Ben Affleck’s latest promo rounds for The Accountant 2 may have been filled with typical Hollywood bravado, but beneath the surface, the Boston-born star and director is revealing more of the personal texture that’s long shaped his onscreen and behind-the-camera identity. Whether reminiscing about his childhood film fandom, sharing cringe-worthy early roles with Matt Damon, or laughing off brutal honesty from his teenage kids, Affleck is somehow managing to turn nostalgia, fatherhood, and fandom into fuel for one of the most grounded comebacks in Hollywood.
How Growing Up in ’70s Boston Made Affleck a Lone Film Fanatic
Affleck’s recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! wasn’t just a plug for his latest action sequel—it was a full-on trip to the emotional Boston basement where it all began. The Cambridge-raised actor painted a vivid picture of a time when kids roamed free, unsupervised, and Ben himself was a “latchkey kid” with a key on a yarn around his neck by first grade.
His first solo mission to the movies? Watching Star Wars—multiple times. “Must’ve seen it 20 times,” Affleck recalled. It’s the kind of childhood freedom that now seems unthinkable, but for young Ben, the cinema was both refuge and wonderland. Later, after seeing Back to the Future, he called it “the best movie ever made.” Little did he know that his adoration for films like these would one day propel him into the very world he roamed as a kid.
And here’s a deliciously meta twist for the comic-obsessed: Affleck’s first celebrity encounter was with Christopher Lloyd, aka Doc Brown. Seeing him on the street in Boston, Affleck—never having seen a celebrity before—literally followed him for 10 blocks. It was less fanboy and more awe-struck pendulum swing, but it perfectly encapsulates the raw, unfiltered passion that’s carried Affleck through decades in Hollywood.
Affleck and Damon’s Fenway Days: Big Dreams in the Background of Field of Dreams
Few origin stories are as Bostonian (and as Affleckian) as the one involving a young Ben and Matt Damon crashing a local casting director’s party to snag extra roles in Field of Dreams. Affleck joked about their lack of memorability on set, admitting Kevin Costner probably only remembers the actors who had lines. But for Ben, standing in Fenway Park with Costner and James Earl Jones felt like “seeing God.”
He even had a moment of playful déjà vu with Damon—roasting him for claiming he hit a ball off the Green Monster, when Affleck remembers it was Costner who actually pulled off the baseball stunt. It’s the kind of brotherly banter that echoes through their careers, from clueless extras to Oscar winners. And it all took place in the shadow of a Boston film scene that loved them long before the world did.
Fatherhood Doesn’t Spare Affleck from Brutal Movie Reviews—But It Gives Him Purpose
Affleck’s relationship with his three kids—Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel—is as real and unpolished as his best work. And that honesty extends to their unfiltered critiques of his films. “They don’t censor their criticism,” he said. During a quarantine movie night, the kids tore into Armageddon for being “stupid.” But when it came to The Accountant 2, they actually liked it. So much so that Affleck was skeptical at first—“I thought there was a catch,” he admitted.
One can’t help but imagine Affleck’s kids sitting next to him in theaters, weaponizing their teenage logic against dad’s filmography. It’s a dynamic that humanizes a man often mythologized through roles like Batman or works like Argo. And it’s clear that winning their approval means more to him than box office numbers or critic scores.
Affleck’s Son Samuel Is Shocked He Knows “Cool” People—And That’s Quietly Glorious
In a moment straight out of a teenage dad comedy, Affleck revealed that his son Samuel is genuinely surprised that his dad hangs out with people he thinks are cool. It’s the kind of small, silly validation that somehow feels deeply rewarding. Samuel even called The Accountant his favorite Affleck movie—a “high praise” that the actor admits doesn’t come easy from his kids.
At the film’s premiere, all three kids were present, along with Affleck’s partner Jennifer Lopez’s children. For a man whose personal life has been under the microscope for years, these family moments at premieres might just be the red carpet realness he cares about most.
Ben Affleck’s Career Isn’t Just Surviving—it’s Being Powered by His Past
What makes Ben Affleck’s current phase so compelling isn’t just the action roles or the directorial control—it’s how seamlessly he’s woven his personal history into his professional narrative. From a free-roaming Boston kid obsessed with Star Wars, to a boy who “stalked” Doc Brown, to a man who now watches his kids brutally review his films, Affleck’s journey is layered with authenticity.
He hasn’t just returned to form—he’s returned to self. And in a Hollywood world that often chases youth and reinvention, Affleck’s allegiance to his roots, his family, and his fandom is what makes his comeback not just successful, but genuinely powerful.