Chris Messina SaysAirCostars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon 'Love Each Other': 'They're So Cool' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Chris Messina, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.Photo:Todd Williamson/Peacock; Gary Miller/WireImage; Pierre Suu/WireImageChris Messinais aBen Affleckmovie veteran, but when it came time to film this year’sAir, he got to work with Affleck and his longtime palMatt Damon, too!Messina, 49, first worked with Affleck, 51, on theAcademy Award-winning 2012 movieArgoshortly after he and the actor/filmmaker connected at a mutual friend’s wedding. Messina later took a role in Affleck’s 2016 effortLive By Nightand reconnected with Affleck again forAirto play David Falk, the sports agent who famously representedMichael Jordanand helped negotiate the athlete’s sneaker deal with Nike.For Messina, making the movie represented a career highlight in working with Affleck and Damon simultaneously. (Damon plays sports execSonny Vaccaroin the film.)“I was trying to keep cool because I had become tighter with Ben and I had spent some time with Matt along the way, but I don’t remember if I’d ever been with them together,” Messina tells PEOPLE. “So I was remaining cool in rehearsals — or at least I was trying to remain cool, but inside I was like, ‘These are the guys that madeGood Will Huntingand now I’m in a rehearsal, just me and the two of them and we’re talking about the script.’ ““It was really exciting and slightly nerve-wracking, but they’re so cool, as you would imagine,” he adds.Chris Messina in ‘Air’.Ana Carballosa / Amazon Studios / Courtesy EverettMessina continues: “It was really kind of inspiring to see how there was no ego. They were making this movie — they loved the movie, they loved the process, they love each other, and they just were there trying to make the best movie they could. So if Ben had an idea or Matt had an idea, there was no ego. It was just the best idea wins and they seem to be really enjoying being together, making a film.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Ben Affleck in ‘Air’.COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOSJust this week,Airpicked uptwo Golden Globe Awards nominationsandthree Critics Choice Awards nominations. Messina, known otherwise for his work inThe Mindy ProjectandSharp Objects, says he will always jump to work with Affleck, whom he says has “the highest cinematic IQ of anyone I’ve ever met.““He wants you to fly, and it’s a really, really fun set to be a part of. When he calls, I didn’t need to read the script,” Messina says of Affleck. “I just say, yeah, sure. When do you want me to be there?”

Chris Messina, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.Photo:Todd Williamson/Peacock; Gary Miller/WireImage; Pierre Suu/WireImage

Todd Williamson/Peacock; Gary Miller/WireImage; Pierre Suu/WireImage

Chris Messinais aBen Affleckmovie veteran, but when it came time to film this year’sAir, he got to work with Affleck and his longtime palMatt Damon, too!Messina, 49, first worked with Affleck, 51, on theAcademy Award-winning 2012 movieArgoshortly after he and the actor/filmmaker connected at a mutual friend’s wedding. Messina later took a role in Affleck’s 2016 effortLive By Nightand reconnected with Affleck again forAirto play David Falk, the sports agent who famously representedMichael Jordanand helped negotiate the athlete’s sneaker deal with Nike.For Messina, making the movie represented a career highlight in working with Affleck and Damon simultaneously. (Damon plays sports execSonny Vaccaroin the film.)“I was trying to keep cool because I had become tighter with Ben and I had spent some time with Matt along the way, but I don’t remember if I’d ever been with them together,” Messina tells PEOPLE. “So I was remaining cool in rehearsals — or at least I was trying to remain cool, but inside I was like, ‘These are the guys that madeGood Will Huntingand now I’m in a rehearsal, just me and the two of them and we’re talking about the script.’ ““It was really exciting and slightly nerve-wracking, but they’re so cool, as you would imagine,” he adds.Chris Messina in ‘Air’.Ana Carballosa / Amazon Studios / Courtesy EverettMessina continues: “It was really kind of inspiring to see how there was no ego. They were making this movie — they loved the movie, they loved the process, they love each other, and they just were there trying to make the best movie they could. So if Ben had an idea or Matt had an idea, there was no ego. It was just the best idea wins and they seem to be really enjoying being together, making a film.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Ben Affleck in ‘Air’.COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOSJust this week,Airpicked uptwo Golden Globe Awards nominationsandthree Critics Choice Awards nominations. Messina, known otherwise for his work inThe Mindy ProjectandSharp Objects, says he will always jump to work with Affleck, whom he says has “the highest cinematic IQ of anyone I’ve ever met.““He wants you to fly, and it’s a really, really fun set to be a part of. When he calls, I didn’t need to read the script,” Messina says of Affleck. “I just say, yeah, sure. When do you want me to be there?”

Chris Messinais aBen Affleckmovie veteran, but when it came time to film this year’sAir, he got to work with Affleck and his longtime palMatt Damon, too!

Messina, 49, first worked with Affleck, 51, on theAcademy Award-winning 2012 movieArgoshortly after he and the actor/filmmaker connected at a mutual friend’s wedding. Messina later took a role in Affleck’s 2016 effortLive By Nightand reconnected with Affleck again forAirto play David Falk, the sports agent who famously representedMichael Jordanand helped negotiate the athlete’s sneaker deal with Nike.

For Messina, making the movie represented a career highlight in working with Affleck and Damon simultaneously. (Damon plays sports execSonny Vaccaroin the film.)

“I was trying to keep cool because I had become tighter with Ben and I had spent some time with Matt along the way, but I don’t remember if I’d ever been with them together,” Messina tells PEOPLE. “So I was remaining cool in rehearsals — or at least I was trying to remain cool, but inside I was like, ‘These are the guys that madeGood Will Huntingand now I’m in a rehearsal, just me and the two of them and we’re talking about the script.’ "

“It was really exciting and slightly nerve-wracking, but they’re so cool, as you would imagine,” he adds.

Chris Messina in ‘Air’.Ana Carballosa / Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett

Ana Carballosa / Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett

Messina continues: “It was really kind of inspiring to see how there was no ego. They were making this movie — they loved the movie, they loved the process, they love each other, and they just were there trying to make the best movie they could. So if Ben had an idea or Matt had an idea, there was no ego. It was just the best idea wins and they seem to be really enjoying being together, making a film.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Ben Affleck in ‘Air’.COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOS

Just this week,Airpicked uptwo Golden Globe Awards nominationsandthree Critics Choice Awards nominations. Messina, known otherwise for his work inThe Mindy ProjectandSharp Objects, says he will always jump to work with Affleck, whom he says has “the highest cinematic IQ of anyone I’ve ever met.”

“He wants you to fly, and it’s a really, really fun set to be a part of. When he calls, I didn’t need to read the script,” Messina says of Affleck. “I just say, yeah, sure. When do you want me to be there?”

source: people.com