Ben Affleck Reveals Why He 'Selfishly' Won't Run for Office Despite 'Collective Disappointment' With American Politics: 'I'd Rather Make Movies'

Ben Affleck revealed why he won't run for office.

The actor opened up about the "collective disappointment" in American politics while chatting with the press at the premiere of his Netflix political thriller, Animals.

"I think whatever side of the aisle you're on, one of the interesting things that people can agree on is there's a collective disappointment with the way that American politics has trended," he explained.

"There's nobody alive now who thinks, 'Hey, we're really doing it right, things are going great, and I love this political system,'" he noted. "And that's a problem."

Affleck lamented how complicated the role of a politician had become in the United States, saying it is the exact reason he wants to steer clear of public office.

"Selfishly, I've seen what a difficult grind of a job it is, and I'd rather make movies about it," he joked.

The actor and producer pointed out that the role of a politician is no longer "just about public service." Instead, he noted that many civil servants revolve their positions around money.

"I have my opinion, and you have yours. I could name a lot of things that I think are wrong with this country, specific problems that we're having and fixes," he began.

"It's just about playing an adolescent game of who can make fun of the other person better or be more reductive or stupid about something rather than actually try to talk about the issues," Affleck quipped.

The filmmaker pointed out that leadership is lacking among politicians in the United States.

"I think the thing that's missing from politics, frankly, is people actually trying to lead," he shared. "You can't just scare people. You can't hector them. You can't lecture them."

"You've got to inspire them, otherwise they don't want to work for them," he added.

The star also slammed pleas from the public for actors, musicians and other entertainers to consider public office just because fans may find them likable or agree with their political alignment.

"We don't ask the question of what are your qualifications to run for office anymore," he complained. "We're just like, 'Want to join the circus? Who's the biggest carney?'"

Even his cast members in his new movie have reportedly said he should consider civil service.

The film, which follows a mayoral candidate and his wife attempting to pay their son's ransom, stars Kerry Washington, Matt Damon, Gillian Anderson and Steven Yeun.

When asked why he thinks so many of his peers have encouraged him to join politics, he joked, "Maybe they hate me."