Brief
Ben Affleck says Bruce Willis warned him against Shakespeare in Love
In a podcast interview, Affleck says Willis cautioned him about the 1998 romantic comedy that later swept the Academy Awards.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Ben Affleck told the Happy Sad Confused podcast that Bruce Willis, his co‑star on 1998’s Armageddon, warned him not to take the role in Shakespeare in Love. Affleck, now 54, recalled Willis saying his voice was too high and urging him to avoid the Shakespeare‑based film.
What happened
During filming of Armageddon, Willis reportedly approached Affleck and commented, “Your voice is too high,” and added, “Don’t have that high voice.” Affleck responded that his voice was a natural trait. Willis then allegedly said, “Man, don’t go do that Shakespeare movie, man. You don’t wanna do that movie.” Affleck ignored the advice and later appeared as Ned Allen in Shakespeare in Love, which won seven Oscars, including Best Picture.
What the reports add
The Independent notes that the film’s supporting cast included Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Judi Dench, with Dench winning Best Supporting Actress for a brief performance as Queen Elizabeth I. It also mentions Affleck’s current promotion of his Netflix crime thriller Animals, which he co‑wrote, co‑directed and stars in.
What was said
Affleck said, “Bruce Willis once turned to me and was like, ‘Your voice is too high.’ I was like, ‘What?’ He was like, ‘Don’t have that high voice.’” He added that Willis was “the sweetest guy in the world” and that the advice about the Shakespeare film was “wrong” because Willis hadn’t read the script.
How it came about
Affleck’s reflection on the advice comes amid his broader discussion of career highs and lows, including the negative experience of the 2017 Justice League and his recent work on Animals. Earlier Felo coverage linked Affleck’s current projects to his personal life and recent film promotions.
Key facts
- Bruce Willis warned Ben Affleck that his voice was too high during Armageddon filming (independent.co.uk)
- Willis also advised Affleck not to take the role in Shakespeare in Love (independent.co.uk)
- Shakespeare in Love won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture (independent.co.uk)
- Affleck is promoting his Netflix crime thriller Animals (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Ben Affleck claims Bruce Willis warned him off film that later won seven Oscars”
