EXCLUSIVE: Ben Affleck Talks George Clooney & his New Film, The Tender Bar
Ben Affleck has been a household name for the last couple of years and we got the chance to hear from the actor regarding his new film, The Tender Bar. Directed by George Clooney, Affleck plays Uncle Charlie, the man who provides the much needed advice to his nephew, J.R. (played by Tye Sheridan).
During the interview, Affleck talked about working with his amazing cast mates, Christopher Lloyd, and working with the film’s director, Clooney. Check out what he had to say below.
What was your experience like working with all of these exciting people in the cast?
“Well, it was this tremendous experience just as an actor to be… It’s a collaborative medium, and no matter what anybody tells you, you can only be as good and do things good as the material, as the director, as the other actors in it. And in that sense it was so profoundly lucky for me. It was one of those cases where it was hard for me to understand. I read the script and thought, ‘Well nobody’s passed on this, so I must be the first person, and I can’t quite believe it.’ And I was really, really grateful. And then the cast got populated around me and I met this guy and we worked together and he was so fabulous.
And I knew George [Clooney] and Grant [Heslov] well, and I really like them and love working with them. And I mean every once in a while, something really great happens in your life and you just sort of hope that you’re ready and able to capitalize on that. To work with Lily [Rabe], where if you’re lost or confused, as I frequently am in scenes, and wonder like, “I wonder what I should do next?” She’s sort of like the life raft. As you’re flailing around in the ocean and you can be like, ‘Okay, I’ll just follow her.'”
To read the rest of what Affleck had to say about his new film, click under the jump. The Tender Bar will be released to Prime Video on January 7.
Photo credit: CLAIRE FOLGER © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC
What was it like for you to finally get a chance to work with Christopher Lloyd?
“Back To The Future came out I thought, ‘Well, that ends the debate about the best picture ever made and that’s it.’ And then I saw him. He was the first celebrity I ever saw in real life, walking around the streets of Boston. I assumed, I think, doing a play there, although I’ve been too shy to really follow up with Chris and ask him that because I’m still too starstruck and intimidated. But yes.”
Can you describe a little more about what it was like working with Clooney?
“Everything sort of comes down from the top and he created this enormously welcoming, safe, beautiful atmosphere where you felt like you could succeed and you felt like you could take chances and you felt as though people were working collectively and rooting for one another. And one of his many, many gifts is his deep understanding of actors and what it is that will help us be successful, and his tremendous affinity for, and fondness and passion for actors. And it shows. I think it’s kind of he is in his formative years. I get the sense where he still sees himself as that guy showing up in LA and sleeping on Grant’s couch or Grant sleeping on his couch or them both sleeping on the couch together or whatever it was, and trying to make it in this business. And he has a lot of compassion for how hard that is and how much rejection it is, and how much self doubt can be involved in that. And how when you get a chance to do something you really want to be afforded the best opportunity to succeed.
Do you think your performance benefited more by having him as your director?
“I feel my performance benefited so much from his experience and wisdom and talent and his generosity to say, ‘Try this and try that,’ and inevitably, invariably made the scenes better. So usually you get on these things and these interviews and you sort of bullshit and say you liked everybody and it was great. And it’s very nice to actually be able to tell the truth.”
*This interview has been edited for clarity and length