casey affleck offered a teasing glimpse into Matt Damon The rivalry that had been going on between their families for decades. The actor also revisited his Boston theater roots, his Oscar night jitters and an awkward call with Christopher Nolan.
Affleck spoke during the company’s first Zurich Film Festival masterclass on his new directorial debut. The conversation discussed Hollywood, family, directing, him, Damon, and their very different careers ben affleck created.
Casey Affleck addresses their old rivalry, joking that Matt Damon was “always a little pretentious”
During the masterclass, Affleck recalled sharing a theater teacher with Damon and other young actors. “Matt was always a bit of a show-off,” he said, adding that Damon was “outgoing” and performed in talent shows. according to hollywood reporter, He joked that it seems Damon is ready to act while everyone else remains unsure.
Affleck later praised Damon’s range, particularly his work in The Talented Mr. Ripley. He noted that all three men had followed different paths, noting that Damon combined strong acting skills with classic movie-star appeal. He described Ben as someone who quickly adapted to leading roles. Meanwhile, Affleck preferred character-driven performances and less traditional projects.
The actor also acknowledged his reputation as a Hollywood outsider. She initially disliked the label, fearing that audiences would always see her that way. Eventually, he decided he would like it. Affleck said, “I don’t want to be an insider. I like to be an outsider.” He also admitted, “I don’t like the Hollywood system,” explaining why the outsider label feels liberating.
Affleck then recalled a particularly awkward conversation he had with Nolan. He disagreed with his son about Tenet and decided that they should settle the dispute directly. He called Nolan’s wife Emma Thomas and eventually put the filmmaker on the phone. Affleck asked about something that became obvious when Nolan explained it later.
“We could probably look at Reddit and find out,” he joked. He said he never called Nolan again and Nolan never called him. The actor described his 2017 Oscar win for Manchester by the Sea as “mildly painful”. He expected Denzel Washington to win and forgot to thank several people during his speech.
Leonardo DiCaprio later hugged him backstage, helping him recover from the chaos. Affleck’s company was still touring the festival circuit. The mystery stars Nick Nolte, Ben Mendelsohn and his sons Atticus and Indiana.