Good Will Hunting

BEN AFFLECK: Ben Affleck had broken through from journeyman acting gigs to sudden stardom as co-writer and co-star of "Good Will Hunting," then risen quickly to blockbuster A-list roles such as "Armageddon" and "Pearl Harbor" when he checked himself into the Promises treatment ... morefacility in Malibu, Calif., in August, 2001, just weeks before his 29th birthday. Acknowledging his own family history with alcoholism, he underwent therapy and resumed his film career only to weather a publicity storm of a different stripe during his high-profile romance with Jennifer Lopez and a string of box office disappointments including two comedies with Lopez and a failed superhero franchise for "Daredevil." Through it all, Affleck retained his poise, and his subsequent romance with his "DD" co-star, Jennifer Garner, has brought multiple happy endings including marriage and fatherhood. Affleck earned critical kudos this year in the '50s ear noir, "Hollywoodland."

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