“It was definitely next level”: Ben Affleck and cast on The Accountant 2
Nine years after the original film, The Accountant 2 ushers in a bold new chapter in the exploits of Christian Wolff. In a recent press conference, director Gavin O’Connor – joined by actors Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson and Danielle Pineda – shared insights into how the highly anticipated sequel crafts its action sequences, maintains a strong focus on character-driven storytelling, and more.
Cynthia Addai-Robinson, who reprises her role as Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina, returns with an expanded part that she describes as a “point of entry” into the world of the Wolff brothers. “I also got to just bear witness to it all,” she laughs. “These guys are kind of crazy, and they’re also kind of challenging my view of how to serve justice.”
“She is the lead, which means we get to play characters,” Ben Affleck added, quickly acknowledging her central role in the sequel. He explained that her character is the one responsible for anchoring the narrative, rather than his and Bernthal’s, revealing, “There is a kind of relief from not having to carry a bunch of expectations that go with being the lead.” Highlighting the film’s structure, he noted how Agent Medina’s perspective drives the plot forward: “That affords Jon and me the luxury of doing the two-hander.”
Action remains a key component of The Accountant 2, particularly among its female characters. Danielle Pineda, who delivers a standout performance as the mysterious assassin Anaïs, admitted that the role pushed her to the limit physically, sharing, “It was definitely next level, and she’s not necessarily a character you see all the time.” Pineda revealed that she drew inspiration for her part from a surprising source: “I saw a video the other day of two American eagle chicks in a nest, and one of the siblings just pushes the smaller one out. And I was like – that’s Anaïs.”
Affleck applauded the dedication of his co-stars, adding, “They trained like crazy and brought incredible attitudes; those fight scenes are a function of tremendous commitment and dedication.”
For Affleck, the film’s action sequences weren’t just about spectacle. “Gavin’s approach is not about shots looking cool visually,” he explained, emphasising that O’Connor focuses on ensuring the scenes are character-driven and grounded in purpose.
“You can’t lie in a fight,” Bernthal echoed, praising O’Connor’s methodical approach to character development within action scenes. “You just have to know what you’re going for, and why you’re going for it.”
Eventually, the conversation turned to one of the film’s most unexpected moments – a scene in which Affleck’s character goes line dancing at a bar. Affleck admitted it was a delightful surprise: “America doesn’t expect it, America wasn’t asking for it, but they’re going to get it.” He explained that the scene went beyond comic relief and serves as a moment of character growth for Wolff: “What he does is kind of a lovely thing – he uses something that he’s comfortable with, which in this case is the ability to recognise and identify the pattern of line dancing – because it is so structured and patterned – to participate in this.” Bernthal also expressed his fondness for the sequence, adding, “I was so happy watching him.”
Watch some excerpts from the press conference below:
Christina Yang
The Accountant 2 is released nationwide on 25th April 2025.
Watch the trailer for The Accountant 2 here:
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