Actor Ben Affleck secured a $1 million prize during a celebrity guest appearance on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," playing alongside Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding. The winnings will be donated to the Eastern Congo Initiative, an organization Affleck co-founded in 2010.
The duo faced the final question of the episode, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, which asked: "In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, all but which of these have been the names of turkeys pardoned by a U.S. president?" The options were Peanut Butter & Jelly, Tater & Tot, Mac & Cheese, and Spaghetti & Meatball.
Initially, Affleck and Ding considered using a "Phone-A-Friend" lifeline to contact Ding's trivia partner, Stephen Morrison. However, Kimmel reminded them they still had the "Ask-The-Host" option. Affleck jokingly suggested Kimmel might know the answer, citing his knowledge of food and current events.
Kimmel ultimately proposed "Spaghetti & Meatball" as the likely incorrect option, joking about the imagery of Donald Trump with such a dish. To be cautious, they also consulted Morrison via the Phone-A-Friend lifeline, but he was unable to provide the correct answer.
Ultimately, Affleck and Ding decided to trust Kimmel's suggestion and locked in "Spaghetti & Meatball." The answer proved correct, earning them the $1 million prize. The pair celebrated their win on stage with confetti falling.
Affleck's chosen charity, the Eastern Congo Initiative, aims to support locally led organizations in eastern Congo by expanding access to essential services, strengthening economic opportunities, and promoting justice.
This achievement mirrors that of Affleck's friend and collaborator Matt Damon, who also won $1 million on the game show the previous year while partnered with Ken Jennings. Damon's winnings benefited Water.org, a nonprofit focused on clean water initiatives.