Casey Affleck

Casey Affleck is an American actor and filmmaker known for his naturalistic and often understated performances. He gained widespread critical acclaim for his roles in independent films such as The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Manchester by the Sea, the latter earning him the Academy Award for Best Actor. Affleck has also directed the mockumentary I'm Still Here and has collaborated frequently with directors like Gus Van Sant and his brother, Ben Affleck.

Early life and education

Caleb Casey McGuire Affleck-Boldt was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts, the son of Christopher Anne Boldt, a schoolteacher, and Timothy Byers Affleck, a social worker and aspiring actor. He is the younger brother of actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck. The family spent time in Cambridge and briefly lived in Indio, California, before returning to Massachusetts. Affleck attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, where he developed an interest in acting. He later enrolled at Columbia University in New York City, studying physics and astronomy, but left before completing his degree to pursue acting full-time, following his brother's path into the entertainment industry.

Career

Affleck's early career included small roles in films directed by family friends, such as To Die For (1995) directed by Gus Van Sant. He gained recognition for his supporting role in Steven Soderbergh's ''Ocean's'' trilogy, appearing alongside George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon. A significant breakthrough came with his portrayal of Robert Ford in Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), for which he received critical praise and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He later starred in and produced the experimental mockumentary I'm Still Here, which followed his brother-in-law Joaquin Phoenix's faux retirement from acting. Affleck's performance in Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea (2016) as a grieving janitor earned him widespread acclaim, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He has since starred in films such as A Ghost Story (2017) and The Old Man & the Gun (2018), and made his directorial debut with the drama Light of My Life (2019).

Personal life

Affleck was married to actress Summer Phoenix, sister of Joaquin Phoenix, from 2006 until their divorce in 2017. They have two sons and lived primarily in Los Angeles. He is a supporter of various charitable causes, including the Eastern Congo Initiative, co-founded by his brother. Affleck has been involved in public controversies, including settled lawsuits in 2010 from crew members on I'm Still Here alleging harassment, which he denied, and earlier allegations from the late 1990s. These incidents were widely discussed in the media during the awards season for Manchester by the Sea. He maintains a relatively private life compared to other figures in Hollywood.

Filmography

A selected list of his acting and directing credits includes: * To Die For (1995) – Jimmy Emmett * Good Will Hunting (1997) – Morgan O'Mally * Ocean's Eleven (2001) – Virgil Malloy * Gone Baby Gone (2007) – Patrick Kenzie (also associate producer) * The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) – Robert Ford * I'm Still Here (2010) – Himself (also director, writer, producer) * Out of the Furnace (2013) – Rodney Baze Jr. * Interstellar (2014) – Tom Cooper * Manchester by the Sea (2016) – Lee Chandler * A Ghost Story (2017) – C * The Old Man & the Gun (2018) – John Hunt * Light of My Life (2019) – Dad (also director, writer, producer)

Awards and nominations

Affleck has received numerous accolades throughout his career. For The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. His performance in Manchester by the Sea earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, among many other critics' awards from organizations like the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Circle. He has also been recognized for his work at festivals such as the Venice Film Festival.

Category:American film actors Category:Best Actor Academy Award winners Category:People from Falmouth, Massachusetts