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Ben Affleck Making the Cast of 'Argo' Become Hostages for Two Weeks

by Ethan Anderton
June 15, 2011
Source: Vulture

Even though the life of an actor or actress can seem pretty glamorous at times, every now and then they go through some pretty grueling work to prepare for a role. Director Ben Affleck intends to make the cast of his upcoming film Argo really work for their paycheck in their preparation for the film. The story comes from a 2007 Wired article about the CIA used a fake sci-fi film to rescue Americans during the Tehran hostage crisis. In order to help the six cast members playing hostages in the film be better acquainted with claustrophobic and tense conditions, they themselves will be locked up together in a house for two weeks.

Vulture says the ensemble cast will live together in a single safe-house prior to the start of production so they know what it's like to be stuck with each other and really get inside the minds of the six American diplomats unlucky enough to be inside the U.S. embassy in Tehran during the Islamic revolution in November 1979. It seems strange, but Affleck is actually having Hollywood actors, live in a house together, in order to better prepare for making a movie about six people stuck in a house, pretending to make a movie. That's pretty mind-boggling. Of course, we're still waiting to hear who will play these six hostages and faux filmmakers.

Meanwhile, Variety says Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) is already the first to join the cast, but he'll play Hollywood producer Lester Siegel, an O.S.S. veteran described as equal parts bookie and rabbi, so he won't be in the "Real World Argo" safe house. As someone who has enjoyed Affleck's work directing Gone, Baby, Gone and The Town, I can't wait to see what he delivers with Argo. It sounds like a story that was tailor-made for Hollywood, and with Affleck's clout, I'm sure he'll garner quite the cast for the film too. Sound good?

Filed under Development, Movie News

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