Shakespeare In Love
Affleck plays Ned Alleyn in the John Madden romantic comedy, accepting the role of Mercutio in a Shakespeare play, only to find that the character dies. Co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, and Judi Dench.
[Alleyn] is sort of the Tom Cruise of his day. In terms of Shakespeare’s theater, you have to have Ned in your play.