Shooting the emotional goodbye scene in the 1998 blockbuster film 'Armageddon' proved incredibly difficult for Ben Affleck. The Hollywood star recently shared a shocking behind-the-scenes story about that pivotal moment.
A Painful Memory from the Set
During a recent interview with Fox 32 Chicago, Affleck opened up about suffering from severe food poisoning while filming one of the movie's most crucial scenes. The actor recalled feeling absolutely terrible during production.
"When we shot that scene, I had food poisoning," Affleck revealed. "I wasn't an experienced enough actor at that point to know that you can just pick up the phone and be like, 'I'm too sick to work today.' I thought, 'I better come in.' So I went and I was literally vomiting between takes."
Vomiting Between Takes
Affleck described this as the only time such an incident has ever happened in his entire career. The production team had to provide a garbage can specifically for him during breaks between filming.
"They had a garbage can and I was vomiting between takes," Affleck said with a laugh. "And it probably made the scene better."
The Emotional Goodbye Scene
The scene in question features Affleck's character A.J. Frost saying goodbye to Bruce Willis's character Harry Stamper. In the film, Stamper sacrifices himself to manually detonate a bomb that will destroy an asteroid heading toward Earth.
This emotional farewell required genuine feeling from both actors, despite Affleck's physical distress. The actor pushed through his illness to deliver a memorable performance.
Working with Talented Co-Stars
Affleck also reflected on the positive aspects of filming Armageddon. He particularly appreciated working with Bruce Willis, whom he described as "really nice to everybody" on set.
The disaster film featured an impressive ensemble cast including Billy Bob Thornton, Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Will Patton. Liv Tyler played Affleck's love interest Grace Stamper, who happens to be Harry's daughter in the movie.
Director Confirms the Story
Even before Affleck's recent revelation, Armageddon director Michael Bay had mentioned the actor's difficult experience. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Bay confirmed that Affleck "felt like shit" while filming the movie's iconic ending.
The director explained that Affleck was actually suffering from stomach flu during those crucial scenes. Despite his physical condition, Bay noted that Affleck performed "great" in the emotional moments.
This behind-the-scenes story adds another layer to our understanding of filmmaking challenges. Actors often push through personal discomfort to deliver powerful performances that audiences remember for decades.
