years, things started to look up for Ben Affleck in 2021 despite the pandemic still slowing movie production. The most notable was a brief rekindling of his two decades old relationship with actress Jennifer Lopez. The relationship quickly became one of the hottest entertainment stories of the year.
Things were also looking up for Affleck’s career as he starred in The Last Duel alongside longtime friend Matt Damon. Unfortunately, the movie wasn’t a major box office success, partly due to the pandemic still causing theaters to limit attendance. However, it did receive positive responses from critics.
Will Ben Affleck Bounce Back?
Ben Affleck has apparently managed to keep his alcohol consumption under control, with a few exceptions. However, many cannot see past his shortcomings, particularly the times that he cheated on his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.
Nonetheless, he married Jennifer Lopez in 2022, and they appear happy despite a recent report that he was spotted without a wedding ring.
Affleck’s career is also rebounding, with him set for acting and directing roles in several movies. Whether movie-goers will flock to theaters to see Ben Affleck on the big screen as they did decades ago remains to be seen.
