Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, actors and writers who rose to fame with their film “Good Will Hunting”, almost made their next project an investment in late night talk show writers during the Hollywood strikes.
In the debt episode of the “Strike Force Five” podcast, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host Kimmy Kimmel revealed that the duo contacted him and “offered to pay our staff for two weeks, a week each, they wanted to pay [them] out of their own pockets.”
Kimmel has long had a humorous rivalry with Damon. It started in 2005 when Kimmel joked that the show had run out of time for Damon, who wasn’t even booked, according to People magazine. Then the bit grew with a video Damon and Kimmel’s then-girlfriend Sarah Silverman made when he turned 40 in 2008.
“Did you say no?” asked Stephen Colbert, who hosts the new podcast along with Kimmel and fellow late night talk show hosts Seth Myers, Jimmy Fallon and John Oliver.
“I did say no,” Kimmel admitted. “I felt that it was not their responsibility.”
“Could it be transferrable?” Myers quipped.
Writers Guild of America members went on strike more than 120 days ago. SAG-AFTRA members joined them shortly after, bringing work in Hollywood to a near standstill. This week, SAF-AFTRA announced that its members will also vote on a potential strike against video game production companies.
While Kimmel didn’t accept the offer from Affleck and Damon – who also appeared in Ridley Scott’s 2021 film “The Last Duel” – he did say that he accepted support from Ryan Reynolds, since that agreement is related to a deal they have with Mint Mobile. Reynolds is part owner of the telecommunications provider, per The Los Angeles Times.
According to CNN Business, it seems as though there is no end in sight for the strikes shaking up Hollywood and it is possible that TV and film production will be halted for months. Those on strike are asking for fair compensation in the wake of the new streaming models for content delivery.