Ben Affleck recently admitted how “embarrassing” it felt not to get nods for Best Director or Best Actor for Argo at the 2013 Oscars. He felt as such even though the movie won the Best Picture. Affleck found himself in the tricky spot of having to explain to everyone why he wasn’t recognized for the roles he had poured his heart into.
Ben Affleck discusses not receiving directing and acting Oscar nominations for Argo
Ben Affleck, 53, opened up about the awkward Oscar moment during his Jan. 5 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Everyone kept telling him that he was getting nominated for director. However, when the nominations dropped, his name was nowhere in sight. “It’s not like any other morning that I had not been nominated for best director, but all of a sudden it’s a massive embarrassment,” he added, recalling how friends awkwardly broke the news.
Argo, the 2012 thriller based on true events, had Affleck wearing multiple hats, directing, producing, and starring as CIA agent Tony Mendez. The film follows his daring mission to sneak six U.S. diplomats out of Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis, disguising the operation as a fake sci-fi movie shoot.
Kimmel pointed out that Affleck’s film won Best Picture, yet he wasn’t even nominated for directing or acting. “It’s as if the movie directed itself,” he joked. Affleck admitted that he was glad he’d already won the Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Director and Best Picture. That really turned a bummer into a win for the Argo star. Still, walking the red carpet was tricky, with everyone grilling him about the snub. “What do you even say to that?” he added.
Looking back, Affleck said the snub was more awkward than insulting. He wasn’t expecting a nomination, so it was just kind of “embarrassing,” he admitted. In the end, Argo took home three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on ComingSoon.
