''It didn't seem that funny when he was in the room'': Air star Ben Affleck reveals Phil Knight's reaction to the film

Actor Ben Affleck recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel, wherein he spoke about his latest film, Air, and his character, Phil Knight. He also talked about what Knight, co-founder of Nike, thought of the film. Affleck said that he tried to portray his character in a funny way, but that Knight's reaction when he was shown the movie wasn't what he'd expected. He said,

''I play him, it's funny. I try to be funny. But it didn't seem that funny when he was in the room. And I thought, like, maybe the thing to do is just run.''

Air stars Ben Affleck as Phil Knight and Matt Damon as Sonny Vacaro, who tries to get a young Michael Jordan to sign a deal. The movie is expected to hit theaters on April 5, 2023.

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Ben Affleck talks about Phil Knight, Air, Michael Jordan's casting suggestion, and more

Ben Affleck told Jimmy Fallon that Nike co-founder Phil Knight liked Air. He said,

''I have to say, like, he was remrakably gracious.''

Affleck further said that Knight did tell him that the movie did get ''a lot wrong'' but that he was very kind and was moved by the film. He also spoke about discussing the film with NBA legend Michael Jordan.

Affleck mentioned that Jordan spoke to him at length about the love and respect he has for his mother and told him that actress Viola Davis should play her in the film.

Air has generated massive hype and is one of the most-anticipated movies of the year. Affleck also serves as the film's director.

Over the years, he's played a number of memorable roles in numerous films like Changing Lanes, Dazed and Confused, and The Last Duel, to name a few. His directorial credits include Argo, Gone Baby Gone, and The Town, among many more.

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What is Air about? Plot, cast, and more details explored

Air tells the story of Sonny Vacaro, who works as a shoe salesman at Nike and tries to get a young, talented basketball player named Michael Jordan to sign a deal to wear his company's shoes.

Here's a short description of the movie, as per Amazon Studios' official YouTube channel:

''From award-winning director Ben Affleck, AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand.''

The synopsis further reads,

''This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.''

Matt Damon stars in the lead role as Sonny Vaccaro. Damon is perfectly cast in the role as he effortlessly portrays Sonny with a tinge of humor. Viewers can look forward to a thoroughly memorable performance from the actor.

Appearing alongside Damon in supporting roles are actors like Ben Affleck as Phil Knight, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, and many others.

Air will arrive in theaters on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.