Known for his iconic portrayal of Batman in Zack Snyder’s DCEU, Ben Affleck has given a ton of smash-hit blockbusters that have made a major mark at the box office. From Good Will Hunting to Air, Affleck did not shy away from showcasing his acting range, as he can embody himself in any role, irrespective of the genre.
Over the years, the Argo actor has accomplished a lot in his acting career. However, there was a time in his career when he took a nose dive after working in three flops in the same year.
This streak also included a film where he worked with his wife, Jennifer Lopez, the 2003 film titled Gigli, which made fans question his ability to choose a good script.
Ben Affleck Gets Candid on His Experience with Gigli
Ben Affleck began his career with minor roles and appearances in films, but after he worked in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, it put him in the limelight. This paved the way for him to make a name for himself as he starred in movies across different genres.
However, the Dazed and Confused star’s acting career took a serious hit when he decided to work in three massive flops, all in the same year. The streak of failure began with Daredevil, then Gigli, and lastly, Paycheck. While all three of them were atrocious to watch, Brest’s flick managed to surpass the other two films in terms of being a disappointment.
The 2003 film featuring Affleck as well as his wife, J. Lo, was originally intended to be a dark film, but later it became a rom-com. The flick was made with a whopping budget of $54 million, yet it managed to gross only $7.2 million at the worldwide box office via Box Office Mojo.
During an exclusive interview with EW, Damon recalled how Affleck once told him that he was in the “worst possible place you can be; you said, ‘I can sell magazines but not movie tickets.'” Affleck affirmed what he had told his friend back in the day and added,
Yeah, I remember feeling like it was the worst of both worlds that actually I was going to lose my opportunity. I was viewed as the tax; you paid to get the chance to do this work was to sacrifice your private life, and people are gonna have the license to, you know, like make support of you some degree.
Ben Affleck emphasized that he did not anticipate how his acting career would turn out to be. To give a clear idea of how bad Martin Brest’s project was, the 2003 film swept the 24th Golden Raspberry Awards.
The flick won 6 Golden Razzies, including Worst Screenplay, Worst Leading Actor, Worst Leading Actress, and Worst Director. Hence, it will give its fans a clear idea of how bad the film was.
Ben Affleck Does Not Regret Gigli’s Failure
Even though Affleck has been recently making headlines again for his alleged troubled marriage with his wife, Jennifer Lopez, there was once a time when he was one of the most wanted names in the industry. In the same interview with EW, Affleck explained how working at the biggest box office bomb of his career helped him steer his career and meet the love of his life.
Moreover, it was admiration for Martin Brest that convinced him to work in the film, which helped him meet the love of his life. He said,
If the reaction to Gigli hadn’t happened, I probably wouldn’t have ultimately decided, ‘I don’t really have any other avenue but to direct movies,’ which has turned out to be the real love of my professional life. So in those ways, it’s a gift, and I did get to meet Jennifer.
Nevertheless, Affleck managed to bounce back as he managed to revive his career by choosing films that elevated his fame, making him one of the most recognized faces in the world.
Gigli can be rented on AppleTV.
