Is his hair longer? It looks it to me. Here’s Ben Affleck on Capitol Hill yesterday talking about Congo. He looks good. The first photo I’m attaching – that smile, or smirk, it reminds me of his role in Shakespeare in Love. You know he plays Ned, and when they finally get the play going, when the narrator with the speech impediment finally gets his words out, and it all goes smoothly, and at the end the audience pauses before erupting into applause, there’s a shot of a cocky Ben like a know-it-all backstage, and that expression sums up to me that era for him. He was dating Gwyneth Paltrow. He was the toast of the town for Good Will Hunting. And then JLo came around and he had to start all over again.
It’s all good for Ben right now. Hollywood is in love with him again. Directing has led to acting and back to directing – well received projects, critical acclaim, and a personal life that he’s managing to hold together, it’s been quite a turnaround. And JLo has turned her sh-t around too. Everybody’s happy. Except maybe Gwyneth Paltrow. That’s another conversation.
Speaking of Ben’s love life…
It used to be that every day the pap agencies would release photos of Jennifer Garner with her children. That seems to have slowed down recently. Maybe she’s keeping it low key in advance of the release of Arthur on April 8th. So far it’s been Dame Helen Mirren who’s been getting most of the lady attention on that film. Eventually though, Garner will have to start claiming some attention for it. The Arthur trailer is below. It’s just a trailer but her acting in it… Jesus, it’s terrible. But Greta Gerwig!
As for Ben and Congo, here’s part of what he said to Congress:
"If we continue to place Congo on the back burner of U.S. policy, it will come back to haunt us. The last time Congo collapsed, armies came in from across Africa and five million people died…We must learn from history."
Click here for more on his presentation yesterday.
Photos from Brandon Todd/Splashnewsonline.com and SAUL LOEB/Kris Connor/Gettyimages.com
