Nearly three decades after the release of Chasing Amy, Ben Affleck is looking back on the film — and the personal challenges it quietly surfaced for him.
Photo Credit: @benaffleckofficial
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In a candid interview with GQ on April 17, the 52-year-old actor reflected on how the 1997 romantic comedy-drama pushed both cultural boundaries and his own internal assumptions about sexuality.
“I ended up having to confront some of my own internalized homophobia [in Chasing Amy] because I found it so difficult to kiss Jason [Lee],” Affleck admitted. “And I thought, ‘This is really embarrassing. Like, this is clearly some internalized thing because why should that be a difficult thing to do?’”
Him being in love with Ben Affleck in Chasing Amy https://t.co/nwVIrTsEBU pic.twitter.com/ie173y1LfK
— ‘80s Horror Hoe (@Thackerybinx86) August 18, 2024
Written and directed by Kevin Smith, Chasing Amy tells the story of a comic book artist (played by Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams), creating tensions with his best friend (Jason Lee). As the third installment in Smith’s View Askewniverse series, the film has long been regarded for its complex exploration of sexual identity, relationships, and fluidity — themes that, in 1997, were still rarely explored in mainstream American cinema.
Affleck noted that, at the time, he appreciated how the film alluded to a broader understanding of sexuality.
“It kind of alluded to a spectrum of sexual orientation,” he said. “It was very suggestive around the homosexuality between the two friends. What does a love relationship between men look like too? You know, we have friendships with men that we love very much. And it was a way of looking at — well, how is this also similar to homosexual relationships? Or maybe there’s a sort of continuum or a spectrum.”
While Affleck openly critiqued his own performance in hindsight — calling his portrayal of that moment “shitty and unconvincing” — he expressed an evolved understanding of both his personal growth and the shifting cultural landscape. He reflected on whether playing a gay character today would be appropriate, remarking,
“I don’t want to offend anyone in this direction. It was a movie that, at the time, sort of felt like it was pushing some boundaries and, in retrospect, as often happens, the world has evolved.”
holden mcneil banky edwards holdanky (? do they have a ship name idk) chasing amy 1997 view askew askewniverse kevin smith ben affleck jason lee locked out of heaven bruno mars edit fancam fan cam fc i love them so much this edit is 2 years old whatever pic.twitter.com/EKggoy6d7W
— 📁 (@buddieshade) December 4, 2023
His reflections offer an honest glimpse into how conversations around identity, representation, and self-awareness continue to grow — both in Hollywood and beyond.
Watch the full interview HERE.