Ben Affleck cut a casual figure in a tan zip-up over a light grey t-shirt while checking out of the Crosby Street Hotel in New York City’s vibrant SoHo neighborhood.
As he exited the building, the two-time Oscar winner appeared relaxed as he walked with his hands in his pockets and a large backpack over his shoulder.
He kept his eyes concealed under a pair of black shades and rocked a pair of white sneakers with red, blue and yellow accents.
The Deep Water star has been busy in the Big Apple promoting his latest project, Air, which he directed, starred in and produced.
His longtime pal, Matt Damon, who he previously worked with on Good Will Hunting, The Last Duel and more, reunited for the movie, which has earned rave reviews.
Movie star: Ben Affleck cut a casual figure in a tan zip-up over a light grey t-shirt while checking out of the Crosby Street Hotel in New York City’s vibrant SoHo neighborhood
Earlier this week, he and Damon prompted their highly-anticipated new film on Good Morning America.
The two were not alone as they were joined by co-star and EGOT winner Viola Davis for the press stop to plug their upcoming biopic centered around the genesis of Nike’s relationship with NBA legend Michael Jordan and the creation of the iconic Air Jordan range of sneakers.
On the program the trio spoke to Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan about the film and were even gifted custom Air Jordan 1 sneakers with their last names printed on the back.
Air follows the history of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball: Michael Jordan.
It has earned rave reviews and even received a standing ovation when it premiered at SXSW over the weekend..
In the film set in the 1980s, Affleck plays the part of Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
Matt Damon portrayed Sonny Vaccaro – a Nike executive trying to sign basketball rookie Michael Jordan to a lucrative shoe contract.
The film is slated for release in theaters on April 5.
Cool guy: As he exited the building, the two-time Oscar winner appeared relaxed as he walked with his hands in his pockets and a large backpack over his shoulder
Busy week: He kept his eyes concealed under a pair of black shades and rocked a pair of white sneakers with red, blue and yellow accents
Latest role: Earlier this week, he and Damon prompted their highly-anticipated new film on Good Morning America
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last week, Affleck said his wife Jennifer Lopez helped him understand fashion for Air.
In a new interview, he was asked how J-Lo influenced the screenplay, and he gushed in reply: ‘Oh my God, she’s brilliant.’
‘She is incredibly knowledgeable about the way fashion evolves through the culture as a confluence of music, sports, entertainment and dance,’ he said.
He also credits the superstar for helping him talk ‘about the way in which a part of the reason why Jordans were so meaningful is because culture and style in America is 90 percent driven by Black culture.’
Power couple: During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last week, Affleck said his wife Jennifer Lopez helped him understand fashion for Air; seen in 2021
‘Black culture has historically pioneered music, dance, fashion, and it’s then been stolen, appropriated, remarketed as Elvis or whatever. And in this case, [Nike], a white-run corporate entity, was starting to do business with African American athletes in an identity affiliation sales thing,’ the actor and activist declared.
‘They were really taking value from what Michael Jordan represents and who he is. I don’t think the meaning can be overstated. They’re going to switch from: “Hey, guys, we are a nice shoe,” to: “If Mike has it, you want it.”‘
Ben leads the cast of the picture as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, alongside his old pal and collaborator Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, the shoe salesman who made it his mission to recruit the then-rookie Michael Jordan.
Written by Alex Convery, the script for Air wound up on the 2021 Black List, an annual ranking of unproduced screenplays that industry executives particularly like.
Amazon Studios snapped up the project the following year, resulting in a finished movie that will be released on April 5 with a star-studded cast including Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina and Marlon Wayans.
