A Sneaker Is Born: Ben Affleck meets Michael Jordan for the movie “Jordan Basketball Shoes” -[UNE News Express]

[News Express]News Agency reporter Maggie Ma reports from Los Angeles

The sports movie “Jordan Basketball Shoes” (AIR), starring and produced by well-known actors Ben Affleck (Ben Affleck) and Matt Damon (Matt Damon), recently held an online press conference. Ben Affleck also serves as director of the film, and recounts his experience meeting Jordan and learning more about Jordan’s parents from Jordan, which eventually led to this moving, inspirational and humorous film.

Basketball Shoes” about his experience meeting Jordan. (Screenshot of online press conference video)

” data-medium-file=”https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp1.jpeg?fit=300%2C138&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp1.jpeg?fit=696%2C321&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” class=”size-full wp-image-194309″ src=”https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp1.jpeg?resize=696%2C321&ssl=1″ alt=”” width=”696″ height=”321″ srcset=”https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp1.jpeg?w=700&ssl=1 700w, https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp1.jpeg?resize=300%2C138&ssl=1 300w, https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp1.jpeg?resize=696%2C321&ssl=1 696w” sizes=”(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px” data-recalc-dims=”1″/>

“Jordan Basketball Shoes” tells the story of Michael Jordan, a popular basketball player in the 1980s, who was favored by Adidas, Nike, Conway and many other sneaker companies, vying to cooperate with him. However, Jordan, who was under 18 years old at the time, was still in charge of most of the business decisions by his parents, so Sonny Vaccaroa (Matt Damon), the marketing director sent by Nike, persuaded Jordan’s parents with sincerity and experience, and finally contributed to this. The first cooperation, and produced the league sneakers Air Jordan specially designed for Jordan. And this shoe has become Nike’s most famous and best-selling shoes. At the same time, with the persistence and efforts of Jordan’s mother, Nike broke the industry rules at the time and won more dividends for Jordan.

Ben Affleck reunites with his sidekick and longtime friend Matt Damon. (Screenshot of online press conference video)

Director Ben Affleck said: “Although the film seems to be about the birth of a pair of shoes, it is actually a family inspirational film. Many characters in the film work hard for their dreams. , have achieved their goals, and I believe the audience will feel deeply inspired when they walk out of the theater.” Affleck’s old friend Matt Damon also said that he also gained weight and developed a beer belly for this movie, but this is not only It’s just a sports movie, which is very suitable for the whole family to watch. He plans to take his children to watch it together, because the movie tells the painstaking efforts of parents to pave the way for their children’s growth and support their children in pursuing their dreams.

Affleck also mentioned that even though Jordan doesn’t appear in the film, his spirit is everywhere, and the film would not have been made without his consent. To this end, he personally visited Jordan to ask for his consent. Jordan did not refuse, but put forward some conditions, including the inclusion of the main people who had contributed to this cooperation, especially his parents. The original script in Affleck’s hands actually featured Jordan as the protagonist, but Jordan said that this cooperation was not his decision, but his mother’s. Without his mother’s persuasion, he would never have gone to Nike for talks. Parents paid a lot for him and insisted on changing parents into protagonists. Affleck also adjusted the direction of the story, emphasizing the contribution Jordan’s parents made to his career. This shift really adds more emotion to the film.

” data-medium-file=”https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp3.jpeg?fit=300%2C138&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp3.jpeg?fit=696%2C321&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” class=”size-full wp-image-194311″ src=”https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp3.jpeg?resize=696%2C321&ssl=1″ alt=”” width=”696″ height=”321″ srcset=”https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp3.jpeg?w=700&ssl=1 700w, https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp3.jpeg?resize=300%2C138&ssl=1 300w, https://i1.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/airp3.jpeg?resize=696%2C321&ssl=1 696w” sizes=”(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px” data-recalc-dims=”1″/>

In addition, Jordan also made another request, that is, Viola Davis (Viola Davis) must play his mother. Matt Damon said with a smile: “So as long as we can invite Viola Davis, we can make this movie.” Viola Davis is a famous African-American acting actor in Hollywood. Said at the press conference: “I am really honored to be selected by Jordan himself. In the research of the role, I found that Jordan’s mother is really a very calm, elegant and confident lady. This is my performance. The goal at the time was to let people see that she was not bewitched by all kinds of temptations in front of her, but that she was confident and moderate.” Affleck added: “When I met Jordan, my first impression was that he was actually very scary, not only because of his height. , also because he is relatively unsmiling, but when he mentioned his mother, his eyes immediately filled with tenderness, he is very grateful to his parents for their efforts, and we also hope that he is satisfied with the final work.”

On the other hand, this is also an out-and-out comedy. “Rush Hour” African-American comedy stars Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, and Chris Messina all have quite funny performances in the film, starring The key figures in this cooperation. Affleck said that he has always been a fan of Chris Tucker. When he met in a hotel lobby, he caught up with him and begged Chris Tucker to join him. Jason Bateman said that performing with a group of trustworthy actors and crew, especially funny comedy stars, is the most unforgettable and comfortable memory of his acting career.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon won an Oscar together as a screenwriter in 1997. After that, both of them achieved success in their acting careers and continued to cooperate. (Prime Video image)

Although Ben Affleck became famous as an Oscar-winning screenwriter in his early years, his director skills are also extraordinary. He directed “Argo” (Argo) which won the Oscar for Best Picture, and “Gone Baby Gone” (Gone Baby Gone) directed by him was also well received and nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Later, he joined DC to play Batman. He originally hoped to direct the Batman movie, but because the creative concept did not match DC and Warner, he decided to quit. He said: “I will always be happy to work with my old partner Matt Damon. We are both sports lovers. It is also our common desire to co-produce and star in this Jordan movie. Happier.” The buddies have starred in movies together since the 1980s and won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1997 for “Good Will Hunting,” which they co-starred in and wrote.

Basketball Shoes” tells the story behind the cooperation between Jordan and Nike.
(Prime Video image)

” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/air-p5-Large.jpeg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/air-p5-Large.jpeg?fit=696%2C463&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” class=”size-full wp-image-194308″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/air-p5-Large.jpeg?resize=696%2C463&ssl=1″ alt=”” width=”696″ height=”463″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/air-p5-Large.jpeg?w=700&ssl=1 700w, https://i0.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/air-p5-Large.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/air-p5-Large.jpeg?resize=696%2C463&ssl=1 696w, https://i0.wp.com/www.unecne.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/air-p5-Large.jpeg?resize=631%2C420&ssl=1 631w” sizes=”(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px” data-recalc-dims=”1″/>

“Jordan Basketball Shoes” recently premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) and received good reviews. It will first land on North American theaters on April 5, and will be released on Amazon Prime Video in the future. This is also the first movie released by Prime Video to be shown exclusively in theaters first, instead of being launched simultaneously, which shows the confidence in the film’s box office. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, as producers, have also repeatedly emphasized that they hope that audiences can watch this film in theaters, and the response to various jokes will be stronger, and this is also a movie suitable for the whole family. Movie.