DOJ-OGR-00032056.pdf

ontains a parody of Affleck and Matt Da- on making Good Will Hunting II. Affleck sys to Damon, "What do I keep telling you? bu gotta do the safe picture, then you do te art picture. Then sometimes you gotta do the payback picture because your friend sys you owe him. Then sometimes you got- tgo back to the well." "Sometimes you do Reindeer Games," Damon says derisively. "That's just mean," Affleck whines. But it's a pretty accurate description of his career to date. "Ben takes these franchise properties so he can go and experiment," says Harvey Weinstein. "He believes in trying to stretch himself and not/keep doing the same thing," ob- serves Bruce Willis, who starred with Affleck inArmageddon. "He's an awesome actor, and I think he's going to do great things." Several years ago, in a televised interview on Inside the Actors Studio, Affleck said that hisgoal was to make big commercial movies. He has since revised his ambitions. "That's an adolescent aspiration, in a way. I'd rather be in movies like Magnolia, which I think is a towering achievement. I'll con- tinue to act, but I won't act in a way that requires me to hang my name out there and do a lot of publicity. I'll do character roles and focus on writing and directing. It doesn't require the same kinds of sacri- fice in terms of quality of life and person- al life, and it's a more holistic approach to theprocess. It's become increasingly frus- trating for me to have my role in the story- telling process limited to one character. You have to be respectful and judicious about your input when it's somebody else's project." Affleck has always impressed colleagues with his voracious appetite for information and skills. "He has made it a point to learn everything he can about how the business works--not just the craft of acting, but from the producing standpoint, from the studio standpoint," says Jon Gordon, exec- utive vice president of production at Mira- max. "He knows how deals work. It's what sets him apart. If he wanted to run a studio at some point, he could. He's about as sharp as they come." Affleck is already juggling his acting with screenwriting and such other commitments as Project Greenlight. the contest he and Damon started to help launch the ca- reers of young filmmakers. Affleck's friends are certain he'll be directing soon. "There's no question," Weinstein says. "Both he and Matt. I think they're going to rewrite the rules. These guys can fix anything. They'll be home runs in both instances." But there are other thoughts tickling the back of Affleck's mind as well. A passion- ate liberal, he campaigned for Al Gore, cares deeply about political issues, and is extremely well informed. He entertains him- self by writing imaginary political speeches in his head. He would rather discuss AIDS in Africa than his movie career. When Lopez goes to Affleck's mother's house for dinner. Weinstein reports, "J.Lo told me that the conversation at the table is always about politics--about government initiatives, educational initiatives, what's go- ing on in the day." Alvin Einbender. In his 1989 deposition Ep- stein recalled that the partner who had made an "issue" of the matter was Marvin David- son. On March 9. Epstein said. he had met with Tarnopol and Einbender again, and the two partners told him that the executive com- mittee had weighed the offense, together with previous "carelessness" over expenses, and he would be fined $2,500. "There was discussion whether, in fact, I had ever put in an airline ticket for some- one else and not myself and I said that it was possible, ... since my secretary han- dles my expenses," Epstein told the S.E.C.. In his 1989 testimony he stated that the "Reg D" incident had cost him a shot at partnership that year. What the S.E.C. seemed to be especially interested in was whether there was a con- nection between Epstein's leaving and the alleged insider trading at St. Joe Minerals by other people at Bear Stearns: Q: Sir. are you aware that certain rumors may have been circulating around your firm in con- nection with your reasons for leaving the firm? A: I'm aware that there were many rumors. Q: What were the rumors you heard? A: Nothing to do with it. Q: Can you relate what you heard? A: It was having to do with an illicit affair with a secretary. Q: Have you heard any other rumors suggest- ing that you had made a presentation or com- munication to the Executive Committee con- cerning alleged improprieties by other mem- bers or employees of Bear Stearns? A: I, in fact. have heard that rumor, but it's been from Mr. Harris in our conversation last week. Q: Have you heard it from anyone else? A: No. A little later the interview focuses on James Cayne: Q: Did you ever hear while you were at Bear Stearns that Mr. Cayne may have trader or ir: sider information in connection with St : Minerals Corporation? A: No. Q: Did Mr. Cayne ever have any conversation with you about St. Joe Minerals? A: No. Q: Did you happen to overhear any conversa- Page 17 of 151 Public Records Request No.: 17-295 Jeffrey Epstein continued from page 305 Bear Stearns and other firms. Epstein resigned from Bear Stearns on March 12. The S.E.C. was tipped off that Epstein had information on insider trading at Bear Stearns, and it was therefore obliged to question him. In his S.E.C. testi- mony, given on April 1, 1981, Epstein claimed that he had found "offensive" the way Bear Stearns management had handled a disci- plinary action following its discovery that he had committed a possible "Reg D" viola- tion--evidently he had lent money to his clos- est friend. (In the 1989 deposition he said that he'd lent approximately $20,000 to War- ren Eisenstein, to buy stock.) Such an action could have been considered improper, al- though Epstein claimed he had not realized this until afterward. According to Epstein, Bear Stearns man- agement had questioned him about the loan around March 4. The questioners, Epstein said, were Michael (Mickey) Tarnopol and 07/26/17 So is Affleck planning to become the lib- erals' answer to Ronald Reagan? He admits that he entertains the thought of someday running for Congress, at least: "I think there's a real nobility to public service. It would be fun to run on a platform I really beli: ed in, without any of the kind of compromi : es people make--without being beholden the win-at-all-costs mentality." And the invasion of privacy would be nothing new. "What are you going to say about me that hasn't already been said? I don't cheat. I don't drink, I don't do drugs. I live a clean life," Affleck says, his eyes twinkling. "He's only 30 years old," says Jennifer Todd. who co-produced Boiler Room. "He still has an enormous amount of time to do things." Time, and drive. "I think he's incredibly hungry." says Sean Bailey. who founded the media and production company Live- Planet with Affleck. Damon. and Chris Moore. "I think the guy has very grand aspirations. I don't think he's going to be content with just being a movie star. He knows he has the potential to do very big things." Such ambitions could be derailed by any number of miscalculations. including a pri- vate life that generates too many sensational headlines, but Affleck has a clear idea of the ultimate goal. "On my deathbed. I have to be one who looks back and feels I lived a good and substantial and meaningful life." he says. In the meantime. howe :r. there's a wed- ding to plan. = DOJ-OGR-00032056