Ben Affleck Shares a Funny Moment from the ‘Armageddon’ Farewell Scene with Bruce Willis

Before Ben Affleck became a two-time Oscar winner, an early role taught him about the importance of the worker’s right to call in sick.

While promoting his latest film, Netflix’s The Rip, Affleck recounted a challenging experience from the set of Armageddon, where he filmed a pivotal scene alongside Bruce Willis while battling illness.

“I had food poisoning,” Affleck revealed in a recent interview with Fox 32 Chicago’s Jake Hamilton. “I wasn’t an experienced enough actor at that point to know that you can just pick up the phone and say, ‘I’m too sick to work today.’ I felt like I had to show up. I went in there, and I was literally — it’s the only time it’s ever happened in my life — vomiting between takes.”

Affleck noted that a garbage can was strategically placed nearby as he managed to deliver his lines. “And it probably made the scene better,” he joked, clarifying that his decision to work through his illness wasn’t out of dedication to the film’s emotional conclusion, where Willis’ character sacrifices himself, allowing Affleck’s character, A.J., to create a future with his daughter, played by Liv Tyler.

Reflecting on Armageddon, Affleck noted the film’s unique cast, which included Billy Bob Thornton, Steve Buscemi, and Owen Wilson. He described Willis as “really nice to everybody.”

“I actually saw Steve Buscemi last night at the premiere for The Rip, and we were reminiscing about that movie, saying how it was the weirdest, kind of wonderful, strange, otherworldly movie experience,” Affleck stated.

Directed by Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Armageddon became the highest-grossing film of 1998.