Ben Affleck Once Pressured PBS Not to Reveal He Is the Descendant of a Slave Owner
For years, fans have been enjoying episodes of Finding Your Roots on PBS. The documentary series digs deep into the ancestral histories of celebrities. Hosted by Henry Louis, Jr., the show has featured guests such as Robert Downey Jr., Stephen King, and Bernie Sanders. In one early episode, Ben Affleck learned he’s the descendant of a slave owner, which turned into a massive controversy.
Ben Affleck appeared on an episode of ‘Finding Your Roots’
Many people might think it would be great fun to explore their family tree. However, some may not be ready for what they learn. Enter Ben Affleck.
The award-winning actor and filmmaker, known for Good Will Hunting and his relationship with Jennifer Lopez, appeared in Finding Your Roots Season 2 Episode 4, titled “Roots of Freedom.” At the time, Affleck had begun to score accolades as director. However, the episode aired shortly after the release of his 2014 film Gone Girl.
The episode aired in October 2014. However, information about it came to light in 2015, when Sony Studios was hacked. Wikileaks published documents that revealed several bits of scandalous Hollywood secrets — including the one about Affleck.
Ben Affleck requested PBS not reveal he is the descendant of a slave owner
According to The Daily Beast, some discoveries about Affleck were edited out of the Finding Yours Roots episode. “For the first time, one of our guests has asked us to edit out something about one of his ancestors—the fact that he owned slaves,” Gates wrote in an email to Michael Lynton of Sony. He referred to the celebrity in question as “a megastar.” While this could have been any number of guests on the show, Gates also called the subject “Batman.” At the time, Affleck was preparing for his upcoming role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
As revealed by the publication, Affleck later apologized for the incident, coming clean. In a statement on his Facebook page, he wrote he “was embarrassed” his great-great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Cole, owned slaves. “I regret my initial thoughts that the issue of slavery not be included in the story,” the actor wrote. “While I don’t like that the guy is an ancestor, I am happy that aspect of our country’s history is being talked about.”
The network suspended ‘Finding Your Roots’ after the incident
Apparently, the actions taken on Affleck’s behalf caused quite a stir. According to CBS News, the episode actually violated public television standards. The network ended up suspending the show’s third season, which eventually aired in early 2016.
EW reports PBS removed Affleck’s episode from all platforms, and clips aren’t even available on YouTube. The results of an investigation found that producers violated PBS standards by “allowing improper influence on the show’s editorial process.” Finding Your Roots also had to hire an additional researcher and genealogist in order to review for accuracy.
NPR reports that the host of the show, Gates, said of the scandal that “I sincerely regret not discussing my editing rationale with our partners at PBS.”
