Ben Affleck Bulks Up for 'Batman' and Gets Puffy for 'Gone Girl'
Superfans, take note: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice won’t be out until 2016. But ever since Ben Affleck was cast as the caped crusader, Web chatter has been off the charts — and not everyone’s onboard (especially those who remember Daredevil).
The star spoke to Entertainment Weekly about slipping into the batsuit. And yes, he knows all about the “Batfleck” outrage. The actor, who turned 42 on Friday, also talked up his role as anti-hero Nick Dunne in the thriller Gone Girl, which opens Oct. 3. (Turns out, being a real-life tabloid target was helpful in prepping for the part.) Here, some of highlights:
Bruce Wayne’s the polar opposite of Nick Dunne:
The Oscar winner wouldn’t spill any secrets about the Bat-movie. So can we talk workouts? No doubt, the playboy-turned-vigilante crime fighter requires some major bulking up. EW pointed out that the star looked seriously buff at a San Diego Comic-Con event.
Not so for his other big-screen appearance: As Affleck points out, the superhero has pretty much nothing in common with Nick Dunne, his Gone Girl character who’s suspected of murdering his wife (played by Rosamund Pike).
[Related: Why Reese Witherspoon Isn’t the ‘Gone Girl’ and 3 Other Secrets From the Fall Thriller]
“It’s the responsibility of an actor to get their physical self as close to the role as possible,” Affleck said. “And Batman’s obviously got a set of expectations that are tough. So I spent a lot of time working out. And it’s a far cry from Gone Girl where my character is described as ‘puffy and hungover.’ I want you to know I worked equally hard at both!”
He doesn’t mind the fan reactions
Affleck knows about the frenzied Bat-opinions regarding whether he’s suitable to suit up for the part. And he seems at peace with it.
“Before I took the role, Warner Bros. gave me a bunch of past reactions to casting and said, ‘Are you sure you want to get into this? This is part and parcel of these movies now. There’s a lot of active fans with a lot of opinions.’”
He added, "But also, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That’s a big part of this international sport. The Fifty Shades of Grey kid or whatever it is. That’s sort of become a thing.”
He gets how serious people are about the Bat
The masked avenger is just one of the most popular and beloved superheroes ever — a character that’s ranged from campy TV shows to Christian Bale’s somber, intense version in the Dark Knight trilogy. But Affleck doesn’t seem too worried about wearing the cowl.
"It’s great that people do care that much. They want to see the movie that much. And it is incumbent on you to honor the story. There are the Greek myths and these are the American myths. The American myths are these superheroes. People care about ‘em a lot."
Watch the Gone Girl trailer below:
