Why Steven Spielberg Refused to Cast Ben Affleck in a Major Film
Steven Spielberg blocked Ben Affleck from starring in a film, citing personal reasons tied to Affleck’s past behavior with Spielberg’s family, despite Affleck’s strong interest and initial plans for the project.
Ben Affleck has long admired the chance to work with legendary directors, and his close friend Matt Damon’s collaborations with top filmmakers have only fueled that desire. Despite Affleck’s impressive resume—having teamed up with the likes of John Woo, Michael Bay, David Fincher, and Ridley Scott—he’s never had the opportunity to work with Steven Spielberg, the highest-grossing director in Hollywood history. That almost changed, until Spielberg made a firm decision to keep Affleck out of a project.
Spielberg, known for classics like Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and the Indiana Jones series, isn’t typically seen as vindictive or petty. Yet, his reasoning for excluding Affleck from a film he ultimately never made was surprisingly personal and, in its own way, understandable.
Behind the Scenes of a Missed Collaboration
In the early 2000s, Mike Binder, an actor, writer, and director, sold his script for Man About Town to DreamWorks. The story centered on a Hollywood agent dealing with marital issues and the fallout from his private journal being exposed. Spielberg was initially set to direct, but he soon stepped away. Binder recalled on the One Bad Movie podcast,
“He called me and said, ‘I got bad news. I’m not making this movie.’”
According to Binder, Spielberg’s wife, Kate Capshaw, convinced him not to move forward, saying the script was “too autobiographical.”
The screenplay was generating buzz, and when Affleck expressed interest, things seemed promising. But Spielberg quickly shut down the idea. Binder explained,
“Ben Affleck comes to my editing room and watches The Upside of Anger. He says, ‘I want to do your next movie.’ I told him it was at DreamWorks, and he said, ‘I want to do it.’ So I called Steven, and he said, ‘No, can’t do it with him. We just bombed a movie with him. He’s got that whole JLo thing going on now, and I have other problems with him.’”
The Real Reason Behind Spielberg’s Decision
So what was the real issue? It wasn’t just about box office numbers or tabloid headlines. The real reason was rooted in a personal incident. Years earlier, while Affleck was dating Spielberg’s goddaughter, Gwyneth Paltrow, the families vacationed together in Spain. During the trip, Spielberg’s son pushed Affleck into a pool. In response,
“Ben got really mad, came out, picked up my son, and threw him back in, and made my son cry.”
Spielberg reportedly told Binder,
“I just don’t like to work with him. Plus, his last two movies bombed. He’s cold as hell.”
When Affleck heard about this, he called Binder directly.
“Ben calls me up and says, ‘Did Steven Spielberg tell you I threw his kid in the water? Is that why I’m not on your movie?’”
Binder confirmed that was indeed the reason.
Aftermath and a Twist of Fate
Ultimately, DreamWorks dropped Man About Town, which allowed Affleck to take the lead role after all. The story stands out as one of the more unusual reasons a director has ever refused to work with an actor. Years later, when Affleck’s film Argo won Best Picture at the Oscars, it triumphed over Spielberg’s Lincoln—a moment that must have felt like poetic justice.