TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser
TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser
By John Semley | September 9, 2012
By John Semley | 09/09/2012
For a Canadian audience, Ben Affleck’s third film (as a director) is an interesting proposition. Argo is based on the so-called “Canadian caper” of 1979, in which six U.S. diplomats holed up at the Canadian ambassador’s house during the Iranian revolution. Affleck plays Tony Mendez, a CIA super-spy charged with busting the diplomats out, under the guise of shooting a Canadian science-fiction movie. At the TIFF press conference, the actor-cum-director revealed that he majored in Middle Eastern Studies (though he didn’t graduate), giving him a personal interest in the material. “I wrote a few papers on the Iranian Revolution,” Affleck said. “I’m sure they were terrible.”
Affleck was joined by writer Chris Terrio and a large swath of the film’s ensemble cast, including John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, Rory Cochrane, Tate Donovan, Scoot McNairy, Kerry Bishée and Victor Garber, who played former Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor. What’s the secret to getting actors to behave believably Canadian? According to Affleck, you just have tell them “to be twice as nice” as they usually are (luckily the film only has one “eh,” revealed at the conference to be an improvisation). We’d love to say something mean about the broad, sweeping generalization that Canadians are all super-nice…but aww shucks, we just don’t have it in us.
164080 Ben Affleck directed and stars in <em>Argo</em> (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo_intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo_intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo_intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo_intro/ tiff12-press-conference-argo_intro 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164081 Boys’ club: <em>Argo</em> cast members Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Rory Cochrane, Victor Garber, Scoot McNairy, Alan Arkin, Tate Donovan, Kerry Bishe and John Goodman (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo01/ tiff12-press-conference-argo01 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164091 Ben Affleck (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo11/ tiff12-press-conference-argo11 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164090 Richard Crouse moderated the discussion at the press conference for Ben Affleck’s third film as a director, <em>Argo</em> (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo10/ tiff12-press-conference-argo10 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164082 Ben Affleck (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo02.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo02/ tiff12-press-conference-argo02 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164088 A stone-faced Alan Arkin (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo08/ tiff12-press-conference-argo08 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164089 Alan Arkin and John Goodman (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo09/ tiff12-press-conference-argo09 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164083 Bryan Cranston, lately of <em>Breaking Bad</em> fame (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo03.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo03/ tiff12-press-conference-argo03 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164084 Kerry Bishe, the lone woman at the press conference (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo04.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo04/ tiff12-press-conference-argo04 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164085 Tate Donovan (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo05.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo05/ tiff12-press-conference-argo05 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164086 Canadian actor Victor Garber (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo06.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo06/ tiff12-press-conference-argo06 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164087 <em>Argo</em> screenwriter Chris Terrio (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo07.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo07/ tiff12-press-conference-argo07 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164093 Scoot McNairy (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo13.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo13/ tiff12-press-conference-argo13 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)
164092 Richard Crouse moderated the press conference (Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment) TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser TIFF PRESS CONFERENCE: Ben Affleck reveals the secret to faking Canadian at the Argo presser https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tiff12-press-conference-argo12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/tiff-2012-press-confernce-argo/slide/tiff12-press-conference-argo12/ tiff12-press-conference-argo12 0 0
(Image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment)