Ben Affleck to direct film in Charlestown this summer

Cambridge homie Ben Affleck will direct and star this summer in The Town,  a film about a band of Charlestown bank robbers. The film will be shot in the Charlestown area and is based on the novel, The Prince of Thieves, written by Chuck Hogan. However, what makes this film "wicked local" is the fact that it may give hundreds of  extras from the Boston and New England area a shot at "15 minutes of fame." 

This week, wannabe and professional actors came out en masse in response to a casting call for a variety  of  bit parts including detectives, bad guys, neighborhood types, wives and girlfriends. Filmmakers are looking for 800 to 1,000 locals to fill the roles.    

Long lines of locals snaked around a community center in Charlestown on Friday, waiting to see if this would be their chance to become a star, or "stah" as we say in Boston English.

Looking for the real Boston accent

In fact, authentic Boston accents were a plus. Prospective actors were given five minutes each to read lines, with the accent on authentic Boston accents. Local TV cameras caught the potential actors, young and old alike,  rehearsing their lines while waiting for a chance at stardom. Some said they came  from just around the "conah" in Charlestown, while others said they saw the line and just decided to join in. 

Affleck  knows only too well that the infamous Boston accent is not easy to fake. Affleck and his Boston buddy Matt Damon began their careers in the breakout film, Good Will Hunting which featured them as two Boston boys with "wicked pissah" Boston accents. 

Keep you eye on this film production. It will make a great day trip this summer. Who knows? You may even get a role.

To learn more about the Boston accent, Read: this article about "The Boston accent for Day trippers." 

For more info about the Affleck film auditions : View this clip on New England Cable News