Affleck Nearly Cast Ex Garner In Netflix's 'Animals' — SkimNews
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- Ben Affleck initially cast Jennifer Garner to play Abigail, wife of lead character Mark Kimball, citing both her acting fit and the scheduling benefit of coordinating weeks around their shared custody.
- Affleck pulled the plug on that version of Animals two weeks before production to avoid competing with A24's Spike Lee kidnapping thriller Highest 2 Lowest, saying, "You don't need those kinds of headwinds."
- When the project reignited months later, Matt Damon — originally attached as the lead — was committed to Christopher Nolan's Odyssey, prompting Affleck to take the Mark Kimball role himself.
- Garner told Affleck they shouldn't act opposite each other, saying "You just get baggage," because the audience's awareness of their real-life divorce would work against the film.
- Kerry Washington was ultimately cast as Abigail after Affleck got to know her during the 2023 Hollywood strikes, praising her as "very polished, but also very warm."
- Animals, co-written by Affleck, Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray, premieres Oct. 9 on Netflix and follows mayoral candidate Mark Kimball, whose son is kidnapped and gives him and wife Abigail hours to raise the ransom.
Why it matters: The casting reshuffle — Garner out over 'baggage,' Damon out for Nolan's Odyssey, Affleck stepping into the lead — means Animals launches as an Affleck-fronted Netflix thriller with Kerry Washington rather than the tabloid-fueled ex-spouse reunion it nearly became. For Washington, the role delivers a marquee Netflix pairing born from introductions made during the 2023 strikes.
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