During filming there’s often a clash of opinions within the crew. Sometimes it is even necessary for healthy discussion and better ideas, but when a clash happens between the director and a cast member, it’s quickly picked up by fans on social media.
One such notorious feud was between Ben Affleck and David Fincher during the production of Gone Girl in 2014.
Gone Girl was one of David Fincher’s most impressive thrillers. While Rosamund Pike undoubtedly carried the whole film, it wouldn’t have been the same without Ben Affleck sharing the screen with her. Gone Girl is based on the famous novel originally written by Gillian Flynn in 2012.
Ben Affleck plays the role of Nick Dunne, a teacher who is accused of murdering his wife Amy Elliott Dunne. The film starts getting twisted when Nick realizes Amy is the one trying to frame him in an act of revenge. The film has some incredible plot twists and keeps the audience on edge the entire time.
Ben Affleck’s Feud With David Fincher
During the filming of Gone Girl, there was a scene in which Ben Affleck‘s character (Nick Dunne) is trying to hide from media reporters. He sits at the airport wearing a baseball hat, trying to be inconspicuous as possible.
As hard as it may be to believe, the baseball hat is the cause of Affleck’s fight with David Fincher.
The director explained that he wanted the actor to sport a New York Yankees cap for the scene, but Affleck flat-out refused. According to Fincher, the problem stems from Affleck’s “being from Boston” and “not being very professional as an actor.”
In an interview with Times, the actor explained his side of the issue.
“I said, ‘David, I love you, I would do anything for you, but I will not wear a Yankees hat. I just can’t. I can’t wear it because it’s going to become a thing, David. I will never hear the end of it. I can’t do it.’ And I couldn’t put it on my head.”
Apparently, the actor was worried about the pop culture implications of his wearing the hat. Being a proud Boston native and a “die-hard Red Sox fan”, Affleck thought it wouldn’t align with his off-screen image.
The Aftermath of The Baseball Cap Fued
The actor and director were both so stubborn, that their spat led to filming halting entirely for the next four days. Eventually, they reached a middle ground and the actor wore a New York Mets baseball cap. Affleck described the negotiations as “very Switzerland”
While their argument seemed pretty serious, considering they halted the production for four days, with a crew of hundreds just on standby, it seems like Fincher was only trying to provoke the actor.
It’s clear that the name of the Major League Baseball team is not crucial or even relevant to the scene. Over the years, Affleck has been transparent about his love for Boston. It’s believable that Fincher and his “unprofessional” comment could have been a matter of him trolling the public to create some buzz, or simply just to take a comedic jab at Ben Affleck.
Source: Screen Rant
