Ben Affleck explains why he couldn’t land the lead role in his best friend Matt Damon’s new Netflix thriller “Animals” as he once hoped.
Affleck, who directed and starred in the new movie, joined the Sunday Sitdown on October 11 to chat about the movie. And she revealed that Damon, her top choice for a movie star, had other plans instead.
“I’m sure you’re aware, Ben, that you weren’t the director’s first choice to star in this movie,” host Willie Geist joked.
Affleck confirmed the detail and revealed that Damon had landed another professional opportunity.
“Matt was then offered this little, slightly silly little movie, ‘The Odyssey,’ which was a bombshell. And of course he was very embarrassed by it.” Affleck said with a laugh. “It didn’t work at the box office or with the critics, which happens sometimes.”
The “Animals” star continued to praise his friend; he played the title character Odysseus.
“He was literally as happy as I’ve ever seen him the day he got this job,” Affleck told Damon’s Willie.
Damon and Affleck were well-known besties who had their first big moment in Hollywood together, winning the best screenplay Oscar for “Good Will Hunting” in 1998.
Affleck reminded Willie of the idea of attending the Oscars: “The idea of even being there was ridiculous.” “We watched the show a year ago from an apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts.”
The duo has since starred in several films together, including 2021’s “The Last Duel” and 2023’s “Air.”
Additionally, Affleck has formed multiple production companies with Damon, including Artists Equity, which was founded in November 2022. The company is behind several films, including “Air” and the new movie “Animals.”
The crime thriller, released October 9, follows a high-profile Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son has been kidnapped, forcing the hopeful and his wife, played by Kerry Washington, to come up with the $7 million ransom during a financially stressful time in his campaign.
The actor and director said about the new film: “I make movies with the audience in mind. But I’ve also done some things around it that I really wanted to do and thought were really interesting.”
“I love this movie, ‘Animals.’ I really want people to see it,” Affleck said of his newest project.