Ben Affleck plays a Brentwood businessman running for Los Angeles mayor in the new thriller “Animals.” That businessman, played by Affleck, is also a longtime political activist who has supported the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Now, his “Animals” cast would like him to run for elected office.
“Maybe they hate me,” Affleck cracked at the “Animals” premiere on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
Kerry Washington’s Push
Kerry Washington co-stars as Affleck’s wife in the movie. She is part of the push.
“We keep telling him that he should, but he doesn’t want to,” she told me. “You know, we’re in a place in our politics right now where anything is possible, but I would hope that the people who are running for office want to be there and he has been very explicit in saying that he doesn’t want to run for office.”
Washington’s framing of the current moment is notable. She speaks of a time when “anything is possible,” a sentiment that she hopes Affleck will take to heart.
Méndez Votes for Him
Luis Gerardo Méndez plays an undocumented Mexican immigrant in the film who finds himself unexpectedly — and dangerously — thrust into the mayoral hopeful’s life. His response to the idea of Affleck running is enthusiastic.
“I would definitely vote for him,” Méndez said. “Go Ben Affleck! He’s smart and sexy — that’s all you need.”
Affleck is not announcing a candidacy anytime soon, but his co-star is ready to cast his ballot if Affleck decides to run.
Affleck’s Case Against Politics
Affleck, however, isn’t announcing a candidacy anytime soon. He has a strong argument for why he does not want to run.
“We don’t ask the question of what are your qualifications to hold public office any longer,” the Oscar winner said. “It’s, ‘You wanna join the circus? Who’s the biggest carny?’ I think that there is a whatever side of the aisle you’re on, one of the interesting things that people can agree on is a collective disappointment with the way that American politics has trended.”
Affleck continued, “There’s nobody alive now who thinks, hey, we’re really doing it right and things are going great and I love this political system. And that’s a problem.”
His diagnosis of the current moment is blunt. He sees a system that has lost its way, and he is not interested in joining it.
The Job Is No Longer About Serving People
Affleck says being in office is no longer about serving the people.
“It’s just about money, raising money, it’s just about playing a sort of adolescent game of who can make fun of the other person better or be more reductive and stupid about something rather than actually trying to talk about the issues,” he said. “I think the thing that’s missing from politics, frankly, is you have to lead. You can’t just scare people. You can’t just hector them. You can’t lecture them. You can’t guilt them into it. You’ve got to inspire them. Otherwise they don’t want to vote for you.”
He then added, “Selfishly, I just see what a difficult grind of a job it is and I’d rather make movies about it.”
The two halves of that statement are worth sitting with. Affleck wants to inspire voters, but he does not want to put in the work himself. He sees the problems clearly, and he sees the solution as staying out of it.
Why the Cast Wants Him to Run
The cast’s push comes from a place of genuine belief. Washington frames the current moment as one where “anything is possible,” and she wants Affleck to be part of that possibility.
Méndez is enthusiastic. He says he would vote for Affleck if Affleck ran.
Affleck’s response is to crack a joke. “Maybe they hate me,” he said at the premiere.
The tension is real. The cast wants him to run, and he has told them repeatedly that he does not want to.
The Circus Question
Affleck’s framing of the current political landscape is sharp. He describes a system that asks not whether someone is qualified but whether they are willing to join the spectacle.
“You wanna join the circus? Who’s the biggest carny?” he said.
That question captures the essence of his complaint. He sees politics as a performance, and he does not want to perform in it.
What Comes Next
“Animals” will be released on Netflix and in select theaters on Oct. 9.
Affleck is not running for office. He has said so, and he has said it again.
The cast’s push is sincere. Washington and Méndez want Affleck to be part of the solution, even as they acknowledge his stated position.
The question remains open. Will Affleck ever change his mind?
For now, he is sticking to the movies.
Release Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct. 9 | “Animals” releases on Netflix and in select theaters |
The circus continues without him.
Source material: “Ben Affleck’s ‘Animals’ Cast Wants Him to Run for Office: ‘Maybe They Hate Me’,” Variety.
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