In a candid and deeply personal conversation with veteran journalist Jorge Ramos, actor and director Ben Affleck opened up about his new Netflix film, “Animals,” revealing that the reality of contemporary American immigration policy directly impacted the production in ways he never anticipated. Sitting down to discuss the project, Affleck made it clear that the film was never intended to be a detached creative exercise. Instead, he approached the project with the conviction that the United States is fundamentally a country of immigrants, that his own family history connects him to that narrative, and that the story of Luis and Adriana—the two central Mexican characters in the film—is inherently the story of the United States at large.
That philosophical framing guided every decision Affleck made while directing and co-writing the feature. Throughout the interview, he spoke candidly about the calculated risks he knew he was taking by focusing on the dignity and humanity of immigrant characters during a particularly volatile political climate surrounding immigration in America. Rather than shying away from the tensions of the current moment, Affleck leaned into them, utilizing his platform to tell a story that he felt was both urgent and deeply necessary.
He Knew Making This Film Was a Risk and He Made It Anyway
Affleck addressed the undeniable professional and cultural risks of centering a major production on the immigrant experience in today’s polarized political landscape. He told Ramos that his primary objective was to portray immigrants not as background players or supporting figures in someone else’s narrative, but as fully realized human beings acting as the protagonists of their own lives. In a cultural environment where immigration policies and enforcement frequently dominate national headlines, Affleck recognized that taking a human-centric approach would inevitably draw scrutiny and debate.
Furthermore, Affleck pushed back against entrenched industry assumptions regarding language and audience engagement. He acknowledged that Hollywood has long operated under the premise that English-speaking audiences harbor a strong resistance to subtitles, often assuming that non-Spanish-speaking viewers will disengage from productions that require reading translations. By moving forward with the film regardless of these commercial calculations, Affleck demonstrated his belief that the social relevance, honesty, and emotional resonance of the story far outweighed conventional Hollywood box-office anxieties. He chose to trust that audiences would connect with the humanity of the characters above all else.
ICE Was Operating on His Filming Locations and the Script Was Playing Out in Real Life
The interview with Jorge Ramos took place against the backdrop of an intense national debate concerning U.S. immigration enforcement and the widespread impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations on local communities. For Affleck, this debate ceased to be an abstract political talking point the moment it intersected directly with his production in Los Angeles. During the filming of “Animals,” the crew occasionally had to suspend operations because active ICE raids and enforcement actions were taking place in the immediate neighborhoods where the cast and crew were working.
Affleck described the surreal and profound experience of watching the fictional scenarios depicted in his script play out in real life right outside the production’s perimeter. He characterized this collision between fiction and reality as extraordinary, noting that it fundamentally altered his understanding of the project’s weight and urgency. Rather than viewing the disruptions as mere logistical inconveniences, Affleck recognized them as a stark reminder of the timeliness of the narrative he was bringing to the screen.
This unsettling proximity to real-world enforcement realities deeply influenced his collaborative approach on set. Recognizing the gravity of portraying the immigrant experience authentically, Affleck took steps to ensure the authenticity of the characters’ voices. He famously handed the pen to his Mexican lead actors, Adriana Paz and Luis Gerardo Méndez, allowing them to write their own lines rather than relying exclusively on scripted dialogue written from an outsider’s perspective. This decision ensured that the lived experiences and cultural nuances of the characters were respected and accurately represented.
He Said This Is a Country of Immigrants and His Family Proves It
Affleck’s motivation to helm “Animals” extends far beyond standard cinematic storytelling; it is rooted in his own familial background and worldview. He explicitly told Ramos that his own people and family are immigrants, grounding his creative choices in a personal understanding of the immigrant journey. In his view, the trials and triumphs of the characters in “Animals” mirror the broader historical and contemporary fabric of the United States, a nation whose national identity has continuously been shaped, renewed, and enriched by individuals who arrived from distant shores to build a life.
This personal ethos aligns closely with his professional endeavors. Produced in association with Artists Equity, the studio Affleck co-founded alongside longtime collaborator Matt Damon, “Animals” features a diverse and high-profile ensemble cast. Alongside Mexican leads Adriana Paz and Luis Gerardo Méndez, the film stars notable actors such as Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, and Ray Fisher. By bringing together a powerhouse cast under a deeply personal and socially conscious narrative framework, Affleck delivered a project designed to engage audiences in a charged conversation. “Animals” is currently streaming on Netflix.
