Clarkson mocks Affleck’s dance skills while promoting The Accountant 2 with Jon Bernthal

Ben Affleck may be known for his brooding roles and action-packed performances, but it turns out the Hollywood star isn’t quite as smooth on the dance floor. The 52-year-old actor found himself at the centre of playful mockery this week, courtesy of Kelly Clarkson, while promoting The Accountant 2 on her daytime talk show.

Appearing alongside co-star Jon Bernthal, who returns as Affleck’s on-screen brother Brax, the two were in good spirits—until Clarkson, 43, couldn’t resist ribbing Affleck over his much-discussed line dancing scene in the upcoming film.

“Watching you play the brother watching him was almost as entertaining as watching him line dance,” Clarkson quipped, sparking laughter from the audience and a sheepish grin from the Oscar-winning actor.

The banter continued as Bernthal chimed in with his own behind-the-scenes observation. “I read the script and saw the dancing part and thought, ‘There’s no way this is making it into the movie,’” the Punisher star admitted. “Then seeing Ben do it—it was actually so beautiful. In a chaotic kind of way.”

Clarkson, ever the showwoman, doubled down with a cheeky dig. “So why did you need multiple instructors?” she asked Affleck with a grin.

“I did not need multiple instructors,” Affleck shot back, trying to keep a straight face as the audience chuckled. But Clarkson wasn’t done—she launched into a short line dance demonstration of her own, playfully daring Affleck to match her moves.

“Does that look easy to you?” the Argo director asked in mock frustration, clearly embracing the good-natured teasing.

The exchange provided a light-hearted moment during the promotional run for The Accountant 2, which hits theatres on 25 April. The film picks up where the 2016 original left off, with Affleck reprising his role as Christian Wolff, a socially awkward mathematical genius with a shadowy double life as a freelance assassin. Bernthal, meanwhile, returns as Brax, Christian’s volatile but loyal brother, whose presence was teased in the first film’s climactic moments.

While the action is once again central to the plot, the unexpected addition of a line dancing sequence has sparked interest and amusement among fans. The scene, reportedly set in a dive bar where the Wolff brothers lie low between jobs, adds an offbeat moment to the otherwise intense narrative.

Affleck’s struggle to perfect the choreography became a running joke on set, according to insiders. “Ben’s a natural with a fight sequence,” one crew member shared anonymously, “but give him a two-step and he freezes.”

The Kelly Clarkson interview offered fans a rare glimpse into the lighter side of Affleck, who has long been one of Hollywood’s more reserved leading men. His playful back-and-forth with Clarkson and Bernthal shows a willingness to laugh at himself—a quality viewers are increasingly appreciating.

As the countdown to the film’s release continues, Affleck’s dance scene is shaping up to be an unexpected highlight. Whether audiences laugh with him or at him remains to be seen—but the buzz is certainly building.