Josh Hartnett vs Ben Affleck: How Do They Compare?
They shared a cockpit, a love triangle, and one of the biggest budgets in Hollywood history. Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck played best-friend fighter pilots Danny Walker and Rafe McCawley in Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor back in 2001 — and 24 years later, people are still comparing them. Partly nostalgia. Partly because both men have had second acts that nobody really saw coming.
Affleck went from tabloid punchline to Oscar-winning director to Batman. Hartnett walked away from fame at the peak of it, then quietly rebuilt a career on prestige TV and thrillers — Penny Dreadful, Oppenheimer, Trap. Two tall, dark-haired leading men from the same era who took wildly different routes. Here’s how they stack up physically.
Image: JoshPopov / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hartnett, born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was 22 when Pearl Harbor hit theaters. He’d already done Halloween H20, The Faculty, and The Virgin Suicides. Lanky, 6’3″, with the kind of jawline studios build campaigns around.
Image: LucaFazPhoto / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Affleck was 28 and already an Oscar winner for co-writing Good Will Hunting. Bigger through the chest and shoulders even then, and he’s only gotten broader with age.
Side-by-Side Stats
| Stat | Josh Hartnett | Ben Affleck |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Weight | Approx. 183 lbs (83 kg) | Approx. 198 lbs (90 kg) |
| Age | 47 | 53 |
| Date of Birth | July 21, 1978 | August 15, 1972 |
| Build | Lean, athletic | Broad, heavier frame |
| Eye Color | Dark brown | Brown |
| Hair Color | Dark brown | Dark brown |
| Net Worth | Approx. $25 million | Approx. $150 million |
Height Comparison
This one’s basically a tie. Both men are listed at 6 ft 3 in, and if you pull up the Pearl Harbor press photos from 2001, they’re eye-to-eye. Affleck is sometimes listed closer to 6’4″, and in certain shots he does edge Hartnett out by a hair — but footwear and posture explain most of that. Call it a dead heat.
For context, the average American man is about 5 ft 9 in. Both actors clear that by six inches. Standing side by side, the difference you’d notice isn’t height — it’s width. Affleck carries about 15 extra pounds and a noticeably thicker upper body. Hartnett has the narrower, longer-limbed build that reads as taller on camera, which is part of why he looked so young next to Affleck in 2001 despite the six-year age gap.
Career Comparison
Affleck’s résumé is the broader one. After Good Will Hunting earned him and Matt Damon the Best Original Screenplay Oscar in 1998, he did the blockbuster circuit — Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Daredevil. Then came the lean years, and then the pivot to directing: Gone Baby Gone (2007), The Town (2010), and Argo (2012), which won Best Picture. He played Batman across Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, Justice League, and The Flash, gave a raw performance in The Way Back (2020), and directed and starred in Air (2023). The Accountant 2 landed in 2025.
Hartnett took the opposite path. After Black Hawk Down, 40 Days and 40 Nights, Lucky Number Slevin, and The Black Dahlia, he stepped back from the studio machine — he’s spoken publicly about turning down roles including Superman and Batman. He moved to the UK, worked on smaller films, and resurfaced strong with Showtime’s Penny Dreadful (2014–2016). Since then: Oppenheimer (2023) as physicist Ernest Lawrence, M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap (2024), and the action thriller Fight or Flight (2025).
Fitness and Body Approach
Affleck’s body has changed the most, and it’s been role-driven. For Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, he worked with trainer Walter Norton Jr. and bulked up significantly — reports at the time put his Batsuit weight around 230 lbs, well above his natural frame. Heavy compound lifting, lots of pressing, plenty of food. For The Accountant, he trained in the Indonesian martial art Pencak Silat to handle the close-quarters fight choreography. Between projects he’s been open about his weight fluctuating, and he’s been candid about sobriety and how it affects everything from sleep to training consistency.
Hartnett has never chased bulk. His most intense physical prep came early — Michael Bay put the Pearl Harbor cast through military-style conditioning, and Hartnett went through Army Ranger training at Fort Benning for Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down. Since relocating to the English countryside, his approach has been low-key: staying active, walking, keeping his weight stable rather than cycling it up and down for parts. At 47 he’s about the same build he was at 30, which is more than most actors his age can claim.
Key Differences
- Same height, different frames. Both 6’3″, but Affleck carries about 15 more pounds and significantly more upper-body mass.
- Six-year age gap. Affleck was born in 1972, Hartnett in 1978 — meaning Hartnett was barely 22 during Pearl Harbor filming.
- Weight fluctuation. Affleck’s physique has swung dramatically for roles; Hartnett’s has stayed remarkably consistent.
- Training style. Affleck leans on structured programs with professional trainers. Hartnett’s conditioning has been almost entirely project-specific military prep.
- Net worth gap. Affleck’s directing, producing, and franchise work puts him around $150 million versus Hartnett’s about $25 million.
- Career strategy. Affleck doubled down on Hollywood; Hartnett deliberately stepped away and came back on his own terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is taller, Josh Hartnett or Ben Affleck?
It’s essentially a tie — both actors are listed at 6 ft 3 in (191 cm). Affleck is sometimes credited at 6 ft 4 in, but footwear and posture explain most of that.
What is the height difference between Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck?
There is effectively no height difference. Both men measure 6 ft 3 in (191 cm), and they appear eye-to-eye in Pearl Harbor press photos.
Who weighs more, Josh Hartnett or Ben Affleck?
Ben Affleck weighs more, at roughly 198 lbs (90 kg) compared with Josh Hartnett’s 183 lbs (83 kg) — about a 15-pound gap.
Who is older, Josh Hartnett or Ben Affleck?
Ben Affleck is older. Born August 15, 1972, he is 53, while Josh Hartnett, born July 21, 1978, is 47 — a six-year age gap.
Who is richer, Josh Hartnett or Ben Affleck?
Ben Affleck is far wealthier, with an estimated net worth of about $150 million versus Josh Hartnett’s approximately $25 million.
How do their builds differ if they are the same height?
Hartnett has a lean, long-limbed athletic frame, while Affleck is broader through the chest and shoulders, giving him a noticeably heavier look on screen.
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Last Updated: October 12, 2026 | Source: Healthy Celeb
