How Kevin Smith and Ben’s friendship ended because of a girl
In 1997, the director cast Affleck in his debut film, Chasing Amy. The actor owes his entire career to Kevin Smith. He was chosen for goon Shannon Hamilton in Smith’s Mallrats and has appeared in every one of his movies since then, including 2006’s Clerks II. However, the creative connection – and real-life friendship – ended abruptly.
The reason, as so often seems to be the case, was a female – Jennifer Garner. Smith and Affleck appeared with her on Dinner for Five, a show about on-camera celebrity dinner parties, in 2003. When Smith made fun of Ben by calling him J-Lo’s boyfriend, Garner came to his defense. It would turn out to be a recurring motif.