Key Takeaways
- Ben Affleck told SubwayTakes that promotional interviews “make it harder for people to like your movie,” citing his shyness and fear that comments could get taken out of context.
- Affleck embraced his viral “beleaguered man” persona, which grew from paparazzi photos of him looking exhausted, eating fast food, and smoking.
- The interview comes as Affleck promotes Netflix’s Animals, which he directed, co-wrote and stars in alongside Kerry Washington.
Ben Affleck isn't a fan of interviews, and he believes the Hollywood press circuit can do more harm than good when it comes to promoting movies.
During a recent appearance on Kareem Rahma's SubwayTakes, the Oscar-winning actor opened up about his discomfort with interviews and explained why he prefers to avoid them whenever possible.
Tthe actor said his reluctance has more to do with his personality than maintaining a mysterious public image.
"I don't think I'm elusive… I'm aversive to this process, but mostly just because I feel self-conscious and a little bit shy," Affleck explained.
The 54-year-old actor also questioned whether promotional interviews actually accomplish what they're supposed to, arguing that they can sometimes hurt a film's chances of connecting with audiences.
According to Affleck, the process "actually makes it harder for people to like your movie."
He explained that his feelings toward publicity have changed considerably since the beginning of his career. What once felt "more fun and exciting" has become something he approaches with caution, especially with the possibility of his comments being taken out of context.
"Now it just feels like, you know, what's the risk of cancellation for this interview," he said.
Affleck also admitted that he's much more comfortable portraying someone else on screen than trying to entertain people simply by being himself.
"I'm a lot more comfortable trying to do something that's fictional than just thinking like, oh, who I am is just going to be so endlessly interesting and entertaining because, like everybody, I know that I'm mostly boring all the time," he said.
Despite his hesitation, Affleck agreed to appear on SubwayTakes after Rahma spent approximately three years publicly naming the actor as his dream guest.
During the conversation, Affleck also addressed several viral moments that have followed him throughout his career, including paparazzi photographs of him eating fast food, smoking cigarettes and appearing exhausted in public.
The actor acknowledged the popularity of his tired-looking internet persona, saying there's "something to be said for the character of the beleaguered man... the man who has had a day like this."
He even revealed that his daughter has used that description to characterize him.
His latest comments follow an October 7 interview with Variety, in which he similarly criticized the pressures surrounding movie promotion, describing the process as something that "increasingly feels a bit like a minefield."
The conversation also comes as Affleck promotes his Netflix film Animals, which he directed, co-wrote and stars in alongside Kerry Washington.
Affleck described the movie as an exploration of the "performative self," examining the difference between who people really are and the versions of themselves they feel pressured to present to the world.
