Kerry Washington reveals Viola Davis had to vouch for Ben Affleck before filming ‘Animals’

Washington wanted to know what working with Affleck as a director was really like before she signed on for their Netflix thriller.

Ben Affleck has a stellar résumé in Hollywood with multiple Oscars to his name. However, even a star like Kerry Washington had to make sure that his name was good, and used another Oscar winner to do so.

During a promotional hit for their Netflix film “Animals,” Washington revealed that she reached out to Viola Davis before stepping onto set with Affleck. Affleck had previously directed Davis for “Air,” the sports film centered around Nike and the revolutionary launch of the Air Jordan I.

Affleck, to his credit, already knew Washington had done some sleuthing around Hollywood to get an idea of how he was to work with.

“I love when you told me later on you called around about me and checked up on me,” he said.

“I called Viola Davis,” Washington told him. “I was like, ‘Give me the skinny. How was it? How was your time on Air? Was he great? Was he terrible? How’d it go?”

Davis would give Affleck her seal of approval, with Washington adding, “[She] said nice things. You’re lucky.”

When Affleck directed Davis for “Air,” he was playing multiple roles. He was not only the film’s producer, alongside Matt Damon and the director, but also starred as Nike co-founder Phil Knight in an ensemble cast that included Davis, Damon, Chris Tucker and more. The individual who personally vouched for Davis to star in the role of Deloris Jordan? None other than Michael Jordan himself.

Affleck’s on-screen relationship with Washington is far different than the one he had with Davis, considering that Affleck and Washington portray a married couple dealing with plenty of intrigue and drama surrounding a chance at winning a mayoral race in Los Angeles. That on-set collaboration showed Washington a side of Affleck to which she admitted the two could be “friends” after the film.

At one point, Affleck revealed that the two had spoken with an intimacy coordinator about a sensual scene between the two, and Washington detailed how the scene would work for both of them.

“You really took me aside, and you explained to me how to use this in a way that actually allowed for and created much more freedom and latitude,” he told her.

Washington said the process was about setting “shared boundaries” and “shared rules” before the actors began. “You’ve built the dance floor, and now you can dance on it,” she explained.

Affleck acknowledged that the conversation shifted his perspective. “I remember that day going like, ‘Whoa. I really have a lot that I can learn from this person,'” he said.

“Animals” is out now on Netflix.