Netflix
Ben Affleck joked about having a newfound respect for Kerry Washington's husband
Ben Affleck’s new movie Animals hits Netflix this weekend, and his press tour has produced some gems alongside co-star Kerry Washington. Affleck made a couple of viral comments about having a newfound respect for Washington’s husband, former NFL cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.
In Animals — which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in — Ben Affleck stars as Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. Affleck’s wife is played by Kerry Washington, and apparently Affleck got a glimpse of what that’s really like during production.
Ben Affleck says he has a newfound respect for Nnamdi Asomugha after playing Kerry Washington’s husband in Animals
During a couple of interviews to promote the film, Affleck made a joke about meeting Nnamdi Asomugha — a former Pro Bowl cornerback who played for the Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers — and having a newfound respect for him after getting some insight into his marriage.
Ben Affleck has a special place in his heart for on-screen ‘Animals’ wife Kerry Washington’s real-life husband, Nnamdi Asomugha. https://t.co/e9zqzIbt3k
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) October 7, 2026
In addition to Affleck and Washington in the lead roles, Animals also stars Gillian Anderson, Adriana Paz with Luis Gerardo Méndez, and Steven Yeun. According to Affleck, there was a point where he considered casting his actual ex-wife Jennifer Garner in Washington’s part (Garner was initially attached to the project alongside Matt Damon, who dropped out to star in The Odyssey).
With most of their money spent on his political campaign, Affleck and Washington’s characters have to “get their hands dirty and expose a side of their lives they never intended to see the light of day.”
As of October 8, however, the review embargo for the film has not lifted, which is not a great sign about how Netflix feels about the film, considering it will be released on the platform in just about 12 hours.