Ben Affleck has expressed his excitement about landing the lead role alongside The X-Files icon Gillian Anderson in an upcoming thriller, revealing he’s “overjoyed” by the opportunity. Sources revealed to RadarOnline, that the actor, who recently split from Jennifer Lopez, has long admired Anderson, and believes that Matt Damon’s loss is his “gain” after Damon had to drop out of the project.
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Ben Affleck has long fancied Anderson
A source told RadarOnline, “Ben’s got quite the tale brewing about stepping in for Matt, claiming it’s all down to ‘scheduling.’ Sure, the film’s been pushed back, but the buzz is that they’re rolling cameras by late March! And guess what? Everyone can’t stop gushing about the sizzling chemistry between Gillian and Ben.”
The insider continued, “He’s totally starstruck by her! Here’s the juicy bit, Gillian has long been wary of dating the famous types, but Ben’s smarts might just be her downfall. He’s been gushing about how sexy she is and how much he fancies her. He’s lovestruck and starstruck and says Matt’s loss is his big gain.”
They also added, “It will be interesting to see how this translates onto the screen once the cameras start rolling. But Ben is a true pro so he won’t let his pent-up emotions get in the way of delivering his usual polished performances and Gillian is known for being a stickler when it comes to her acting craft. Also, she is still flying solo but has kept things friendly with her ex, Peter Morgan, the genius behind The Crown. Spicy!”
Matt Damon opts out of Affleck’s project
Affleck’s longtime best friend, Damon was originally cast as the lead of the film but had to bow out of the film as the schedule clashed with his other film, The Odessey which he signed up with Christopher Nolan. Production for the thriller is set to begin in Los Angeles this April, while The Odyssey is scheduled to start filming in various global locations later this month.
Although Damon will not be starring in the film, he will remain involved as a producer, working alongside Affleck through their company Artists Equity. The project will also see the involvement of executive Dani Bernfeld, as well as additional producers Brad Weston and Collin Creighton of MakeReady, who helped develop the film in partnership with Fifth Season.
