Ben Affleck secured a $1 million prize during a celebrity guest appearance on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," partnering with Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding. The winnings will benefit Affleck's Eastern Congo Initiative, a nonprofit organization he co-founded in 2010.
The duo faced the final $1 million question on Wednesday's episode, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. The question 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.
Affleck and Ding utilized the Phone-A-Friend lifeline to call Ding's trivia partner, Stephen Morrison, and also had the option of using the Ask-The-Host lifeline. Kimmel suggested Spaghetti & Meatball as a potential answer. Though they also consulted Morrison, who could not provide the correct answer, Affleck and Ding ultimately trusted Kimmel's suggestion and locked in their final answer.
After a tense moment, it was revealed they had answered correctly, winning the $1 million prize. Confetti rained down as the pair celebrated their victory.
The Eastern Congo Initiative works to support local organizations in eastern Congo, aiming to improve access to essential services, strengthen economic opportunities, and promote justice. The organization's work is designed to create scalable and sustainable impact in the region.
This follows a similar win by Affleck's friend and collaborator Matt Damon, who also won $1 million on the game show the previous year. Damon's winnings went to Water.org, a nonprofit focused on clean water initiatives. Kimmel noted that Affleck seemed surprised and delighted when informed he would be paired with a champion during his appearance.