Ben Affleck has officially added game show champion to his resume, after winning the $1 million grand prize for charity during a celebrity appearance on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”
The Oscar-winning actor teamed up with 31-time “Jeopardy!” winner Jamie Ding for the episode, which aired on July 29, after making it to the final round of the ABC game show.
Together, they were competing on behalf of the Eastern Congo Initiative, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Affleck in 2010, to support community-based development efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Working their way through increasingly difficult trivia questions, Affleck and Ding reached the final deciding question, which centered on the history of U.S. presidential turkey pardons.
Referring to the annual White House Thanksgiving tradition, they were asked which names of the four provided were made up. The choices read: “A, Peanut Butter and Jelly; B, Tater and Tot; C, Mac and Cheese; or D, Spaghetti and Meatball?”
After using all available lifelines and consulting with host Jimmy Kimmel, the team locked in on their answer, going with option “D” and the names “Spaghetti and Meatball,” proving to be correct.
The studio erupted in a confetti celebration, as Affleck embraced Ding after learning they had secured the show’s $1 million prize, a feat only a small group of celebrity contestants had achieved.
Last year, fellow “Jeopardy!” champion-turned-host Ken Jennings won the million-dollar prize alongside actor Matt Damon with a question regarding what sound the leaves of trees make when the wind blows through them.
The duo played for Water.org, a global nonprofit Damon cofounded that is dedicated to increasing access to safe drinking water and sanitation around the world.
The victory also extended Damon’s long-running comedic rivalry with Kimmel, who reluctantly congratulated the actor with a handshake on-air.
Other million-dollar winners include “The Office” co-stars Oscar Nuñez and Kate Flannery, actor Ike Barinholtz and his father, Alan Barinholtz, as well as chef and restaurateur David Chang.
Chang, notably became the first celebrity contestant to win the top prize during the revived series in 2020. At the time, he was playing for the Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit that offers financial assistance and mental health support to people working in the food and beverage industry.
Chang relied on his phone-a-friend lifeline for the final question, turning to ESPN analyst Mina Kimes for help with a question about the first U.S. president to have electricity installed in the White House, securing the win. The answer was Benjamin Harrison.
