Ben Affleck hilariously discusses his continued plight of having a name similar to the Aflac insurance company. Affleck, who is one of the most well-known and recognizable stars working in movies today, got his start with the 1993 film Dazed and Confused but is now equally renowned for his work as a writer, director, and producer. In addition to having won two Oscars, Affleck is also a fan-favorite among comic book movie fans for his nuanced and dark take on Batman in both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder's Justice League.
Most recently, Affleck appeared in Ridley Scott's medieval epic The Last Duel and can now be seen as Charlie in George Clooney's The Tender Bar. The film, which is based on the memoir of the same name by J.R. Moehringer, tells the story of a young J.R. and his quest to find a father figure amongst the patrons of his uncle Charlie's bar. The film as a whole has been met with mixed critical reception, but Affleck's performance is frequently mentioned in reviews as a high point. The Tender Bar, which was released theatrically in late December, was released on Amazon Prime on January 7.
During the WIRED Autocomplete Interview segment on YouTube with co-star Lily Rabe to promote The Tender Bar, Affleck takes a moment to explain his struggle of having a last name similar to that of Aflac, the insurance company. After one autocomplete suggestion asks the question, "Does Ben Affleck own Aflac Insurance?" the actor launches into a detailed (and hilarious) explanation of the types of problems the name similarity causes. Check out Affleck's full comment below:
“This is my cross to bear. Imagine this. Imagine having a very unusual, kind of slightly unappealing sounding name. Now imagine that, somehow, there’s a huge insurance company, that also has that name. Now imagine that insurance company has a bottomless budget to buy television commercials. And now imagine that their creative choice is to hire a duck to shriek your last name in as loud and obnoxious a way as humanly possible for the duration of a television commercial.
"And then imagine what it’s like when you’re on an airplane, and the hammered lady behind you recognizes you, and thinks she’s gonna do her best Gilbert Gottfried for six hours, all the way to New York. Thank you, Aflac! I don’t own it! But I deserve it. I would like a discount.”
Although the spellings of "Affleck" and "Aflac" are clearly different, there is certainly room for confusion if one were to only hear the two words said aloud. Affleck's story about the woman on the plane suggests the confusion isn't necessarily a rare occurrence either. Gilbert Gottfried, who provided the voice for the Aflac duck up until 2011, is renowned for his very distinct (and often comically grating) voice, meaning that Affleck's six-hour plane ride would likely have felt like an eternity with someone constantly doing an impression at him.
Considering how often famous actors branch into other industries outside of Hollywood (or come from families already established in other industries), it's not necessarily an outlandish assumption that Affleck and Aflac are somehow related. As Affleck himself admits, his last name isn't exactly common. That being said, hopefully, Affleck's comments clear the matter up once and for all and he can avoid being subjected to future Gilbert Gottfried impressions. Audiences can catch Ben Affleck in The Tender Bar, which is now available to stream on Amazon Prime.
Source: WIRED
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