Ben Affleck won the $1 million grand prize on ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" in Season 5, Episode 2, continuing a Hollywood trend that includes his frequent collaborator Matt Damon, who claimed the same top prize just one year earlier.
The "Batman v Superman" star navigated the trivia gauntlet with assistance from the show's lifelines, securing the maximum payout. Affleck joins a selective roster of A-list celebrities who have conquered the revived primetime format of the iconic game show, which has spotlighted major talent in recent seasons.
This back-to-back celebrity victory for Affleck and Damon underscores ABC's strategy with the reboot. The network leans heavily on star power to anchor the revival, transforming "Millionaire" from a traditional contestant competition into must-watch celebrity television. By featuring Hollywood's biggest names, ABC taps into existing fanbases while generating water-cooler conversation around the game itself.
The timing matters too. Damon's win last season gave the show momentum heading into this cycle. Affleck's victory continues that narrative thread, suggesting producers have built a reliable pipeline of A-list guests who view the appearance as a prestige play rather than mere spectacle. Both actors benefit from the exposure while the show benefits from their marquee names.
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" experienced a major revival when ABC brought it back in 2020 with Jimmy Kimmel hosting. The format shifted focus from everyday contestants grinding through multiple episodes to a celebrity-centric model where famous guests compete for charity or personal glory in single-episode appearances. This pivot proved commercially sound, blending nostalgia for the original gameshow format with contemporary celebrity culture.
For Affleck specifically, the appearance offers a palatable, entertainment-focused venture separate from