Ben Affleck Reveals Hilarious Reason Why Matt Damon Passed Up Lead Role in ‘Animals’

Ben Affleck reveals why his best friend, Matt Damon, couldn’t take on the leading role in his new Netflix thriller “Animals” as he had once hoped.

Affleck, who directed and starred in the new movie joined the Oct. 11 episode of Sunday Sitdown to chat about the film. And he revealed that Damon, initially his top pick to star in flick, had some other plans instead.

“I’m sure you’re aware, Ben, you were not the director’s first choice to star in this movie,” host Willie Geist joked.

Affleck confirmed the detail, explaining that Damon got another professional opportunity.

“Matt then ended up getting offered this little, kinda s—– little movie, ‘The Odyssey’ that bombed. And he was very embarrassed by it, of course.” Affleck said, laughing. “It just didn’t work at the box office, or with the critics, which happens sometimes.”

The “Animals” star went on to praise his friend, he played titular character Odysseus.

“He was really as happy as I’ve ever seen him the day that he got that job,” Affleck told Willie of Damon.

Damon and Affleck have been well-known besties, going through their first massive Hollywood moment together as they won the best screenplay Oscar in 1998 for “Good Will Hunting.”

“The whole idea of even being there was absurd,” Affleck recalled to Willie of attending the Oscars. “The year before, we’d watched the show from an apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts.”

The two have since acted in multiple films together including “The Last Duel” in 2021 and “Air” in 2023.

Additionally, Affleck has launched multiple production companies with Damon including Artists Equity, founded in November 2022. The company is behind a number of titles including “Air” and new film “Animals.”

The crime thriller, released Oct. 9, follows a high-profile Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped, forcing the hopeful and his wife, played by Kerry Washington, into coming up with the $7 million ransom amid a financially stressful time in his campaign.

“I make movies mindful of the audience. But also, I did some things I really wanted to do in this that I think were really interesting,” the actor and director said of the new film.

Affleck beamed over his newest project, “I love this movie, ‘Animals.’ I really want people to see it.”