The amusing sports film “Air – The Big Throw” will be released in German cinemas on April 6th. Directed by Ben Affleck (50), the work, starring Matt Damon (52), tells the true story of the legendary Air Jordan sneakers. Superstar Damon plays the real Nike employee Sonny Vaccaro (83), who had the idea in 1984 to produce a sports shoe for the then relatively unknown NBA rookie Michael Jordan (60) – an idea that made the small Nike company one global corporation made.
As director Affleck revealed in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the real-life Jordan gave him a special condition for his film Air.
In the lengthy interview, Affleck describes how, prior to filming “Air,” he asked the six-time NBA champion which actress he wanted his mother, Deloris Jordan, 81, to play in the film. Affleck reveals that as soon as he asked the question, he was like, “Oh damn.” Because he feared that if he didn’t succeed in signing Jordan’s desired actress for “Air”, the basketball legend might think that Affleck had ignored his explicit wish.
As the director of “Air” goes on to say, Jordan gave him a very determined look and in response to his question said: “Viola Davis, this is my mother”. At that time, however, the character Deloris did not play a particularly prominent role in the script for “Air” and only had one line of dialogue. Although it was “difficult” to “engage actors for a role,” Affleck simply replied, “OK, Mike,” at Jordan’s express request, and subsequently tried to cast Oscar winner Davis.
Affleck also told the industry magazine how he finally landed the busy actress, “By begging,” adding, “I’m sure it worked because I said, ‘Michael Jordan wants you to play his mother ‘, and not because I said, ‘Ben Affleck wants you in his movie.'”
