The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ben Affleck felt personal connection in new film
“The Way Back” deals with addiction and the constant struggle to overcome.
Ben Affleck fired off nearly a dozen questions during a recent visit to The Shepherd’s Inn, an Atlanta Mission shelter for homeless men.
“What’s the percentage of addicts that live here?”
“What percentage suffer from mental illness?”
“Do you guys provide job training?”
The question-and-answer session with the nonprofit’s CEO Jim Reese lasted about 10 minutes. Then the film star, along with his four castmates from the new movie “The Way Back” — Brandon Wilson, Melvin Gregg, Charles Lott Jr. and Will Ropp — headed to the facility’s cafeteria to serve the more than 200 residents Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee.
The actors were in town to promote their flick, but a trip to the shelter, located in downtown Atlanta, was not initially on the schedule.
In theaters today, “The Way Back” follows Jack Cunningham, a former high school basketball phenom battling alcoholism. When he’s offered a coaching job at his alma mater, he’s forced to confront his problems.
It’s a narrative the Oscar winner can personally relate to. He and his father have both dealt with alcoholism, and Affleck has reportedly taken at least three trips to rehab over the years, with the most recent in 2018.
The parallels between Affleck and the character he portrayed inspired him to do some good while in Atlanta for the press tour.
After rationing out the afternoon snacks with his co-stars, he strolled around the space to interact with as many people as he could. From selfies to handshakes to hugs, he said he wanted to support those who need a second chance.
“[Addiction] is a constant struggle, and I don’t think people really get that,” he told one of the residents at The Shepherd’s Inn, which can accommodate up to 450 men. “Even when you’re sober, life is still hard. My aspiration for this movie is that people can see it and hopefully develop some compassion for people struggling with addiction issues.”
The redemptive theme of the plot is what convinced Ropp to join the cast. Realizing the gig paid more than driving Uber also helped him sign up for the project, he joked earlier in the day during an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“No, but really it was an amazing script from the get-go. It was a no-brainer. It was an easy choice,” he said. “You want to see the underdog win.”
Although the sports drama tackles serious topics, the troupe managed to have some fun during the process.
“The most fun thing for me was just getting to know these guys and finally getting invited in on the group chat at the end of the movie, not at the beginning,” Affleck revealed.
“We were scared to ask him,” Gregg playfully retorted.
And before they were exchanging GIFs and memes in the group text, which is still active, while on set, they were creating dance moves and practicing their athleticism on the court.
They all agreed that making the film was rewarding. Affleck called it one of his “most satisfying experiences.”
“Life can be difficult sometimes. It can throw up hurdles. You can either give up or push through, and basketball is a really good metaphor for that,“he said. “It was a real story with real people struggling with real issues, which is something I can kind of identify with.”