Ben Affleck Says Michael Jordan Insisted Viola Davis Play His Mom In ‘Air’

At the South By Southwest premiere of Air over the weekend, Ben Affleck said he consulted Michael Jordan about casting for the film. The basketball superstar had only one person in mind when it came to who would play his mother.

“I got the script and had the chance again to talk to Michael,” Affleck said. “Michael Jordan is, for those of you who don’t know, the most intimidating, impressive man you’ll ever see in real life.”

The Good Will Hunting actor shared that Jordan had “a look of reverence and awe and love and gratitude and innocence and he just said, ‘None of this would have ever happened without my mother doing everything.'”

Then Affleck asked him who he wanted to play the part of his mother. “He said, ‘Well, it has to be Viola Davis,'” Affleck said. “I said, ‘Do you know that’s like saying, 'Can I play basketball when you’re out on your court?’ And you say, ‘Yeah, if you get Michael Jordan.'”

The Gone Girl actor added, “Viola Davis is the best actor I’ve ever seen.”