Newly surfaced details have revealed a long-standing rift between two of Hollywood's biggest names: legendary director Steven Spielberg and actor-director Ben Affleck. The origin of the conflict reportedly dates back to the early 2000s and involves a combination of professional disagreements and a deeply personal incident at a pool party.
The Podcast Revelation
The story came to light during an appearance by director Mike Binder on Stephen Baldwin's One Bad Movie podcast. Binder recounted that Spielberg had expressed significant interest in directing a film he was developing, titled Man About Town. The project, inspired in part by a real-life home invasion at Spielberg's residence, seemed to be moving forward smoothly. The two filmmakers even shook hands on the deal.
However, the collaboration hit a major roadblock when Ben Affleck entered discussions to star in the film. According to Binder, Spielberg's reaction was immediate and definitive. "No. Can't do it with him," Spielberg allegedly stated. The director cited professional concerns, referencing a movie that had "bombed" with Affleck and the actor's highly publicized relationship with Jennifer Lopez at the time.
The Personal Pool Party Incident
Beyond the box office worries, Spielberg harbored a personal grievance. The root of the issue traced back to a social gathering where Affleck, who was then dating Spielberg's goddaughter Gwyneth Paltrow, had an altercation with the director's young son.
Binder relayed Spielberg's account of the event: "My son was a little boy, he was playing in the pool and he got out of the pool and Ben came in fully dressed and my son pushed Ben into the pool. And Ben got really mad at him and he came out of the pool and picked him up and threw him back into the pool and made my son cry."
This incident left a lasting impression on Spielberg, who concluded to Binder, "I just don't like to work with him... He's cold as hell." The directive was clear: find anybody else for the role.
Affleck's Suspicions and the Aftermath
Affleck himself seemed aware that the pool party story was circulating as the reason for his exclusion. He reportedly called Binder directly to ask, "Did Steven Spielberg tell you I threw his kid in the water? Is that what happened? Is that why I'm not on your movie?"
Ultimately, the film Man About Town did get made in 2006, but with Binder directing and without Spielberg or Affleck involved; it was released straight to DVD.
The saga had a humorous postscript years later at the 2013 Academy Awards. When Affleck's film Argo beat Spielberg's Lincoln for Best Picture, Binder texted Affleck a joke: "Ben, tonight you could throw Spielberg's whole family in the pool and get away with it." Affleck's reply? "That made me laugh so f—ing hard."
The revelation provides a rare glimpse into the personal dynamics and behind-the-scenes grievances that can shape major projects in Hollywood, showing that even for icons like Spielberg and Affleck, professional decisions are sometimes deeply personal.
