Ben Affleck Reveals What Happened With His Buffy the Vampire Slayer Role

Ben Affleck offered his own humorous theories about why his single line was dubbed in the 1992 movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, speaking about the incident in a recent GQ interview. Playing the role of Basketball Player #10, Affleck appears briefly during a high school basketball game sequence within the horror-comedy. In the scene, his character holds the ball and is confronted by an opposing player who has turned into a vampire. Affleck delivers his only line, “Take it, man,” while passing the ball to this supernatural opponent. It’s this specific line delivery, captured during filming, that was ultimately replaced with another actor’s voice in the final cut of the film directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, a fact Affleck himself discovered only upon seeing the movie.

“My voice was removed from my performance,” Affleck explained. “I’m not sure that they meant me to have a line, so I may have been paid like a featured extra, but I know I said a line, and they recorded it. So I like to think it was some union thing that they rerecorded my performance. But maybe the director was just, like, ‘This guy’s so bad, we need someone else to say ‘Take it.””

[RELATED: 10 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Characters We Need to See in the Hulu Reboot]

Affleck’s first theory points towards potential Screen Actors Guild (SAG, now SAG-AFTRA) rules regarding actor classifications and pay scales. In film production, actors are typically categorized — extras usually have no lines, while “featured extras” might have specific non-speaking actions or be visually prominent but still don’t speak. Principal actors, however, have speaking roles and are contracted and paid accordingly. If Affleck had been hired and compensated as a featured extra, giving him a line during filming, even a short one, it could have potentially violated union contract terms or required a pay bump to a principal actor rate. Dubbing the line with a different actor in post-production could have been a way for the production to navigate these union regulations or avoid contractual issues after the fact.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Is Coming Back to TV

While Affleck’s brief foray into the Buffy world provides a curious historical footnote, the franchise itself is looking firmly toward the future with a highly anticipated revival series heading to Hulu. This new chapter aims to build upon the legacy of the groundbreaking television show, introducing a new generation of characters while strategically incorporating the original Slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar. 

The Buffy revival marks the first successful attempt to continue the series since its 2003 conclusion. Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Eternals) is attached to direct the pilot and serve as an executive producer, bringing her distinct cinematic vision to the Buffyverse. Writing duties fall to Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face), who will also act as showrunners. Crucially, Gellar herself is an executive producer alongside original series producers Gail Berman, Fran Kuzui, Kaz Kuzui, and Dolly Parton via Sandollar Entertainment, ensuring a strong connection to the show’s origins. 

Gellar has emphasized her dedication to getting the revival right, acknowledging fan desires while stressing the need for patience. In addition, Seth Green expressed openness to returning, specifically citing Gellar’s protective role as a positive sign, stating, “The upside of having Sarah involved so intimately with that revival is that she’s incredibly protective, not just with the quality of the work but the way people feel about it”. Furthermore, James Marsters shared his excitement, commenting, “I think the world needs her”. Finally, Charisma Carpenter also expressed hope for an invitation back. This groundswell of support from original stars adds legitimacy and excitement to the prospect that this revival will capture the magic that made the original series so revolutionary.

The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series is available to stream on Hulu.

Did you known Ben Affleck had a role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Are you excited about the series revival? Let us know in the comments!