Ben Affleck Recalls Hollywood Friends Abandoning Him After Film Flops
The actor shared his experience of being shunned by industry acquaintances during a career low point.
Ben Affleck has recounted a period in his career where former friends in Hollywood ceased contact after his films failed to perform at the box office. The actor, 54, described this time as his "Hollywood moment" on the "New Heights" podcast with Travis and Jason Kelce.
During 2003 and 2004, Affleck starred in several films that were commercial disappointments, most notably "Gigli," which grossed approximately $7 million worldwide against a $75 million budget. Following this downturn, Affleck experienced a career resurgence with films such as "Hollywoodland" (2006) and his directorial debut "Gone Baby Gone" (2007), followed by the successful "The Town" in 2010.
Affleck explained that in his profession, "nothing's permanent," noting that a lack of audience success can lead to a sudden halt in opportunities and communication. "When I got successful I just did one movie after another, as fast as I could, I was scared that it was going to go away," he said. "And ironically, it kind of became a self-fulfilling prophecy. I did a couple of movies in a row that just bombed and all of a sudden, I wasn't cool. Nobody wanted to see my movies and I couldn't get a job."
He described how individuals he considered friends became distant. "What I experienced was all of these people... who I thought were my friends, didn't want to talk to me, they wouldn't return my calls, they like avoided me!" Affleck stated. This experience led him to recognize that some relationships were based on his professional standing rather than genuine friendship.
Affleck recalled that after the success of "The Town," which grossed $154 million worldwide and earned Jeremy Renner an Oscar nomination, calls from those who had previously ignored him began to resume. He chose not to hold grudges but to understand the transactional nature of some industry relationships. "The world is one day treating you one way and one day treating you another. You can't be attached to that or it'll make you crazy," he reflected.
In a 2022 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Affleck referred to "Gigli" as a "gift" because the film's failure prompted him to focus on directing, which he considers his true passion. He also acknowledged that the experience led to his relationship with Jennifer Lopez.