Few actors are as associated with their hometown as Ben Affleck is (other than best buddy Matt Damon). Basically every time The Tender Bar star is being interviewed, a question about Boston is bound to come up. It doesn’t help that some of his biggest films like Good Will Hunting and The Town are set in the prominent New England city. So the association doesn’t seem to bother the actor-director. But after being synonymous with the historic city for decades, Affleck shared what it’s like to still be referred to as “the Hollywood guy from Boston.”
The Good Will Hunting vet has seen both sides of the coin when it comes to Hollywood success. Affleck has been incredibly open about his personal and professional struggles as a multihyphenate. But the Bostonian in The Way Back star has never faded. While some actors would try to distance themselves from their hometown, he hasn’t shied away from the New England city. Ben Affleck spilled to hometown publication Boston Globe why the association doesn’t bother him.
There are things I’m known for that are a lot less pleasant than being from Boston.
For the Flash actor, Boston is a refuge from the scrutiny and bright lights of Hollywood. His love for his hometown has always been on display. As Affleck stated pointedly, his reputation – on and off-screen – hasn’t been as glowing as one would expect from a Hollywood star with decades under his belt. But the New England city never let him down. The Last Duel star explained how the city fostered and shaped his directing career.
Look, if not for Good Will Hunting, I’d just be a guy, never mind a guy from Boston. When my acting career got cold and it was hard for me to get a job, I wanted to direct, and I wanted to do something I knew a lot about, so I picked Boston. I picked Gone Baby Gone and then I picked The Town. At that point, I said, no more, and I chose Argo.
Doing Boston-centric movies like Gone Baby Gone and The Town allowed the two-time Oscar winner to reshape his narrative in Hollywood. His home base allowed him to flourish at a time when Hollywood wasn’t checking for him anymore. Boston permitted Ben Affleck to breathe and find himself in a way even Hollywoodland’s George Reeves didn’t get to experience.
Ben Affleck’s Hollywood story would be nothing without his hometown. Every inch of his career has been peppered with his love for Boston as evident by Good Will Hunting, The Town, and more.
Right now, Ben Affleck is experiencing another career renaissance as he garners buzz for his performance in The Tender Bar. Of course, the Hollywood star has multiple projects lined up for 2022 and beyond, including The Flash. The DC film will finally arrive in theaters on Nov. 4.
