Ben Affleck kicked off his career in fine style back in 1997 when he won an Oscar, with best pal Matt Damon, for the screenplay to Good Will Hunting.
And while Affleck had appeared in the likes of Dazed and Confused, Mallrats and Chasing Amy this signaled hi breakthrough to the big time.
Affleck's career soared, pretty much leaving Damon in the shadows, with leading roles in Armageddon, Pearl Harbour and The Sum of All Fears.
He was one of Hollywood's promising talents and the newest pin-up. But after a string of disaster movies the table turned and it was Affleck in the shadow of pal Matt Damon, who had found major success with the Bourne movies.
So where did it all go wrong for Affleck? Well his movie choices for one were a major problem for the actor. It all began with the comic book adaptation of Daredevil, in which Affleck took the lead role.
The film struggled at the box office, despite opening at number one in America, and it wasn't met well by the critics.
He followed this up with the critically panned Gigli, Surviving Christmas and Jersey Girl his career began to struggle as he made the headlines more about his relationship with Jennifer Lopez than about his movies.
After some time away from the big screen he made a return in 2006 in Hollywoodland, which looked at the death of Superman actor George Reeves. His performance was highly praised and he was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival.
His next project saw him move behind the camera to direct the adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel Gone Baby Gone which followed two detectives in Boston who investigating the kidnapping of a little girl.
Affleck also co-penned the script, where he originally found success, and the movie was a critical hit when is was released in American in 2007. Due to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann the UK release was pushed back to June 2008.
Directing seemed to come to the actor with ease as he picked up several Best Directorial Debut gongs including the National Board of Review and Austin Film Critics Association Awards.
Earlier this year he returned to acting with He's Just Not That Into You which topped the US box office and this weeks he stars alongside Russell Crowe in State of Play.
Affleck plays the handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins is the future of his political party: an honourable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defence spending.
All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party's contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.
The movie is a big screen adaptation of the hit BBC six part drama.
Later this year he joins Jason Bateman comedy Extract which follows an extract factory owner dealing with workplace problems and a streak of bad luck.
State of Play is released 24th April.
Helen Earnshaw
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