Ben Affleck recently opened up about his acting career in an exclusive interview with GQ magazine, revealing how his path diverged from longtime friend and collaborator Matt Damon. According to Affleck, Damon’s early decision to prioritize working with visionary directors—like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Christopher Nolan—was a “wise choice” that played a key role in shaping his success.

Ben Affleck vs. Matt Damon: A Tale of Two Careers

After winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for “Good Will Hunting” in 1997, both Affleck and Damon became Hollywood A-listers. However, their career trajectories took different turns.

Damon teamed up with renowned filmmakers such as:

• Steven Spielberg (“Saving Private Ryan”)
• Anthony Minghella (“The Talented Mr. Ripley”)
• Robert Redford (“The Legend of Bagger Vance”)
• Steven Soderbergh (“Ocean’s Eleven”)
• Christopher Nolan (“Interstellar,” “Oppenheimer,” “The Odyssey”)

Meanwhile, Affleck leaned into action blockbusters and big-budget studio films, starring in:

• “Armageddon”
• “Pearl Harbor”
• “Daredevil”
• “The Accountant” (and its upcoming sequel)

In his GQ interview, Affleck admitted that he would have jumped at the chance to work with Spielberg or Scorsese but acknowledged that career opportunities often come down to timing and circumstances.

“It’s not like I was saying, ‘No, Scorsese, no, Spielberg, I’m not going to be in your movie.’ We’re in situations of our opportunities, and we’re subject to that,” Affleck explained.

Ben Affleck on Christopher Nolan, ‘The Odyssey,’ and Matt Damon’s Stunt Work

Damon is currently filming Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” his third collaboration with the legendary director after “Interstellar” and “Oppenheimer.” The film boasts an all-star cast, including Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, and Tom Holland.

Affleck, a longtime admirer of Nolan, joked about visiting the set just to watch the acclaimed filmmaker in action. “If Martin Scorsese called me and told me to play a waiter, I would take it. Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest filmmaking architects to ever live. I feel that way about Chris Nolan.”

He also noted how Damon is preparing for intense stunt work in Nolan’s latest action-packed epic. “This is ‘Bourne Identity’ kind of territory,” Affleck said, referencing Damon’s physically demanding role in the Jason Bourne franchise.

Ben Affleck Returns to Action in ‘The Accountant 2’

While Damon is deep in stunt rehearsals, Affleck is also returning to action films with the upcoming release of “The Accountant 2” on April 25. However, at this stage in his career, he’s more than happy to let professional stunt performers handle the heavy lifting.

“I used to be very gung ho about doing my own fights and stunts. Now, I’m like, ‘At what point is the stunt performer going to come in?’” Affleck admitted.

With “The Accountant 2” and Damon’s “The Odyssey” both set to hit theaters soon, fans of the Hollywood duo can look forward to seeing both actors in action—just on very different career paths.