Ben Affleck unintentionally intimidated his Live by Night co-star Elle Fanning.
The 18-year-old actress appears in the upcoming drama, with Ben taking on the lead as a police captain’s son as well as directing and penning the script. His work behind the camera has been recognized with two Oscars, two Golden Globes and other various accolades, and Elle found herself in awe of the multitalented star.
“That’s already done,” she told WWD of Live by Night. “That’s coming out in December, at the end of this year (16). That was incredible because (Ben) wrote it, he directed it and he’s in it. I had scenes with the director, you know? It’s intimidating. But I would love to direct, so it was cool to see how he works.”
The film is set in Boston during the Prohibition era, focusing on a group of criminals organising illegal activities. It’s just one of many movies Elle has coming out in the near future, but there's a particular project she couldn't contain her excitement over during the interview. She's set to re-team with director Sofia Coppola on a new venture, which starts shooting at the end of October.
“I’ve known Sofia since I was 11 and we’ve stayed really close,” Elle gushed. “Ever since Somewhere (in 2010), we’ve tried to find something else, like, ‘What’s the next thing to do together?’
“So it’s called The Beguiled and it’s a remake of the Clint Eastwood film The Beguiled. Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst are in it.”
The Beguiled set in a school during the Civil War, with Nicole playing a head mistress, Kirsten taking on the part of a teacher while Elle plays a student. With non-stop work, the blonde beauty tries to keep her life as ordinary as possible away from the camera.
“It’s important to have that (normality) as well because if you just fall into the Hollywood scene all the time, then that can get a little sad,” she noted.