Credit: Alamy & Miramax
Ben Affleck Confesses On-Screen Gay Kiss Sparked Major Realization
Ben Affleck has confessed that an on-screen gay kiss sparked a major realization in his life.
Affleck, 52, continues to have an impressive career within Hollywood, making him self a well-respected actor, director, writer, and producer.
His two Academy Awards highlight his success. Winning the Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote with Matt Damon, which launched both of their careers.
Argo, which the Batman actor directed and co-produced, won the Best Picture award, thus establishing him as a respected director.
In a recent interview with GQ, the actor looked back at his work throughout the years.
The 1997 film Chasing Amy faced controversy due to its portrayal of s**uality.
The movie made $ 12 million at the box office and is regarded as a cult classic, despite Affleck stating he was ‘disappointed’ with his performance.
In the comedy drama, the 52-year-old played comic book artist Holden McNeil, who falls in love with lesbian writer Alyssa, played by Joey Lauren Adams.
With the relationship annoying his best friend and business partner, Banky, performed by Jason Lee.
Despite the film being praised by some for tackling gender and s**uality in the mainstream media at the time, many believed it reinforced harmful stereotypes.
The movie implies that Alyssa, who identifies as a lesbian, may be swayed by Holden’s love.
Many LGBTQ+ critics and viewers found it to be regressive, feeding into a harmful trope of ‘lesbian until the right man comes along.’
A documentary was later made on the film, titled Chasing Chasing Amy, during which the director of the original, Kevin Smith, recalled the ‘gut-punch’ feeling when Ellen DeGeneres, whom he called ‘the most famous lesbian in the world,’ walked out of a screening of his 1997 movie.
Speaking on the controversial film, Affleck touched on the relationship between the characters Holden and Banky.
The Gone Girl star said: “At the time, what I thought was interesting about it was that it alluded to a spectrum of sexual orientation. Because to me it was very suggestive around the homosexuality between the two friends.
“What does a love relationship between two men look like, too? You love this other man, we have friendships with men that we love very much.
“It was a way of looking at well, how is this also similar to homosexual relationships? Or maybe there’s a continuum or spectrum, and I thought that was honest.”
Affleck also delved into an internal struggle that Chasing Amy put him through.
The actor said candidly, “Frankly, I found myself having to challenge my own kind of internalized homophobia because I found it so difficult to kiss Jason.
“And I thought, ‘This is really embarrassing. Like, this is clearly some internalized thing because why should that be a difficult thing to do, for me?’”
Affleck also shared he would ‘love the chance’ to go back and do the film again.
“I still think I did a s****y and unconvincing job at it, and I feel very disappointed by that,” the actor shared. “And I would love the chance to do better at that.”
“Although, of course, now, I’m not sure the idea of playing a gay character would be welcome. I might be averse to that because I don’t want to offend anyone in this direction.
“It was a movie that, at the time, felt like it was pushing some boundaries. And in retrospect, as often happens, the world has evolved.”
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