Oh brother! It’s a family affair for star Casey
SOME
of you may know what it’s like to be in a family where one sibling is more talented than the other. Take my sister Elaine and me. One of us is smart, successful and liked by everyone. And the other one is me… So I thought I knew how Casey Affleck felt. He’s the younger brother of Hollywood superstar Ben Affleck.
Casey’s been a good wee actor for years, starring in gems like Gone Baby Gone and The Assassination Of Jesse James.
He’s maybe not got the profile of big brother Ben – but earlier this month he landed a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his performance in the stunning drama Manchester By The Sea.
And last week he earned his first ever Oscar nomination for the role of a troubled janitor who has to look after his nephew.
Easy-going Casey is now one of the hottest acting talents in Hollywood – and cemented that with an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in Manchester By The Sea. It’s one of six nominations for the movie. And we can also claim him as a Scot! The Affleck family has, Casey told me, noble Scottish origins.
“I was searching for my roots and I saw there was an Affleck Castle,” Casey laughed during a chat the other week.
“I was like, ‘Finally there’s something good that’s come through my bloodline!’
“Then I saw a picture of it and it was like four or five little stones in a pile and a little plaque that said, ‘Here are the ruins of Affleck Castle…”
The movie is produced by big brother Ben’s old stomping partner Matt Damon. I wondered if he kept a close eye on Casey.
“The script is very, very rich material for an actor,” Casey told me. “This is the thing you become an actor for.
“No, he wasn’t demanding, he was very supportive. He didn’t crack the whip – we couldn’t afford a whip!”
Casey stars alongside the wonderful Michelle Williams, star of My Week With Marilyn and Shutter Island.
She’s the widow of the late, great Heath Ledger and seems like such a lovely person. She was delighted for Casey and the movie’s director.
“When I heard people were responding well to the movie I was just so happy for Casey and Kenny (Lonergan, the director).
“Sometimes good things happen to good people. They’re good guys.”
Speaking of good guys, join me for my chats with Mel Gibson and Andrew Garfield next week!