Ben Affleck Defends His 3 Most Controversial Takes | SubwayTakes Uncut

Episode Summary

Ben Affleck joins Kareem Rahma for an unusually heartfelt—and increasingly silly—ride on the subway. Kareem opens by saying Affleck has been his dream guest for years. Affleck jokes about being mistaken for Matt Damon and admits that he finds interviews awkward because he often feels “boring” when he isn’t playing a character. Their easy rapport soon turns into the episode’s running joke: they keep discovering how much they agree on.

Affleck’s Takes

1. Interviews can make it harder for audiences to love a film

Affleck suggests that the more audiences see an actor as an ordinary person, the harder it can be to believe them as a character. He says he isn’t elusive so much as avoidant, and worries about whether he’ll be entertaining in interviews. Kareem reassures him that the show is a safe place to be canceled, which seems to help.

The conversation veers into “iPhone face”—the idea that some modern-looking faces can make actors seem out of place in historical movies—and praise for Austin Butler. Affleck and Kareem discover they both like Butler and jokingly propose starting a group chat with him.

2. You should never be photographed eating or smoking

Affleck says unflattering photos of him eating burgers make him look like a “freak.” Kareem admits Affleck’s cigarette photos inspired him to start smoking at 40, only for Affleck to call Kareem’s plan to smoke for just one year an “incredibly stupid idea.” Affleck says nicotine pouches have helped him smoke less. The two discuss different strengths and laugh about the gross habit of leaving used pouches in your pocket.

Kareem explains why Affleck has been his dream guest: he thinks Affleck’s work as an actor, writer, and director gets overshadowed by viral photos of him looking exasperated or spilling things. Affleck counters that he doesn’t spill that much—his spills just get photographed from several angles. Kareem says the pictures resonate because Affleck looks like a person having the kind of rough day everyone recognizes.

Delighted, Affleck calls Kareem’s understanding the biggest compliment he’s received on a show. They even brainstorm a book club, joking about reading The Catcher in the Rye and trying to out-literature Damon’s Wordle group chat.

3. Something can be very sad without being tragic

Since the two are so aligned, they try to manufacture some disagreement with a string of prompts. They agree that parents shouldn’t have a favorite child and find common ground on the idea that people shouldn’t have to pay taxes for an unnecessary war.

Other topics include gambling “as long as you win” and whether men would rather hang out with their friends than have sex. The discussion is part debate, part improvised comedy—including a brief attempt at fake accents that Affleck quickly abandons.

Closing

By the end, Kareem jokingly asks where he’s supposed to go after Affleck has made his career and life feel understood. Affleck suggests becoming co-hosts, then they trade playful insults before parting with the show’s recurring impulse: “Let’s go have a smoke.”

People Appearing

• Ben Affleck
• Kareem Rahma
• Mitch, a subway rider they meet