Screenwriter Mike Binder revealed that Steven Spielberg once refused to work with Ben Affleck after an incident that left his young son in tears.
In a recent chat on Stephen Baldwin’s One Bad Movie podcast, Mike recalled his 2006 film Man About Town, noting that he originally wrote the movie keeping in mind that Steven would direct it and release it through DreamWorks.
However, things did not go as planned when Steven got to know Ben is starring as the lead role in the movie.
Mike recalled Steven telling him, “We gotta do something together. I want you to write something for me.”
The 67-year-old filmmaker revealed that at the time he and Steven used to live near each other and he was dealing with a frightening situation after a man who allegedly planned to harm him.
Despite all this situation Steven decided not to direct the film after Mike signed Ben to play the lead role.
Mike said he informed Spielberg of the casting, but the response was negative. He recalled Spielberg saying, “No. Can’t do it with him. We just bombed with a movie with him, he’s got that whole J-Lo thing going on now, and I have other problems with him.”
Steven also brought up a past incident involving his son and Ben which occurred when the Good Will Hunting star was dating Steven's goddaughter Gwyneth Paltrow.
Mike recalled he was told, "My son was a little boy, he was playing in the pool, and he got out of the pool, and Ben came in fully dressed, and my son pushed Ben into the pool. And Ben got really mad at him, and he came out of the pool and picked him up and threw him back into the pool, and made my son cry."
Steven later added, “I just don’t like to work with him… Find somebody else. Anyone but him. He’s cold as hell.”
Ben also confronted Mike if this incident was the reason he lost the role.
Despite Mike wanting to keep Ben, DreamWorks dropped the project. The film was later released by Lionsgate.
