Ben Affleck turns 43 on Saturday, 15 August. It's a big day for the "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" actor and he definitely has a lot to celebrate. However, the two-time Academy Award winner has also had his share of ups and down (both professionally and personally) in the year gone by.
An accomplished actor, writer, director, humanitarian and doting father, Ben Affleck has come a long way to become one of the most-popular faces in Hollywood.
On his birthday, let's take a look at the key events in Ben Affleck's life in the past year and things that he has to look forward to in the coming year, and also a peek into his career-defining films:
The Year Gone By
Jennifer Garner Divorce: Cheyenne Rothman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez, Ben has been in relationship with some of the most talented women in the industry, but it was Jennifer Garner, whom he chose to marry after they came close on the sets of "Daredevil". The couple got married in 2005 and split after 10 years in 2015.
Slave-owning Past: Ben Affleck found himself in the middle of a controversy when he discovered that one of his forefathers was a slave owner. After a WikiLeaks revelation, the star admitted that he lobbied PBS to censor his slave-owning past. While researching for a documentary series, "Finding Your Roots", the actor discovered this ugly truth and pressurised the makers to suppress the fact that one of his ancestors owned slaves.
Gone Girl: One of the best movies that happened to Ben since "Argo", "Gone Girl" is the film where he starred as Nick Dunne, a husband accused of murdering his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike). The film was a masterpiece and Ben successfully managed to win fans' hearts with his character's sorry state in the film.
The Year to Look Forward to
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice/ Suicide Squad: Who isn't excited about this one?! One of the most awaited superhero movies to release in 2016, "Batman v Superman" will see Ben portraying the next Dark Knight in the Batsuit along with Henry Cavill as Superman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Not just this, the actor will also appear in Suicide Squad along with Jared Leto, Will Smith and Margot Robbie.
The Accountant: This is an action thriller, which revolves around a forensic accountant who uncooks the books for illicit clients, is slated to release in 2016 and will see Ben essaying the key role of Chris, the accountant.
Best Known For...
While fans still haven't got over his role as the "pitiful" husband in "Gone Girl", they already have his Dark Knight portrayal to look forward to in "Batman v Superman". Alhough the actor's filmography doesn't boast a huge line-up of "great" films, Ben has still managed to bag a few like "The Town", "Gone Baby Gone" and "Pearl Harbour", which got him a lot of recognition.
Argo: A political thriller, Ben directed and starred in this film that won him the Golden Globe Award, BAFTA and Directors Guild Award for Best Director, and the Golden Globe Award, BAFTA, the Producers Guild Award and the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Good Will Hunting: Ben won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Screenplay for this film, which he co-wrote and co-starred in with actor Matt Damon.
Pearl Harbor: This war film, which was more like a renarration of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, saw Ben as First Lieutenant (later Captain) Rafe McCawley in the film.
Daredevil: Well, Batman isn't Affleck's first superhero character. He first played Daredevil in the 2003 film "Daredevil". Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, Ben starred as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice in the courtroom and out of the courtroom as the masked vigilante Daredevil. This film was not only career-defining, but also life-defining. On the sets of this film, he had met his ex-wife Jennifer Garner, who co-starred with him.
