Ben Affleck took his star power to Washington D.C. Thursday to testify about the importance of foreign aid in Africa, but even then Hollywood wasn’t far from his mind.
“I would be remiss not to recognize my co-star in ‘Batman,'” Affleck joked, when he spotted Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who had a cameo in “The Dark Knight Rises.”
“Your role was marginally smaller than mine, but I understand you are quite good,” added the “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” actor.
The Oscar winner was on Capitol Hill to testify before the Senate State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee, and was joined by fellow philanthropist Bill Gates. Affleck’s wife Jennifer Garner and nine-year-old daughter Violet were in the audience as well.
The focus of Affleck’s visit was to promote U.S. foreign assistance investments to drive economic development programs and make a lasting impact in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an area that has long been close to his heart.
A short time later, Affleck took to his Instagram page to write about his charity work in the Congo.
“I made my first trip to Congo seven years ago after reading about the two decades of conflict the Congolese people had endured. I expected to find hopelessness, but the people I encountered, like these former child soldiers, were among the most courageous and resilient I could imagine. #EasternCongo #DRC,” the politically-active actor posted.
Affleck last testified before Congress in February 2014 in front of the Senate Foreign Relations committee.
He is the founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, which envisions an Eastern Congo vibrant with abundant opportunities for economic and social development, where a robust civil society can flourish.
Ben Affleck Is Batman: 16 Actors Who Played the Dark Knight Before Him (Photos)
Lewis G. Wilson:Â The first actor to play the Dark Knight in Columbia Pictures' 15-episode TV series, "Batman." As the United States had just entered the second World War, Batman's nemesis was a Japanese spy called Dr. Daka, whose plan was to take over the U.S. through a group of American traitors. Wilson died in 2000.
Robert Lowery:Â In 1949, Lowery took over for Wilson in the sequel series, "Batman and Robin." Fun fact: he grew up on Wayne Avenue in Kansas City pursuing Hollywood stardom. He died in 1971.
Adam West: For an entire generation, West is Batman, thanks to his turn on the iconic TV series that ran from 1966 to 1968 and spawned a film. West's halting delivery and campy earnestness are a far cry from today's Dark Knight, but his Bruce Wayne stands as one of the most beloved portrayals.
Olan Soule:Â The character actor, with hundreds of film credits to his name, was the main voice actor for the animated "Batman" from 1968 to 1984. He voiced the Dark Knight in several iterations of the character, from "Scooby Doo" to "Sesame Street" and several "Super Friends" cartoons.
Michael Keaton:Â When cast as Batman in Tim Burton's 1989 film, fans wrote to Warner Bros. in protest. But to their surprise, his darkly comic portrayal clicked, and Keaton stayed on for "Batman Returns" and was supposed to be in a third -- but dropped out when Burton did.
Kevin Conroy: Although they never saw his face, Conroy is regarded by fans as one of the finest voices Batman and Bruce Wayne ever had during his tenure as the DC superhero, which began in 1992 with "Batman: The Animated Series." He also lent his voice to Batman in a number of animated movies and video games.
Val Kilmer: Kilmer took over for Keaton in Joel Schumacher's "Batman Forever," a box office hit that received mixed reviews. He opted not to return for the next sequel, "Batman and Robin," because he believed his heroic character was marginalized in favor of the villains. Looking back on Arnold Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze, he may have been right.
George Clooney: The then TV-star stepped up to the plate when Kilmer backed out and has regretted it ever since. "Batman and Robin" was critically panned and didn't do nearly as well at the box office as its predecessor did. Also? Nipples.
Bruce Thomas: This actor first portrayed the Dark Knight in a series of OnStar commercials that aired between 2000 and 2002, then reprised the role for WB's short-lived TV series, "Birds of Prey."
Rino Romano: The voice actor, who has also voiced Spider-Man, provided Bruce Wayne and Batman's chatter in animated series, "The Batman," which ran from 2004 to 2008 on Cartoon Network.
Christian Bale: Christopher Nolan cast Bale as the vigilante in 2005's "Batman Begins," a welcome reboot to the franchise that lead to spectacular sequel, "The Dark Knight," and another massive hit, "The Dark Knight Rises."
William Baldwin: He was on the shortlist to play the billionaire-turned-superhero in "Batman Forever," but lost the role to Kilmer. Over a decade later, he voiced the character in 2010 animated movie "Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths."
Bruce Greenwood: The veteran actor, who most recently appeared on the big screen in "Star Trek Into Darkness," voiced Batman in 2010 animated feature "Batman: Under the Red Hood," as well as animated television series "Young Justice."
Ben McKenzie:Â The "Southland" and "The O.C." star voiced Batman for "Batman: Year One," a 2011 animated film based on the four-issue comics run of the same name from 1987. It was released on DVD, Blu-ray and digital download.
Peter Weller: The 66-year-old "RoboCop" actor voiced an aging Batman in "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns," a two-part animated movie released in December, and then January. Based on a 1986 comic book story arc by Frank Miller, the film followed Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham to after a 10-year hiatus.
Anthony Ruivivar: The "Southland" star is the latest actor to voice Batman in the newest animated series, "Beware the Batman," which began airing on Cartoon Network earlier this summer. Unlike earlier cartoon incarnations of the Dark Knight, "Beware the Batman" is entirely computer animated.
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Christian Bale, George Clooney, Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton aren't the only other leading men who've played the caped crusader
