OlderBen Affleck’s Commencement Speech
Ben Affleck shared pearls of wisdom to students on Friday at the graduation of Washington DC’s Falls Church High School, where Affleck was the Commencement Speaker.
Affleck praised 19-year-old Joe Kindregan, a disabled student he met in 1998 on the set of Forces of Nature. Since then, the two built a close friendship. Kindregan invited him onto the stage saying, “He is married to the cutest girl (actress Jennifer Garner) … but most important he is the best friend you could ever have.” Affleck turned to the teen and said, “You’re right about my wife” (she sat front and center during the ceremony).
On his friendship with Kindregan: “I’m here because what I learned about the distance between how you see someone and who they are, I didn’t learn in Hollywood, I learned from a classmate of yours, my friend, Joe Kindregan.”
On his incredible acting abilities: “I haven’t been in space, I’m not a politician, I’m not a super hero – I’m not even a gangster. I’ve only pretended to be all of those – in some cases just barely.”
On believing in yourself: “What others say about you means nothing. What you say about you means everything. Your job is to make other people see you as you are.”
On not having any more degrees than anyone else in the room: “We will be tied,” he said. “I’m sure many of you could teach me quite a bit. In fact, I’m sure many of you could school me on that Smarter than a Fifth Grader Show.
You can watch Affleck’s whole graduation speech here.
Share This Post:
39 Comments
That was awesome. Thanks, Jared.
OMG!! What a GOOD speech! It made me cry. He got it. He showed up and gave the respect to the ceremony it deserved. It wasn’t some cynical speech by a Hollywood twit but a charming reiteration of what’s important in life, something the graduates need to hear as they start out. I have a whole new respect for Ben Affleck.
Thank you for posting this Jared. I admire Mr. Affleck for taking his time to do a commencement speech at a High School. I admire the fact that he has maintained a friendship with this special young man all these years. I admire the fact that he strives to inspire these young people and he is not afraid to speak out for what he believes in. He is an Academy award winning writer and an actor who has made a lot of money acting (whatever one thinks of his abilities). He has a beautiful wife and child and I am sure he is very happy with his life. He doesn’t have to impress anyone. I am constantly amazed that people can take such a positive experience and make such negative comments. Why can’t we all just admire the fact that Ben Affleck is trying to do something good. Why do people always have to put other people down? Just because he is a celebrity doesn’t mean he is a bad person.
AAAwwwww that was a great, honest, down to earth, sweet, funny speech Ben!
Joe is very lucky …. BECAUSE he has a strong and healthy FRIENDSHIP with Ben.
Ben is very lucky …. simply because he knows Joe. ‘o)
I have loved Ben since Armageddon & yes he has been in some awful films but who hasn’t? He married a woman ‘cos he loved her not ‘cos of her looks or style. He seems like a genuine guy & I LOVE HIM!!!
So you meet men like that all the time? Sexual freaks?-either give up the stip club or get off the corner! Ben rocks!
Do not enjoy him as a actor. as of yet he is still a second grade actor and i think he knows
it, not bad looking but short on talent.
That was a long speech! I almost fell asleep. But I think if Matt Damon was the Speaker it would’ve been much better.
Garner in a horrible dress again? This “good girl” has really bad taste.
You should look at this picture of “happy” Bennifer II:
http://www.splashnewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/splashnews_cdrla010607b_02.jpg
From http://www.splashnewsonline.com/2007/06/02/ben-affleck-goes-pyscho/
“Ben Affleck goes pyscho
I don’t know what happened between Ben giving a speech at Falls Church High School’s graduation where he was the Commencement Speaker and the time that he and wife Jennifer Garner left, but it must have been something bad. We caught Ben angrily pulling Jen away from fans who waited outside the graduation. Do you think someone in the audience called him Bennifer? hee! hee!”
# 31 | 2jade @ 06.02.2007 8:34 pm
So you meet men like that all the time? Sexual freaks?-either give up the stip club or get off the corner! Ben rocks!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ben rocks all right. He rocks the joint - the strip club joint.
He’s typical of men I meet who look so wholesome and serious by appearance, but who are really entertaining lots of dirty thoughts and secrets. In short, he’s perfect for politics.
I SHOOK HIS HAND. his speech was def awesome, he hugged ppl on stage and talked to them as we went by. he didn’t even mind the incessant screaming as he walked by us standing in line waiting to process in.
oh and jen was on the side… not front and center. we, the graduating class were front and center.
Ben Affleck and his wife Jennifer Garner enjoy at the baseball match Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees at Fenway Park in Boston Saturday, June 2, 2007.
http://jjb.yuku.com/topic/71273/t/Ben-Affleck-and-Jennifer-Garner-Fenway-Park-2-june.html
They are too cute together.
Such a sweet couple!!
My cousin has the same disease that Joe has–a very rare, life-threatening muscular degenerative disease called A-T–and I have followed for years that Ben and Jen have advocated for research for this disease because of their friendship with Joe. Whatever it takes to get attention to A-T research is a good thing, and thank you to Ben Affleck for doing it.
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
Comment and Share!
E-mail to a Friend or share on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and more!