LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ben Affleck started his day by enjoying a fast food breakfast in Los Angeles. The 50-year-old Oscar winner, whose current project with Jennifer Lopez has been put on hold due to the Hollywood writers strike, was seen picking up his morning meal from McDonald's and eating it inside his car.
Donning a pair of tan cargo pants, a gray jacket, and red Nike sneakers with accents of burgundy, Ben appeared ready for his workday. His dark hair was neatly trimmed, and he sported a well-groomed full beard.
‘I tried to fit myself into a Batman’
Fans can catch Ben on the silver screen from June 16 onward, portraying Batman/Bruce Wayne in ‘The Flash’. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in March, he expressed that after a challenging experience filming 'Justice League', he finally felt he had captured the essence of the Caped Crusader. “The experience, the fact that those stories became somewhat repetitive to me and less interesting. Yeah, I did finally figure out how to play that character [Batman], and I nailed it in ‘The Flash’”.
“For the five minutes I’m there, it’s really great. A lot of it’s just tone," he explained. “You’ve got to figure out, what’s your version of the person? Who is the guy that fits what you can do? I tried to fit myself into a Batman. And by the way, I like a lot of the stuff we did, especially the first one [Batman v Superman]”.
All for a good cause
Amid the ongoing writers strike, Affleck has been showing his support by honoring the strike. Alongside his longtime friend and collaborator Matt Damon, who also shares a Best Screenplay Oscar with him, Ben has been actively engaged in the cause. As a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Ben is part of the guild's efforts to negotiate a new contract with major studios, streamers, and production companies. In the event that an agreement is not reached by June 30, the guild has authorized a potential strike.
On a related note, the Directors Guild of America (DGA) recently reached a new three-year agreement that includes various provisions, such as a minimum salary increase of five percent, improved streaming residuals, and a ban on live ammunition on sets following the tragic shooting incident on the film 'Rust', involving Alec Baldwin. However, the agreement still requires a vote from the DGA members, including Ben.
An advocate for fair treatment of artists
Considering Ben's involvement in promoting fair treatment for artists, negotiators might take inspiration from initiatives like Artists Equity, where Ben, Matt Damon, and RedBird Capital have partnered to support filmmakers, empower their creative vision, and ensure broader access to profit participation for creators and crew, as stated on the Artists Equity studio's website. Meanwhile, Ben is also actively involved in various producing projects.
He is set to star in, produce, and direct the remake of the classic film ‘Witness for the Prosecution' through his production company, Pearl Street Films, which he co-founded with Matt Damon. Despite the ongoing strike and his commitment to advocacy, Ben continues to pursue his creative endeavors with multiple projects in various stages of development or pre-production.
