Ben Affleck on the election: ‘I all of a sudden became qualified to run for president’

Ben Affleck might be interested in running for office.

The actor, who spoke about his new film, “Live by Night,” during a New York Times TimesTalks event with Chip McGrath at New York University on Monday, said there’s something “noble” about public service.

“I like the idea of running for office,” he said, adding that he’s been disillusioned by what he called a “cash suck,” “where you’re just glad-handing and making phone calls and doing cocktail parties, and trying to gobble up as much money as you can.” He said he was surprised Congress is able to get anything done with all of the fund-raising.

Affleck pointed to a fan in a Patriots hat and joked that he knows where he should base a campaign. He also said, “I will say that the one great thing about November of 2016 is that I all of a sudden became qualified to run for president.”

Affleck directed and stars in the Christmas release “Live by Night,” based on the novel by Dennis Lehane. Much of the film was shot in Georgia, but Affleck also filmed around Boston, including the North End neighborhood, where he also shot “The Town.”

“Live By Night” also features Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, Elle Flanning, and Kingston’s own Chris Cooper. Affleck joined the rest of the cast Monday night at an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences screening of the film at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.