Ben Affleck had fans cracking up over the weekend when he took a playful jab at Tom Cruise's famous stunt work. While promoting "The Accountant 2" at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, Affleck couldn't resist dropping a cheeky comment about his own "stunt" experience.
During his SXSW panel, the 52-year-old actor joked about his intense training for his role in the film. "For me, the challenge, of course, was the months and months I spent training to line dance. It was a stunt for me," Affleck quipped, according to Variety. Then came the zinger: "Tom Cruise has nothing on me."
© Getty ImagesCruise is known for pulling off daring stunts in "Top Gun: Maverick" and the "Mission: Impossible" franchise — so Affleck's comment had the crowd laughing.
Affleck Opens Up About His Stunt Struggles
While his joke was all in good fun, Affleck admitted the real action sequences in "The Accountant 2" didn't come easily. "It did not come easy for me," he told Access Hollywood. "Especially with a guy like Jon [Bernthal] who's so spectacular at it."
Affleck praised his co-stars Cynthia Addai-Robinson and Daniella Pineda for their standout performances, adding, "I was just trying to keep up."
He credited director Gavin O'Connor for bringing depth to the action scenes. "Gavin does a great thing with action sequences — they're not just action for its own sake," Affleck explained. "I don't think it's interesting just to see people shooting or a car flipping over or something blowing up just by itself."
Why Affleck Feels 'The Accountant 2' Stands Out
Affleck is particularly proud of how the sequel turned out, promising that audiences will connect with the characters and the story. "This is a movie where you really care about the people that are involved," he shared. "It's got an intelligence and a bit of humor and pathos to it. It's just a whole complete package."
© Dave J HoganEncouraging fans to catch the film on the big screen, Affleck confidently stated, "Go see this movie. You won't be disappointed. See it in theaters — I really think you'll love it."
Behind-the-Scenes Drama Almost Derailed the Film
Director Gavin O'Connor revealed that "The Accountant 2" almost didn't happen due to behind-the-scenes issues at Warner Bros. "There was a bit of a revolving door and musical chairs going on," O'Connor told ScreenRant. "We made the deal to write the next movie in 2018, but we just couldn't get it going."
© Getty ImagesO'Connor credited Affleck's production company, Artists Equity, for finally pushing the film across the finish line.
