More than a year ago, Ben Affleck went viral when a photo of him with sunny beach blond locks began circulating the internet. The drastic hair makeover was a requirement for his role in the historical drama The Last Duel, and we're about to see Blonde Ben in action as the film nears its global premiere.
In February 2020, pictures of Affleck on the set of a historical film with best friend Matt Damon hit the internet, eliciting a very strong (but not necessarily good) reaction from the actor's passionate fanbase. As it turns out, the look was for a noble cause after all: a unique role in the Ridley Scott film The Last Duel as haughty French count Count Pierre d'Alençon.
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The Last Duel, explores the true story of one of the final duels in modern history, which was spurred by the violent assault of a woman named Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer) by the well-respected Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver). Marguerite's admission of the attack turns the public against her, forcing her husband Jean de Carrouges (played by Damon) to challenge Le Gris to a duel as a means of defending his her honor. The scandal rocks the community, and because rape culture is as old as time, the Marguerite's neighbors question her experience and side with her attacker; the Count (Affleck) is especially vocal about his skepticism.
This isn't Affleck's first period drama — his filmography includes movies like Pearl Harbor, Shakespeare in Love, and Argo — but The Last Duel might be the project requiring the biggest physical transformation for the actor. And he knows it, too. When photos from the set first went viral, Affleck shared that he had some reservations about being so blond for the film.
"What the fuck! I can't believe the blonde hair pictures," Affleck told E! News on the red carpet for his 2020 film The Way Back. "I'm looking a little bit like if [Draco] Malfoy [from Harry Potter] grew up and had a tough life and grew a goatee."
Well, even if he was serving Draco Malfoy, at least it was for the sake of good art. The Last Duel hits theaters on October 15, 2021.