Affleck Was Puking Between Takes During Armageddon's Most Emotional Scene
The actor battled severe food poisoning while filming his tearjerking breakdown with Bruce Willis, throwing up in a garbage can between takes. His illness may have actually improved the raw intensity of his performance.
Ben Affleck's most gut-wrenching performance in Armageddon came with a literal twist. The actor was battling severe food poisoning during one of the film's most emotional sequences.
The 1998 blockbuster featured a tearjerking scene between Affleck and Bruce Willis that left audiences sobbing. What viewers didn't know was that Affleck spent the entire shoot vomiting between takes.
Sick Actor, Powerful Performance
"When we shot that scene, I had food poisoning," Affleck revealed during a recent interview with Jake Hamilton. The actor admitted he lacked the experience to call in sick at the time. "I wasn't an experienced enough actor" to skip work, he explained.
The production team kept a garbage can on set specifically for Affleck's frequent trips. Between emotional breakdowns on camera, he was literally breaking down off camera. "They had a garbage can" that he used constantly, the actor recalled.
Affleck joked that his illness might have enhanced the scene's authenticity. "It probably made the scene better," he quipped, drawing laughs from co-star Matt Damon during the interview.
Behind the Bayhem
This wasn't Affleck's first candid revelation about working with director Michael Bay. The actor's DVD commentary for Armageddon became legendary among fans for its brutal honesty.
During filming, Affleck questioned why the script called for training oil drillers as astronauts instead of teaching astronauts to drill. Bay's response was swift and profane: "Shut the f**k up." The exchange ended Affleck's attempts to understand the plot logic.
The sci-fi disaster film earned $553 mn worldwide despite being riddled with scientific inaccuracies. NASA actually uses the movie as a training exercise, asking recruits to spot as many errors as possible.
Affleck's food poisoning story adds another layer to Armageddon's chaotic production legacy. Sometimes the most memorable performances come from the most uncomfortable circumstances.