Oscars 2013: Ben Affleck Reacts to ‘Argo’ Win, Michelle Obama Appearance

Ben Affleck told the press backstage that he was as surprised as anyone to see Michelle Obama presenting him and his fellow producers the Oscar for best picture. “I was sort of hallucinating when that was happening,” said Affleck. “Over the course of a hallucination, it doesn’t seem that odd. Oh, a purple elephant. Oh, Michelle Obama. I was just asking these two guys outside, ‘Was that Michelle Obama?’
in retrospect, anyway it was very cool.”

 The three producers of Argo jestingly claimed to be shocked, shocked to hear from a press questioner that Affleck was not nominated for best director. “I wasn’t aware that you were left off,” said Clooney. “I wasn’t nominated as an actor in the movie.”

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“That’s a crime, folks,” said Affleck, also joshing, but then he got serious. “Naturally I was disappointed, but when I look at the directors who [weren’t nominated], Paul Thomas Anderson or Kathryn Bigelow, who’s just amazing, Tom Hooper, Quentin Tarantino, these are all directors who I admire enormously. it was just a very tough year.”

“You were in good company, not being nominated,” said Clooney.

“You know what?” said Affleck, “You’re not entitled to anything. I’m honored  to be here, I’m honored to be among these extraordinary movies, and I’m really, really honored to win an Academy Award.”

Complimented on his humility, Affleck said, “No more humility!”

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Affleck said he didn’t worry too much about the elements of fiction in his fact-based film. “Naturally you have to make some creative choices…you try to honor the truth, the essence of the story you’re telling… It’s a complete credit to [writer] Chris Terrio rather than me. I was excited about making this movie, I liked the script…I wanted to work on some quality… I was willing to let the chips kinda fall where they may as long as we made the kind of movie we wanted to.”

Asked if there was a tipping point when the race went in Argo‘s favor, Heslov quipped, “Tonight.” “When they gave us the trophies, I was confident we’d win,” said Affleck. ” I don’t get too much into the Oscarology and the pontificating, which is great and people like it…I was thrilled for Billy, I was thrilled for Chris and when it came along I was thrilled for these two guys. But it doesn’t help me to read up on that stuff.”