Man of Zeal: Ben Affleck has rearranged his priorities

LOS ANGELES -- Ben Affleck is the star of "Hollywoodland," but in Affleckland he has second billing. It's little baby Violet who is clearly the A-Lister.

Listen to the new daddy talk about life in diaper city: "Two days ago, my wife had to go to work on a film and I was at home taking care of the baby," says the 34-year-old Boston native. "Jennifer ran out of the bedroom and said, 'You know how to feed solid food, don't you, Ben? You take the peaches and mix it with the oatmeal. You mix it up, OK? The peaches and the oatmeal.' She looked at me and in all seriousness said, 'Is this too complicated for you?' "

Affleck laughs during an interview at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Looking fit and tan in jeans and a white T- shirt, a relaxed and easygoing Affleck says, "Actually, making the mush wasn't too complicated. But the thought that my wife [Jennifer Garner of "Alias" fame] thinks it might be too complicated for me to mix peaches and oatmeal speaks to something. What, I'm not sure."

He is sure that life has never been better.

"It's just a wonderful time for me. I love my wife so much and I'm thrilled about being a father," he says. "It's really a joyful time, and it's been a period of re-evaluation for me. What I've learned is that fame and acting is good, but having a family is the most important thing on earth. It's the most rewarding. I have a beautiful family and it's great to still do work I love."

Speaking of which, "Hollywoodland" is about the life and sudden death of George "Superman" Reeves (Affleck), whose death was either a suicide or a murder -- depending on which story you believe. Some of the suspects include a studio chief (Bob Hoskins) and his randy, spoiled wife (Diane Lane) who had been having an affair with Reeves for years. Adrien Brody plays the private eye looking for clues.

Affleck did his research when it came to Reeves. "I watched 104 episodes of his TV show, and that was great. There were 52 in color and 52 in black and white," he says. "That was a great help to me. I really wanted to treat George fairly, and I benefitted from a huge wealth of information about him."

Affleck also examined the irony of the man who played the Man of Steel. "He was an iconic guy because of who he played -- Superman. But he died tragically. His life was tragic in that he got the thing he wished for and it was very destructive. I think of George as a guy who never got a fair shake. I wanted to give him that fair shake in this movie."

Does Affleck feel like he's gotten a fair shake in Hollywood thus far?

He says he isn't sure anymore how much people should know about him off the screen, but he does understand the curiosity and impulse to read about actors.

"I think it creates a genuineness. When I read about an actor I like and he or she is interesting, I like them even more," he says. "Then when I see them in a movie, I remember that I like them."

Affleck has lived in the papers for the last few years.

"Slowly you begin to feel like a day player in a soap opera of your own life. But you know what? It's all about that golden ring of being rich and famous that people obsess about. Another TV appearance. Another film.

"I guess ambition drives you to achieve, and it also keeps people perpetually dissatisfied. Those things that propel us also frustrate us. We always think, 'If I had this, then I would be happy.'

"Nothing is inside doing those things. It doesn't matter. I had to learn that by having my family. That's what really matters. I'm lucky I was able to see the hollowness of fame. But I got pretty dinged up over the years," he says.

"But it's strange for the actor. You look at the paper each week and find out what you did on this week's episode of your personal soap opera. People aren't as interested in how you do your work.

"They don't want to see the sausage getting made when it comes to movies. They just want to eat it. And they want to know all the personal things about everyone's lives."

For the last year or so, Affleck and Garner have kept pretty much out of the press -- except for the occasional photo op with the baby.

"I don't see myself in the press as much, which is wonderful," he says. "You know, I started out wanting to be an artist. I didn't want to be famous."

Affleck will get to stretch those artist's chops with his directing debut, the upcoming "Gone Baby Gone."

"When I directed my own movie, I didn't know whether to thank my 'Hollywoodland' director or apologize to him," he says. "I learned how a movie is about everyone. And I learned how hard it is to direct. I learned to appreciate every part of it."

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