Hollywood has a way of burying the lead. We get so caught up in the current headlines—Ryan Reynolds’ latest marketing genius or Ben’s eternal Dunkin’ runs—that we forget where certain careers actually turned a corner. If you look back at 2010, there was this weird, electric moment where the worlds of a CW "It Girl" and a Boston-born director collided. I’m talking about Blake Lively and Ben Affleck during the production of The Town.
It wasn't just another movie. For Ben, it was the project that proved Gone Baby Gone wasn't a fluke. For Blake, it was a desperate attempt to be taken seriously while the world only saw her as Serena van der Woodsen. Honestly, the stories from that set are way more interesting than the movie itself.
The Audition That Stunned Ben Affleck
When Ben was casting the role of Krista Coughlin—a drug-addicted, single mother from Charlestown—he wasn't looking for a fashion icon. He wanted grit. He wanted Boston.
Blake Lively basically begged for the chance to audition. You have to remember, at this point, she was peak Gossip Girl. She was all blonde hair and Upper East Side privilege. Ben later admitted in a 2021 interview with Howard Stern that he had a bit of a "here comes another blonde girl" attitude when she walked in.
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Then she opened her mouth.
She had the accent down. She had the "townie" energy. She didn't even mention she was on a hit TV show. Ben was floored. He told Stern that she "just crushed it." It’s kinda wild to think that the director of the film didn’t even realize his lead actress was one of the most famous teenagers on the planet at the time.
That Awkward "Jason Bourne" Moment
There’s a legendary story from the set that perfectly captures the age gap and the different worlds these two lived in. While they were scouting locations in Boston, Ben drove Blake past his old house. He pointed out the window and said, "That’s where Matt Damon lived, in that apartment on the third floor."
Blake looked at him, totally deadpan, and asked: "You know Jason Bourne?"
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Ben thought she was joking. She wasn't. She genuinely had no idea that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were childhood best friends, let alone that they won an Oscar together for Good Will Hunting. Ben joked later that this was the exact moment he had an existential crisis. He realized he was officially "old" because the new generation of stars didn't know the lore of 1997.
Rumors, Chemistry, and the "Interview Magazine" Chaos
If you were lurking on gossip forums in 2010, the "Blake Lively Ben Affleck" search results were a mess of speculation. The chemistry between them was undeniable. They had several intense, gritty scenes together, and the promotional tour was... let's just say, flirty.
There was a specific Interview Magazine piece where Ben interviewed Blake. It reads like verbal foreplay. They were teasing each other about "bitchy" attitudes and fashion shows. Ben was gushing about her talent in a way that felt a little more than "just professional."
Of course, the rumors flew. People whispered about an affair. People claimed Jennifer Garner (Ben’s wife at the time) was less than thrilled. But here's the thing: there was never any concrete proof. It was all "sources say" and "insider vibes." Shortly after the film, Blake started dating Leonardo DiCaprio, and then, eventually, she met Ryan Reynolds on the set of Green Lantern. The Ben rumors just evaporated.
Why Their Collaboration Actually Mattered
Strip away the gossip and you're left with a really pivotal moment in cinema. The Town is arguably the best thing Blake Lively has ever done, and I'll stand by that. She played a "townie skank" (as critics called her then) with so much vulnerability that it made you forget the headbands and the Met Gala.
Ben pushed her. He gave her the best advice she says she ever received: "Your movie will speak to you, listen to it." She told People magazine that she still applies that to her business and her parenting. It was a mentor-protégé relationship that actually produced something of substance.
Key Takeaways from The Town Era:
- Research is everything: Blake spent weeks in Boston, hanging out in local bars and talking to real women from Charlestown to nail the persona.
- First impressions are usually wrong: Ben’s initial dismissal of "the Gossip Girl" shows how easily talent gets pigeonholed.
- Professionalism over scandal: Despite the intense rumors, both stars stayed focused on the work, which resulted in a Best Picture-caliber film.
If you haven't seen The Town in a few years, go back and watch the scenes between them. The tension is palpable, but it’s the acting that sticks. Blake isn't the "fashion darling" there; she’s a woman falling apart. And Ben? He was the director who saw a spark in a TV star that nobody else was looking for.
To really understand the trajectory of their careers, you should look at how Blake transitioned into roles like The Shallows and A Simple Favor immediately following this gritty turn. It set the stage for her to be a powerhouse rather than just a face.
The best way to see the impact of this pairing is to watch the "hospital bed" scene near the end of the film. Pay attention to the way Ben directs the camera to linger on Blake's face as she makes a choice between her daughter and her loyalty. It’s a masterclass in subtlety that changed the way Hollywood viewed both of them.