Ben Affleck recalls ‘massive embarrassment’ over Best Director Oscars snub
Written by WorldOneFm on January 7, 2026
Ben Affleck has recalled the “massive embarrassment” he experienced after being “snubbed” for Best Director at the 2013 Academy Awards.
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week, the actor-director reflected on the mixed emotions he experienced when he discovered that Argo – the 2012 political drama that he directed, produced, and starred in – had been nominated in seven Oscar categories, but not Best Director.
“It was the year, the horrible thing of everyone telling you, ‘You’re gonna get nominated, you’re gonna get nominated for director,'” he remembered. “And so, of course, I wake up that morning, and sure enough – and, by the way, it’s not (unlike) any other morning that I had not been nominated for Best Director. But all of a sudden, it’s a massive embarrassment. I woke up and people (said), ‘You didn’t get nominated.'”
Host Jimmy went on to call Ben’s experience “maybe the worst award-show situation ever”.
“I think you’re underselling this. Because Argo, not only was it nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture, you won Best Picture. You starred in it and directed it, and you were not nominated in either category… It’s as if the movie directed itself,” he teased.
The Good Will Hunting star also recalled how he attended the Critics Choice Awards the day he learned of the snub and was asked about the news by every reporter on the red carpet.
“I remember getting there and there’s a red carpet line, like 500 people dying to talk to me, and every single one of them was like, ‘Hi! So the snub…’ What do you say to that? ‘It’s a bummer!’ I did end up winning the Critics Choice Award,” the 53-year-old added. “Honestly, it’s just more embarrassing. I wasn’t the one going out there being like, ‘I’m going to be nominated!’ It’s having to be put through the ritual of then answering for why you didn’t get nominated. I didn’t say I was (going to be)!”
Argo won Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
Ben is currently promoting The Rip, in which he co-stars alongside his childhood best friend Matt Damon. The action thriller will be released on Netflix on 16 January.
