Actress Kerry Washington and director Ben Affleck surprised fans on October 7, 2026, by teaming up to recreate an iconic cinematic moment from the 1997 drama Good Will Hunting. The playful throwback was released as a promotional campaign on TikTok for their upcoming Netflix political thriller, Animals.
In the promotional clip, Washington steps into Matt Damon’s famous shoes to mime the classic window-pounding sequence. Affleck sits across from her, reprising a version of his antagonistic college student persona from the original film. Instead of exchanging phone numbers through the glass, Washington presses a note against the window that reveals the release date for their new project: October 9 on Netflix.
The Casting Shift Behind Animals
Affleck originally intended for his longtime collaborator and childhood friend Matt Damon to star as the lead in Animals, which Affleck directed. However, scheduling conflicts ultimately prevented Damon from joining the cast while he was busy filming Christopher Nolan’s upcoming feature, The Odyssey.
Faced with a tight production timeline, Affleck stepped in to take on the lead role himself while maintaining his director’s chair. Despite the casting change, Damon remains closely tied to the project as a producer through Artists Equity, the production company he co-founded with Affleck.
“I had such a joyful, amazing experience working with [Damon] on Air,” Affleck shared with Entertainment Weekly regarding their previous collaboration. “It was just automatic. We had the best time of our lives, really.”
Plot Details and Ensemble Cast
Animals follows a high-stakes narrative centered on a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is suddenly kidnapped. With campaign spending already draining their finances, the candidate and his wife are forced into a desperate race against time to raise ransom money, unearthing hidden secrets they never wanted exposed.
The feature boasts a star-studded ensemble cast alongside Affleck and Washington, including Gillian Anderson, Adriana Paz, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Steven Yeun, Ray Fisher, Matt Gerald, Mark Kassen, and Christopher Woodley as the kidnapped son.
Recent World Premiere and Release Details
The political thriller recently celebrated its world premiere at the Directors Village Theatre in Los Angeles, where Netflix hosted a pre-reception celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Executives, filmmakers, and cast members gathered to debut the film, which Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria praised as “a love letter to Angelenos” for its extensive local production footprint.
Animals is scheduled to land on Netflix on October 9, giving audiences worldwide access to the twisty, high-tension kidnapping drama.
Frequently Asked Questions
What movie scene did Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington recreate?
Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington recreated the famous window-pounding scene from the 1997 drama Good Will Hunting, where Matt Damon’s character famously asks, “Do you like apples?”
Why didn’t Matt Damon star in Animals?
Matt Damon was originally intended to star in the film, but scheduling conflicts forced him to drop out because he was committed to filming Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Who directed Animals?
Ben Affleck directed the film and also stepped in to play the lead role after Matt Damon’s scheduling conflict.
When is Animals released on Netflix?
Animals is set to premiere globally on Netflix on October 9.
Who stars in the Netflix thriller Animals?
The film stars Ben Affleck, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Adriana Paz, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Ray Fisher, and Christopher Woodley.
