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Hollywood Heavyweights Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Champion Law Enforcement, Call Officers “Underappreciated” and “Underfunded”
In a recent appearance on “The Howard Stern Show,” longtime friends and collaborators Ben Affleck and Matt Damon voiced their strong support for police officers, stating their belief that law enforcement professionals are “underappreciated” and “underfunded.”
The actors, who star as Miami police officers in their latest film, “The Rip,” were discussing the intense physical preparation and the nuanced portrayal of “honest cops” in their new movie. According to IMDb, “The Rip” follows these officers as they uncover a scandal within their own ranks while seizing millions.
Stern initiated the discussion, remarking on the “hardcore” nature of their characters and their ability to capture the “angst” of an honest cop facing public suspicion. This comment prompted Affleck and Damon to advocate for those in law enforcement.
Affleck elaborated, “One of the things that I remember talking to Matt about with this was these people, who, as you say, don’t make a lot of money.” He continued, emphasizing the “integrity and the meaning of… going out and doing an honest day’s work” while acknowledging that officers are “underappreciated, under suspicion often…”
Damon swiftly interjected, adding, “Underfunded.” Affleck concurred, stating, “Underfunded. So to me, that was exactly what you described was at the heart of this thing.”
Earlier this week, during their appearance on the “Today Show,” Affleck and Damon shared insights into their research for “The Rip,” which involved spending time with Miami police officers. “We went down and met the people who do this work and rode along with them and spent some time with them.
That was great,” Damon explained. He noted that much of the on-screen language and the way officers interact was already “baked into the script,” making the research a “fun” part of the process.
Affleck added that the officers were “really gracious with their time and shared their stuff with us,” and many even appear in supporting roles within the film.
The friendship between Damon and Affleck, a bond that spans 40 years from their childhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts, remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring. Their collaborative journey to fame began with the co-writing of “Good Will Hunting,” which earned them Academy Awards and solidified their creative partnership.
Despite their long history, the duo lightheartedly joked on the “Today Show” about their enduring friendship, with Damon admitting to only getting “sick of each other” in “little ways,” never in “big ways.”
“The Rip,” starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, is set to premiere in theaters on January 16.