Ben Affleck appeared to be in a somber mood during a solo outing in Los Angeles on Thursday. The 53-year-old actor was spotted leaving his office with a glum expression on his face, driving away in a luxury sports car.
Photos of Affleck looking forlorn have circulated widely on social media in recent years, prompting the actor to publicly address why he often appears so miserable. 'I don't really like to do big social events or go out much. I'm kind of shy, I don't really like to be on camera,' the star told Theo Von on the This Past Weekend podcast.
However, Affleck's mood on Thursday may have been influenced by a lawsuit filed against him and Matt Damon last week. In their latest film, The Rip, produced by their company Artists Equity, the longtime friends play two police officers who uncover corruption within the Miami-Dade Police Department after discovering $20 million of cartel cash. Now, they face accusations of defaming the real individuals who allegedly inspired the story.
Jason Smith and Jonathan Santana, officers in the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, are suing Artists Equity and Affleck and Damon's LLC production company Falco Productions. Although not named in the film, they argue that the characters Lt. Dane Dumars (Damon) and Detective Sgt. J.D. Byrne (Affleck) are so closely associated with them that their portrayal has caused 'substantial harm to their personal and professional reputations,' according to documents obtained by Entertainment Weekly.
The lawsuit claims the movie and its advertisements 'imply misconduct, poor judgment, and unethical behavior in connection with a real law enforcement operation.' The officers have brought claims of defamation per se, defamation by implication, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The Rip is inspired by a real-life incident in June 2016, when Smith and Santana seized over $21 million. The complaint argues that 'the film's use of unique, non-generic details of the June 29, 2016, investigation, combined with its Miami-Dade setting and portrayal of a narcotics team, creates a reasonable inference that the officers depicted are Plaintiffs.' It highlights scenes where characters stretch procedural rules, including one where Affleck's character kills a DEA agent.
The movie opens with text stating it was 'inspired by true events,' but the complaint contends that 'apart from the fact that a large seizure occurred, the events portrayed in the film did not happen.' The lawsuit alleges that the film has led to family members and colleagues suggesting the cops 'must have used seized funds to complete personal property improvements, purchase vehicles and vessels, and afford private schooling for their children.' The plaintiffs seek damages, attorney fees, and a public retraction and correction, including a prominent disclaimer added to the movie.
