Ben Affleck

Affleck directs and stars in the crime thriller based on Chuck Hogan’s novel. Bank robber Doug MacRay and his gang from the Charlestown neighbourhood of Boston take Claire Keesey, played by Rebecca Hall, as a hostage during a bank hit, and the two begin a romance. Doug reveals why he began a life of crime, and tries to protect Claire from his gang, while she protects him from the authorities. Co-starring Jeremy Renner, Slaine, Owen Burke, and Jon Hamm.

A huge part of this was wanting to play the role. I hadn’t had the chance to play a character as interesting as the one Chuck wrote in the book in a long time.

Affleck stars as Congressman Stephen Collins in Kevin MacDonald-directed political thriller. Two seemingly unconnected shootings and an apparent suicide draw attention to Collins’s involvement with a private military contractor. Co-stars Russell Crowe, Rachel MacAdams, and Helen Mirren. Affleck modeled the character on Anthony Weiner:

[It] goes to show you how sharp my dramatic instincts were. I was tuned in.

Affleck plays actor George Reeves in the drama-biopic directed by Allen Coulter. Shown through the perspective of a private detective investigating his death, Reeves begins an affair with the wife of a studio executive and lands the starring role in the TV series Superman, but becomes dissatisfied with his career and love life. Co-starring Adrien Brody, Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins. On studying for the role:

When George Reeves was Super-man you had three TV channels, and that show was iconic.

Affleck plays advertising executive Drew Latham in the comedy directed by Mike Mitchell. Latham pays a family to let him stay in his childhood home with them for Christmas, causing friction but eventually reuniting them. Co-starring James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate and Catherine O’Hara.

To me, meeting James Gandolfini and getting to know him at such an interesting and important period in both our lives, and the degree to which we bonded and became friends, is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. He was a lovely man, and so tough on himself. Most of the good things in my life have come out of movies that didn’t work very well. That made that movie a great experience, despite what people said about it.

Affleck plays L.A. mobster Larry Gigli in the crime comedy directed by Martin Brest. Gigli kidnaps the mentally challenged brother of a New York prosecutor, and becomes romantically involved with a gay woman. Co-starring Jennifer Lopez, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Lainie Kazan.

Gigli’s where I learned to direct. Martin Brest, the guy who did Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run and Scent of a Woman, is a great director who understands how to help an actor. The love he had for what he was doing, the care he took with the performances and the way he made it about the story and the actors rather than imposing some sort of artifice or style on top of it—all that rubbed off on me

Affleck plays New York City attorney Gavin Banek in the dramatic thriller directed by Roger Michell. Banek leaves insurance salesman Doyle Gipson (Samuel L. Jackson) at the scene of a car collision, causing him to miss an important court date, but leaves a vital paper at the scene, allowing Gipson to seek revenge. Co-starring William Hurt.

I liked working with Sam Jackson a lot. My memory is of Roger taking what could have easily been a 1970s genre action film and turning it into a rumination on anger and morality.