Hollywood star Ben Affleck proved he was a doting dad when he sported a name badge for his daughter's first day at pre-school.

The 35-year-old was glowing with fatherly pride as he accompanied wife Jennifer Garner, to take Violet, 2, to the school.

Violet seemed to enjoy her first day and even left school with paint on her sleeves.

Fatherly pride: Ben Affleck wore a name tag at his daughter Violet's first day of pre-school

Affleck's first film as a director, Gone Baby Gone, a harrowing tale of child abduction, is due to be released in the UK this week.

It received rave reviews when it came out in the US last year, but its release in Britain was postponed because of chilling parallels with the Madeleine McCann story.

Affleck has spoken about how becoming a father changed his perception of the film.

He said: 'I started developing the movie a year or two before I became a parent.

'I don't think I would have been drawn to this subject or directed the film if I'd already had a child.

'Fatherhood made my opinions change from purely academic to acutely emotional.'

Affleck and Garner, 35, have been married for three years.

Happy couple: Ben Affleck and wife Jennifer Garner